We started out a half-mile further west than I planned after receiving orders from the Admiral. The fog was thick but not too bad starting out- but by 10:30 it was incredibly thick and the bright sun high above made it worse. I had several unexpected encounters astern and athwart with boats nearly running me or out lines over... But who could be mad? They weren't being rude - visibility was that poor. I was guilty of my own navigational "errors" as I found myself unacceptably close to a few boats myself and nearly ran over Instigator's planer boards twice. It reminded me of opening day on Carmi last year- a lot of boats in a small space. The difference is that everyone in the St Patrick's fog was working together and all were polite. Carmi's boaters: not so much.
Anyway, I struggled to adapt to the high program with mostly deeper-suited tackle aboard. 2 colors of lead and silver-back spoon saved me a little collected 3 or 4 salmon, but my guests didn't get on the rod fast enough. A really high-running diver also took a few "active" fish that didn't look like lakers. I did winch one 16" clone in myself off the side-planing diver rod- and with our "to the net" record so far I called it sandwich meat and coolered it: I was taking at least one salmon home!!! About the third time I noticed Instigator's planers too close (and it technically being "my fault") I decided to leave the crowd in the fog and hammered on 5-mile-run for some warm water. I found it, along with chocolate milk, and for the benefit of Tim and Allison I compromised my salmon quest, stopped watching speed, and dropped for some lakers along the edge of the plume. We did manage a couple of salmon-looking hits but they didn't last long enough for the rods to be lifted
I had to navigate and really pay attention to stay on the fish concentration and really couldn't man a rod.On the way back to Converse I trolled the 100' break along the delta from the island to below the ferry crossing. We picked up a number of lakers and I was thrilled after Allison reeled up a huge 10# class fish on the leadcore. Biggest head i have ever seen on a laker, and Allison had reeled hard against slipping drag and multiple head shakes for quite some time. We actually had a release and netted another fish while she was still playing it! It swam for the depths with no sign of exhaustion as Tim finally realized 'I need a net! Get the net' meant that he should get her the net! Oh, well, it's still out there!
I apologize for not responding to anyone who tried to hail me, talk to me, or just yell at me in the fog
I thought the radio chatter had just become quiet and discovered late in the afternoon that the radio had been bumped to another channel. Nevertheless it was fun changing lures and finding a few that worked. One three-tone blue / silver back I taped collected a number of hits which was neat and after a couple of years of tries without success was pleased to finally get some fish on a Koppers; maybe there is hope?!Another great day out and next trip I am hoping for a salmon-focused angler for some teamwork on boating some silver. Slow fishing is like a challenge to me, and I like a challenge. I think that is why I like fishing salmon and walleye so much: they can be so challenging to find, attract, and hook. It was great chatting at the ramp with DeanF, salmoneye, etc. and hope for a lot more opportunities this season.
Mark