Tuesday, July 28th: Pelican to Idaho InletThe storm was abating and we had high hopes for sunshine. Off the dock by 7:30AM we cruised up Lisianski Inlet (not Strait) towards the small fishing village of Elfin Cove, self-proclaimed “A drinki…
Tag Archives | Selene
2015-14 Up Chichagof Island’s West Coast to Pelican
Saturday, July 25th: Northward from Sitka up Chicagof’s West Coast
We have a busy plan this morning then an 8-hour motor. Let me back up:
After spending the last ten days back in California, we left San Luis Obispo via car up Highway 101 meeting our local crew along the way. Veterans Vince and Marianne Fonte, and Chuck and Carolyn French, joined with us at a new San Jose hotel close to a favorite restaurant: Vito’s Trattoria on Skypark Drive. Early Friday we flew to Sitka, arriving late afternoon. After unpacking, we made our provisions list for stocking on Saturday.
Today, we have to unload our on-shore cold storage locker into the boat’s freezer, provision at the market and fuel the boat. Once completed, we will get motoring northward, hoping for a secure anchorage this evening. The girls get marketing while the boys head to the fuel dock. A line of boats at the fuel dock adds almost an hour and it takes another hour to fuel. The girls have the groceries delivered to the fuel dock where we load, and go. The Wild Blue has been in and out of Sitka since May 5th. By 1PM we are saying good bye to this pretty Alaskan town after almost three months!
Our route today is a bit different. We will follow the standard inside route northward towards Peril Strait but at Salisbury Sound, instead turning right into the flat waters of the Strait, we head out to sea. At Piehle Pass we turn for the inside route again, up Smooth Channel, then Ogden and Surveyor Passages, through Portlock Harbor, Golding Harbor and into Baker Cove. About 9PM we pulled into Baker and set the hook.
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| Our route northward from Salisbury Sound, outside Chicagof Island, through Piehle, Smooth, Ogden, Surveyor, Portluck and Golding into Baker Cove. |
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| A robust dock built by the National Park Service for recreational use. No charge! |
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| Crew Vince and Marianne are playing in the rain. These two are less than 3 months away from celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. |
Slowly Southbound – Sitka to Petersburg
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| Eagle snatching a seabass we released |
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| Orca Pod near Turnabout Island |
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| Orca Pod |
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| Orca Pod |
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| You can see why we stopped dead in the water! |
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| Sea Lions using the buoy for a hotel |
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| Vying for space at the processors in Petersburg |
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| Aptly named Mist Cove |
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| Our catch for the day |
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| View up Patterson Inlet |
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| Some of the permanent snowfields on the east side of Baranof |
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| Humpback Whale tail flukes |
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| Unique Patterns |
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| Different Again |
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| No two the same |
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| The top of the flukes all look the same |
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| The differences are on the bottom of the flukes |
2015-13 Last Whale Bay Fishing Trip
Friday-Monday, July 10-13, 2015It took us two days to complete the windlass repair so by Friday afternoon we were headed back for one last fishing soiree to Whale Bay. We fished the northern side of the Bay until 8PM then moved to Rakovi Bay for …
2015-12 Windlass Repair
July 9, 2015: Windlass RepairCan’t set the anchor without a functioning windlass, or four guys that like a 20 minute upper body workout each time the anchor needs hauling. So once back at the dock in Sitka, we broke down our Maxwell HWC 2500 wind…
2015-11 The San Luis Obispo Cowboys Raid Sitka
Monday, July 6th, 2015We had the exceptional group of San Luis Obispo cowboys crewing again this week. Caballeros Vince, Marvin and Bob have crewed many times before, and enjoy fishing the wilds of Alaska. This year they’re here for 8 days…
2015-10 We Caught a Salmon Over 1000 miles from Its Home
Those Salmon Really Do Get Around!Most know that Salmon are born and raised in a freshwater area, then eventually migrate out of the freshwater to live in the ocean for a couple years or so. Then a large percentage return to their birth location …
A month in the Sitka Region – updated
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| Bear with two cubs – Kalinin Bay |
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| Not every day had rain – sunset Kalinin Bay |
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| Sean and Josie looking at the bear |
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| And the bear looks back |
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| Miriam sharing a bedtime story with Josie |
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| Sunset near the summer solstice in Sitka Harbor |
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| Sunriseon Mt. Edgecumbe as we head out fishing |
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| Puffins at St. Lazaria Island |
2015-09 47 Years Later A Mysterious Voicemail
49 Years AgoIn the Fall of 1966 a bunch of us kids started college at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Over the years a group of us became friends and moved from the on-campus dormitories to an apartment. By the end of school year 1967 our group …
2015-08 The Wild Blue Crew is on the Fish!
