I don't know why I'm calling this a 4+ considering all the little and some big things that went wrong.

We got to Shilshole Bay Marina around 12:15, originally intended to be on the water about an hour prior but if things on the home front could go wrong... well they did. The boat launch crew told us that the 2 northern docks were the outgoing side and they directed us on what to do. Car in front of us is slower than snails at a drag-race in getting their boat in the water. Finally the boat is in the water and they finally tie the boat down and the car goes in search of parking. Now it's our turn. After a retry my friend finally gets the car and the trailer co-operating and into the water goes the boat. I put the motor down, prime, and fire up the motor. Start setting up down-riggers while my friend parks his car. Next vehicle has a sail boat and he is in a hurry and he isn't even looking and almost runs his sail boat into us. Dude they have mirrors on trucks for a reason!

After he finishes screaming at us about moving the boat down (which we can't do because the rest of the dock has boats tied to it and they haven't moved since tie up, he heads back to his truck pissed off. We launch and of course the winds pick up and the water becomes a wee bit choppy.

My friend says guess what we ain't going that far north today (which is fine by me), so we set up and start trolling. 10 to 15 minutes into the trip my friend picks up a small king at about 125 in 350 using his secret weapon lure. I'm trying 85 Feet to start and for the first several hours all I get is salad and jelly fish. I switch over to a green and white coho killer on a ridiculously short 22 inch leader, well that actually worked well. Fish on, I'm playing it out. Drag is correct, I'm not dropping the rod tip down, I see the fish and I'm already writing this one on my card (in my head). I'm holding the rod up and trying to net the fish by myself and the leader catches into the corner of the aluminum boat and the leader breaks and the fish is gone as is my coho killer. I'm crying but jacked up. Tie a new leader and back I go. 90 down, 20 minutes in and the rod pops off the down rigger. I grab the rod and land a hatchery Chinook (where the heck were you last week fish?). Down again, half hour later pop goes the line. I grab rod, feel the head shaking thing and my Lamaglas rod breaks (never really liked the rod but this sucked). Fish lost, gear retrieved.

I wisely brought a backup pole and set it up. Back down I go. 80 feet and I'm pouting about the rod. Pull out the cell phone and decide to check online about the rod and warranty information. Ka-pop goes the line off the downrigger and once again I'm playing the fish. Get it right to the side of the boat, nets out, and somehow I miss the fish but hooked the sharp pointy hook into the net. Again fish gone!

Reset at 75, now I'm steamed. I text my wife and ... you got it fish on. I almost toss the phone into the water. Good part is I landed the fish. Coho about 8 lbs maybe. I'm happier. Back I go to 75. Sit, surf, pop goes the line, no fish. Repeated that again. I set up for the final round (by this time we've been on the water for close to 7 hours), friend goes I'm going to turn around and start heading to the marina. I go OK. 25 minutes later he goes I think we should pull the rods in I'm done (mind you his only hit was the first one). He brings his line in, and I say don't worry about your.... and once again my line pops off (yes I was surfing again). This time the cell phone holder went into the drink. Rods dancing the dance and I've going where has this rod been all season long. The last fish was another coho, smaller than the other but I coho'd out.

Lesson learned if any today was always carry stuff in 2's (which I almost always do). 2 rods, 2 of every danged lure.... oh and don't surf and troll!

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