Free: Contests & Raffles.
So, I drove over there Friday night. Got there at 10 pm. Slept (well at least tried to sleep in the front seat of my wife's Jeep). Was still pretty toasty. Got to the Dock at 0330. The boat Launch was going non-stop from about 0230 on and was backed up a loooong way. My guide, from Fins and Feathers out of Coeur D'Alene put in down at Pateros and picked the three of us up at a dock just down river from the boat launch. Got on the water at 0400, quick 5 or 6 minute ride up to Brewster pool where we met up with about 300 boats. Pretty wild scene, but not quite as chaotic as I thought it might be. I caught the first sockeye, which we lost trying to net in the near dark conditions. We had 6 rods out. Lead balls, no downriggers needed. The bow rod was down at 20 feet with a 6 ounce ball, a "0" dodger and a pink hoochie with shrimp. Middle rod was at 25 feet and the back rod was at 30 feet. Was pretty much non-stop action. We lost 6 or 7 sockeye while trying to net. Had our 12 fish limit and was back at the dock, fish cleaned and off the boat at 0605. One of my fish the guide made a mistake and paid for it. He grabbed the fish before bonking it on the head with the bat and it flopped around and he ended up with the treble hook buried into his hand. Hook in his hand and the other, front hook was still in the flopping fish. Finally got the fish off the hook and took the leader off. We had to push the hook all the way through so it came back out so we could snip the barb off and he could pull it out. OUCH!! He's like man I know better than to grab a fish before whacking it. Most of the sockeye were in the 3 to 4 pound range. We did lose one right out of the net that would have been 5 pounds. Meat looks awesome. I left about 0630 and headed home. Made it to Creston and had to pull over and take a 45 minute power nap to make it the rest of the way home. Can't wait to go back down with my own boat and stay for a couple of days and fish during the week. I have a couple of videos I'll post in a day or two. Did not take any photos of the fish, just really never had time to.
Good luck on the 20th, Southpole!! Super hot during the day, so take plenty of water! Good luck and I hope you have an awesome day!!
The pool was good to the 5 of us sat morning. 0 dodger, two red beads, small red smiley, red shrimp, 27 feet line out. Balls, 4oz back, 6oz side, 8oz bow. 10” leader. 24-36 inch bumper. Get ‘‘em while you can.
Headed up next weekend, though I won't only fish the pool. Hoping to get into some kings too. Might hit sockeye early AM, move to get into kings later. Try to get some fish in the ice chest then focus on the real prize!