July 1st
We’ve just returned from our third fishing expedition in past 10 days to Whale Bay, 40 miles south of Sitka, Alaska. The fishing has been just overwhelming. Hard to believe that four old guys could land 59 salmon in just a few days. A total of 21 King salmon, 37 Cohos and a halibut made for a fabulous fish week.
For the complete fish count including the ones that got away, see the Wild Blue Fish Report at the end of this post.
From the Fish Report, most of he fish were pulled from the Western and Northern edge of Krishka Island. The western side is exposed to the Gulf swell but the northern side is flat.
We fished in close to the edge of the Island, in 100 feet with the down-riggers at 75 to 85 feet. When we saw bait on the sonar, we started a slow turn, and this seemed to cause most of the action,and hookups. One particular spot along the north shore of Krishka Island is directly across from a fallen tree, where the shore line curves inward. See the photo. The water is deep here and in a way resembles the Shark Hole just outside Kalinin Bay at the top of Kruzof Island. We were more likely to see bait adjacent to the tree and would start our turn, then “Fish On!”.
On prior trips to the Bay, Krishka Island would only be fished when to swell was up. So it ranks after King City, Whale Bay North and Whale Bay South for fish landed. After this week, it’s on top!
| The magic tree on the North Shore |
m/v Wild Blue Fish Report, June 25th – July 1st, 2015
| Nbr | Date | Type | Spec | Len | Bait | Deep | Location | TOD | Slack +/- | Comments | # King |
| 1 | 25-Jun | Tro | King | 33 | Hoo | 120 | Biorka Isl | 8:05AM | +020 m | 1 | |
| F | 25-Jun | Tro | Coho | BIG | Hoo | 50 | Whale Bay S | 8:30PM | +000m | Net Error | |
| F | 25-Jun | Tro | King | ? | Hoo | 50 | Whale Bay S | 8:45PM | +015 m | Net error | |
| 2 | 25-Jun | Tro | King | 28 | Hoo | 50 | Whale Bay S | 9:00PM | +030 m | 2 | |
| F | 25-Jun | Tro | ? | ? | Hoo | 50 | Whale Bay S | 9:16PM | +046 m | Off hook | |
| 3 | 25-Jun | Tro | Coho | 34 | Hoo | 50 | Whale Bay S | 9:16PM | +046 m | Double H | |
| 4 | 25-Jun | Tro | Coho | m | Hoo | 50 | Whale Bay S | 9:29PM | +059 m | ||
| 5 | 26-Jun | Tro | Coho | m | Hoo | 50 | Whale Bay S | 9:02AM | -030 m | ||
| 6 | 26-Jun | Tro | Coho | m | Hoo | 60 | Whale Bay S | 9:08AM | -024 m | ||
| 7 | 26-Jun | Tro | Coho | m | Hoo | 60 | Whale Bay S | 9:28AM | -004m | ||
| 8 | 26-Jun | Tro | Coho | m | Hoo | 50 | Whale Bay S | 9:42AM | +010 m | ||
| 9 | 26-Jun | Tro | Coho | m | Hoo | 50 | Whale Bay S | 10:05AM | +033 m | ||
| 10 | 26-Jun | Tro | Coho | m | Hoo | 50 | Whale Bay S | 10:33AM | +061 m | ||
