Holland 08/19

[zgrinder on Fin Warrior]

Went 3 for 5 tonight on silver but it was far better than that because the fish were a bit active and I finally made the right counter moves to get 5 bites.  The little chatter on 68 seemed to indicate not much was happening.  Set down a little south of the channel in 110 FOW to set lines.  Strong current from the blow yesterday so managing speed and blow back took some work.  Took a small king in 116 FOW on a downrigger 66' down with a Moonshine Hot Lipps mag. spoon but with the blow back, depths was likely 44' down.  Let the fish go to grow up to be a line ripper.  About 135 FOW the same set up lit up again in a much bigger way.  The good fight ended early and the king was skipping its way across the top of the water with my mag. spoon and I had nothing left but a slack line.  Fixed that problem but it got me to thinking.  Marked hooks 75' and below, along with a few bait balls, but no hits.  Reset the high diver (3 set, 145' out and about 50' down) with a mixed veggies.  About 30 min later in 127 FOW, it ripped and a good fight ended in a 10 lb king.  Reset that line and changed out the other high diver with a Moonshine bloody nose going with the white spoon - color tip program program.  Got pushed out to 130 FOW but near the bait ball I marked earlier and big fun happened with the high diver bloody nose spoon that resulted in a 20lb king in the net.  The leader broke, the 45lb Sampo coast lock swivel was destroyed.  Not sure how I got so lucky.  Got that all repaired but not takers for a while.  Pulling lines after sunset, the high diver bloody nose lit up again. About 20' off the back of the boat it came unhooked (I immediately changed out the hook on the spoon after that).  Likely about the same size as the 20lb fish landed earlier based on the fight.  It was a bit disappointing but the way I looked at it, it was a bonus fish that happened to hit when all lines should have been up and likely happened because I ran over the bait ball vector to the shore line (another good move).  Very fun evening. Too many trips with no marks, no hits, swatting flies and the tolling brain fog sets in.  Hope you guys have the same fun on your end of season runs!!!