Awhile back, there was a question regarding float tube fins. I responded,
recommennding Force Fins. In my answer, I noted that I had lost my black
pair and had to buy a very fashion-forward blue pair.
I didn't mention that I had lost them while tubing in Lake Washington for
sockeye - one of the more foolhardy things I have done. It rivals tubing
off Bush Point, but that's another story.
Jere's right, you gotta be deep and slow. I knew that from some U-20 orange
Flatfish trolling days on the lake in the early 80's.
I launched into the Cedar River. The current carried me out into the lake,
rather swiftly, I might add. In the lake, I trolled slowly but had to make
sure every crazy throttle jockey saw me, so I waved my arms at every boat
that approached which was almost constantly. I also had to make sure the
floatplanes didn't taxi into me. I let out almost all my line to get down
to whatever depth I don't know. I hooked the largest lake whitefish I have
ever caught.
When I figured I had had enough of this monkeybusiness, I couldn't get back
up the river. I had to strain and kick the hardest I have ever kicked,
other than Bush Point, but as I said, that's another story. I finally
managed to dig my fingernails into one of the rocks along the channel edge.
I clawed and pulled myself upriver until I reached a point where I could
throw my rod ashore and drag myself out of my tube (it was an old donut
style, not a U). I was so exhausted when I got ashore that I left my fins
on the rocks somewhere.
All this is a way of telling you that you cannot flyfish for sockeye in any
traditional manner.
Leland.