| 11 | 26-Jun | Tro | King | 35 | Hoo | 50 | Whale Bay S | 11:07AM | +095 m | 3 | |
| 12 | 26-Jun | Tro | Coho | m | Hoo | 50 | Whale Bay S | 11:28AM | +116 m | ||
| 13 | 26-Jun | Tro | King | 32 | Hoo | 50 | WB N Krishka Isl | 3:45PM | +075 m | 4 | |
| F | 26-Jun | Tro | King | BIG | Hoo | 50 | WB N Krishka Isl | 4:01PM | +091 m | Off Hook | |
| F | 26-Jun | Tro | ? | ? | Hoo | 50 | WB N Krishka Isl | 4:03PM | +093 m | Bad Hook | |
| 14 | 26-Jun | Tro | Coho | m | Hoo | 50 | WB N Krishka Isl | 4:35PM | +126 m | ||
| 15 | 26-Jun | Tro | King | 36 | Hoo | 50 | WB N Krishka Isl | 5:05PM | +156 m | 5 | |
| F | 26-Jun | Tro | King | BIG | Hoo | 50 | WB N Krishka Isl | 5:20PM | +171 m | Net Error | |
| 16 | 26-Jun | Tro | Coho | m | Hoo | 50 | WB N Krishka Isl | 5:50PM | +201 m | ||
| 17 | 27-Jun | Tro | Hali | 41 | Hoo | 90 | WB N Krishka Isl | 8:50AM | -100 m | Ball hit bottom | |
| 18 | 27-Jun | Tro | Coho | m | Hoo | 90 | WB N Krishka Isl | 9:10AM | -080 m | ||
| 19 | 27-Jun | Tro | King | 32 | Hoo | 90 | WB N Krishka Isl | 9:48AM | -042 m | 6 | |
| 20 | 27-Jun | Tro | King | 28 | Hoo | 110 | WB South | 10:05AM | -025 m | 7 | |
| 21 | 27-Jun | Tro | Coho | m | Hoo | 80 | WB South | 10:35AM | +005 m | ||
| 22 | 27-Jun | Tro | Coho | m | Hoo | 80 | WB N Krishka Isl | 11:28AM | +058 m | ||
| 23 | 27-Jun | Tro | Coho | m | Hoo | 80 | WB N Krishka Isl | 11:42AM | +072 m | ||
| 24 | 27-Jun | Tro | Coho | m | Hoo | 80 | WB N Krishka Isl | 11:55AM | +085 m | ||
| 25 | 27-Jun | Tro | Coho | m | Hoo | 65 | WB N Krishka Isl | 12:05PM | +095 m | ||
| 26 | 27-Jun | Tro | King | 37 | Hoo | 65 | WB W Krishka Isl | 12:25PM | +115 m | 8 | |
| 27 | 27-Jun | Tro | Coho | m | Hoo | 50 | WB W Krishka Isl | 5:25PM | +100 m | ||
| 28 | 27-Jun | Tro | King | 34 | Hoo | 85 | WB W Krishka Isl | 5:38PM | +113 m | 9 | |
| 29 | 27-Jun | Tro | King | 29 | Hoo | 80 | WB N Krishka Isl | 5:53PM | +128 m | 10 | |
| 30 | 27-Jun | Tro | King | 30 | Hoo | 80 | WB N Krishka Isl | 6:15PM | +150 m | 11 | |
| 31 | 27-Jun | Tro | King | 29 | Hoo | 80 | WB N Krishka Isl | 6:24PM | +159 m | 12 | |
| R | 27-Jun | Tro | King | 27 | Hoo | 80 | WB N Krishka Isl | 6:45PM | +180 m | Released | |
| 32 | 27-Jun | Tro | Coho | m | Hoo | 80 | WB N Krishka Isl | 7:15PM | +210 m | ||
| 33 | 27-Jun | Tro | King | 35 | Hoo | 65 | WB W Krishka Isl | 7:29PM | +224 m | Daily Limit | 13 |
| R | 28-Jun | Tro | King | 27> | Hoo | 80 | WB W Krishka Isl | 6:42AM | +092 m | Released | |
| F | 28-Jun | Tro | ? | ? | Hoo | 65 | WB W Krishka Isl | 6:50AM | +100 m | Wrap on D/R | |
| 34 | 28-Jun | Tro | Coho | m | Hoo | 65 | WB W Krishka Isl | 7:11AM | +121 m | ||
