I stopped by Carkeek Park last night to see if, by any chance, the coho
may have finally shown there. Not terribly hopeful - my last few trips
resulted in complete skunks - I thought that with the northerly winds
finally calmed down, I would at least be able to scan the area for signs
of working fish.
The water was nearly placid; just a few wind riffles further out. After
glassing the broad bay south of Pipers Creek (toward Meadow Point) for
several minutes, I saw a couple of ripples on the surface that could have
been coho - or could have been the odd breaking wave. Just a little too
far to tell. A little later, a couple more, but still too distant and vague to
be sure.
I was just about to head back to the van when I noticed a strange ripple
in the small cove just north of the pedestrian overpass, about 30' from
the beach. Odds were just a wave breaking over a partially submerged
rock. A couple of repeats and I finally zeroed in with the glasses in time
to see a couple of 12-13" coho break the surface, among what may
have been several smaller fish. Twenty seconds later, and about 20'
closer, a couple of 14-15" coho break the surface.
Zip back to the van to rig up. I begin with the small euphasid that had
worked so well at the Narrows. But while working my way along the
north cove, all of a sudden small baitfish begin jumping out of the water,
20-30' feet in front of me! These were small, chunky, little fish. More
like herring than candlefish. But really stout. I take off the euphasid and
tie on my standard baitfish pattern - more like a candlefish than a
herring, but the closest I had. At this point I also noticed a seal about
100' out, bobbing around, scoping things out.
The jumping baitfish moved up and down the cove, repeatedly, but
without any further sign of the coho I'd seen from the overpass. I cast
ahead of, behind and through the jumping baitfish for over half an hour
without so much as a tug. Finally, just about dark, the baitfish
disappeared and I headed back.
Encouraged but mystified: What the heck were those little guys and
why didn't they produce some fast and furious action?
-Wes
Wes Neuenschwander
Seattle, WA
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
