What can I say?
Tonight I rowed FishAssassin again and after a short tow of one of my new Tomics we switched to the tried and true Lucky Louie that has accounted for the three unders I've rowed earlier this season.
We favored the north end of the pool as fish were showing there and the small ebb current made it an easy row. As magic time arrived we were in a good place so slowly worked our way down the line I like, flirting with the shallow water along the bar because a lot of fish were showing in that area.
True to form, just after we left the top of the line a bite went off with two cries of: "Fish on!" ringing out at nearly identical times followed by another and then three rowers pulled hard for the outside.
We were quite a distance away and had our line pulled in when one of the anglers fighting a fish yelled that the fish had run inside from him and was now near us. We saw it on the surface south of us but moved away a bit more to accommodate the fellow and they moved away with fish in tow thereafter.
Once the boats with fish on moved outside we moved quickly to establish a good position, got set-up and headed through the productive spot, the plug working its magic behind us.
And nothing happened.
We repeated our circuit two or three times and were on my favored inside track amongst others when whammo, we got bit and Owen set the hook while I made a couple of strong pulls on the oars.
Being hooked up and on the inside means one must find an expedient path outside asap, so I took a quick look while alerting the two boats I needed to get around and set my course, rowing all the while to keep tension on the line.
The one boat pulled strongly northward and quickly was out of the way but the other seemed slightly uncertain which way to go even though my path was fairly obvious but after completing a 360 he managed to scoot away and outside we went, the fish in hot pursuit as Owen reeled like mad as I pulled hard on the oars.
In the end this may have been the act that allowed the fish to escape boat-side as it twisted off just prior to any netting attempt.
I suspect that by running to us and then being close on a short line we got fooled into thinking it was ready so when Owen tried to bring it to the net it was still feisty enough to spin quickly and get off.
Or perhaps the moonlight reflecting off the water made it hard to see and I should have had it.
Regardless, it was a lost fish and most likely not a Tyee, judging by what we saw of it.
So in three trips with me we've hooked up twice and managed one boated albeit at only 25 pounds. Not bad though.
There WAS another Tyee this evening and it weighed 32 1/2 pounds, rowed by master rower Ross Speirs and brought to the net by a ladie whose last name is Davies but I can't recall her first name as I type this. Laura perhaps?? Darn this aging stuff. LOL
Her name is Paula, not Laura. Duh! I checked, and here she and Ross are.
As well, there were at least six more undersize fish weighed with one at a heart-breaking 29 1/2 pounds boated by a Junior angler.
So close.
All in all a good night in the Tyee Pool was had by all and there appear to be new fish in for the last two nights too.
Maybe tomorrow............................
Take care.