ahhhh, yes, as the ‘sons of the pioneers’ sing it, “they call the wind MARIAH.” and she won today on potholes. while forecast at 5 to 15, 15 was more like it, starting at daybreak from the southeast, and then gradually veering around to WSW by afternoon. on numerous occasions i was trolling more or less sideways, being scooted along by her, ever watchful that my super braid didn’t get into an argument with the minn kota propeller.
after launching at daybreak at the west end of lind coulee, i headed north past medicare beach to the mouth of crab creek, waves building all the way. it was too rough at crab creek to interest me in trying to snag a walleye there, so i mushed back into the wind to the protection of lind coulee. while trolling the length of lind, MARIAH was everpresent, but the waves don’t build up much there. nothing bit. other fishermen there had dry nets.
after noon, i shoved westerly into the waves and trolled o’sullivan dam west of goose island to mar don. nothing. on the way back i noted a bunch of walleye-looking sonar returns glued to the bottom on that 40 foot flat ENE of goose island, between the big island and the tiny one, but i was too pooped by then to jig a blade bait.
of the 5 or 6 other fishermen i talked with, nobody caught ANYTHING today. but one fisher said his friend had done well on walleye a week ago. luck-of-the-draw, i guess. “you should have been here last week!”
it must be spring break in seattle: at the launch ramp at the west end of lind coulee there were about 20 rigs when i returned; and at the easterly end ramp (along road M) there were 12 to 15 more.
it was a nice 7 1/2 hour boat ride, however, and the sun peeking through the high clouds now and then warmed the air to 60 or more, and gave my hands a bit of sunburn.
surface water temp was in the 50-53 range, in case someone is interested in that.
good luck on the 22nd, ROD.
big john