| 35 | 28-Jun | Tro | Coho | BIG | Hoo | 65 | WB N Krishka Isl | 7:31AM | +142 m | ||
| 36 | 28-Jun | Tro | Coho | m | Hoo | 80 | WB N Krishka Isl | 7:40AM | +151 m | ||
| 37 | 28-Jun | Tro | King | 37 | Hoo | 80 | WB N Krishka Isl | 7:50AM | +161 m | 14 | |
| 38 | 28-Jun | Tro | King | 33 | Hoo | 80 | WB N Krishka Isl | 8:01PM | +172 m | Video w/weed | 15 |
| 39 | 28-Jun | Tro | Coho | m | Hoo | 80 | WB N Krishka Isl | 8:42PM | +213 m | ||
| 40 | 30-Jun | Tro | Coho | m | Hoo | 80 | WB N Krishka Isl | 6:55AM | +025 m | ||
| 41 | 30-Jun | Tro | King | 31 | Hoo | 65 | WB N Krishka Isl | 7:20AM | +050 m | Hatchery Fish | 16 |
| 42 | 30-Jun | Tro | Coho | m | Hoo | 65 | WB N Krishka Isl | 8:10AM | +100 m | ||
| 43 | 30-Jun | Tro | Coho | m | Hoo | 65 | WB N Krishka Isl | 8:20AM | +110 m | ||
| 44 | 30-Jun | Tro | King | 30 | Hoo | 75 | WB W Krishka Isl | 8:56AM | +146 m | 17 | |
| 45 | 30-Jun | Tro | Coho | BIG | Hoo | 75 | WB W Krishka Isl | 9:10AM | +160 m | ||
| 46 | 30-Jun | Tro | King | 32 | Hoo | 65 | WB W Krishka Isl | 9:13AM | +163 m | 18 | |
| 47 | 30-Jun | Tro | Coho | m | Hoo | 75 | WB N Krishka Isl | 9:47AM | +197 m | ||
| 48 | 30-Jun | Tro | King | 35 | Hoo | 85 | WB W Krishka Isl | 9:52AM | +202 m | 19 | |
| 49 | 30-Jun | Tro | Coho | m | Hoo | 75 | WB W Krishka Isl | 10:29AM | +239 m | ||
| 50 | 30-Jun | Tro | Coho | m | Hoo | 75 | WB N Krishka Isl | 10:49AM | +259 m | . | |
| 51 | 30-Jun | Tro | King | 31 | Hoo | 85 | WB N Krishka Isl | 10:58AM | +268 m | 20 | |
| 52 | 30-Jun | Tro | King | 34 | Hoo | 80 | WB N Krishka Isl | 6:01PM | -030 m | DL,Hatchery Fi | 21 |
| 53 | 1-Jul | Tro | Coho | m | Hoo | 80 | WB N Krishka Isl | 6:10AM | -060 m | ||
| 54 | 1-Jul | Tro | Coho | 31 | Hoo | 80 | WB N Krishka Isl | 6:18AM | -052 m | ||
| 55 | 1-Jul | Tro | Coho | m | Hoo | 80 | WB N Krishka Isl | 6:23AM | -047 m | ||
| 56 | 1-Jul | Tro | Coho | m | Hoo | 80 | WB N Krishka Isl | 6:28AM | -042 m | Hatchery Fish | |
| 57 | 1-Jul | Tro | Coho | m | Hoo | 80 | WB N Krishka Isl | 7:01AM | -009 m | ||
| 58 | 1-Jul | Tro | Coho | m | Hoo | 80 | WB N Krishka Isl | 7:19AM | +009 m | ||
| 59 | 1-Jul | Tro | Coho | 34 | Hoo | 80 | WB N Krishka Isl | 7:23AM | +013 m | ||
| Nbr: Landed Fish Number, or F-Farmed (lost), or R=Released | |||||||||||
| Type: Bot=Bottom Fish, Tro=Troll, Moo=Mooch | |||||||||||
| Spec: King, Coho, Hali=Halibut | |||||||||||
| Len: In inches,or m=medium sized, or BIG=large | |||||||||||
| Bait: Hoo=Hootchie, or Herr=herring, or Watr=Watermelon lure | |||||||||||
| Slack: Minutes before (-) or after (+) high or low tide | |||||||||||
| Total Fish = 59: 1 Halibut, 21 Kings, 37 Cohos | |||||||||||




























