My funny story happened on my boat. I was trolling along when I looked over at my friend Brad. Brad's an unorthodox kind of guy. That can be good sometimes (I guess). Anyway, he proudly held up his "rig" and said to me "What do you think - will this catch fish?" He had tied up - in order - a dodger, 20" to a bare red hook - then 20" to a small red flasher - then 20" to a flatfish. Tom and I looked at each other - I thought Tom was going to burst out laughing but he showed great restraint. I said in no uncertain terms that we were not going to toss that over the side of the boat. I tired to explain why it was not a good setup. Finally after argueing I laid down the law. "This is my boat and we aren't using that crazy rig." To which Brad responded "You are a fascist fisherman!"

So now I have that going for me...

I though it was funny how you are in an area with no fish being caught, then you catch one after finding a school and the magic depth (85' for us) and limit in 30 min and you find yourself walled off by boats that are trying to get as close to you as possible and still aren't catching fish. LOL!

Oh, and I saw a kyak cut off a 40' yacht!

I forgot about this incident until just now when I was telling stories to a coworker.

Mid-day last saturday we had a bad drought, so I called on Canyon Man to find out wherre the fish were. I was at the north end of Mercer at the time, and he said he just had limited with 8 fish along 520. So I bolt up there and the boats are like flies on the spot he told me of. I marked the school around 120' right along the bridge, but it was too packed with other boats, canoes, Waterskis and 40Ft yatchs to fish. So I go to the north side of the bridge hoping to find the other side of the school and to see if any fish are over there.
Gear goes down, 2 minutes pass, boom 1 fish.
Back in and 2 minutes later I hang up my DR wire on one of the underwater Support cables for the 520 bridge

So I am slowly backing out of the situation as a huge WDFW boat roars up to tell me that I am too close to the bridge. Of course I argue I am a golfer and know what 100 yards is, and that I am easily beyond that, all as I am slowly backing my wire off the cable which he didnt see! Got it off the cable and boogied out of there to another spot. I didnt check my cable, and later that day as we got a double to get our 8-9th fish and as I was retreiving the ball my wire snaps Lost 2 clips and a ball

Lessons learned, always inspect your wire immeadiately if you get hung up on something.

I just thought it was hilarious that I was arguing about being too close to the bridge with the Officer while I was hung up!

I saw the cooler on the speedboat too - with it being styrofoam filled it didn't sink, didn't catch any water, and didn't slow him down at all affecting his grip now could it? :p

We actually caught several sox that put up a fight - one ran me into the wires of the Bayliner next door even on a direct drive reel and 25 pound leader - snapped me right off. Thought that one could have been a king, but right after that my bud hooked a nice one that ran him around the boat all the while he was claiming it was a king for sure, until I got it in the net and it turned into another 8 pound sock. And I landed another one that jumped clear out of the water 3 times Mostly they were pretty whimpy though, especially the dinky hens, only caught a couple of those though.

Guys, don't release your sox no matter how small they are - they die from temperature shock and the waste of a 5 pound fish isn't worth the blot on your soul from trying for one that might be a couple pounds larger.

How about 90 percent of the people out there talking on their cell phones?