Warmed up... but frozen!!

Day 1 fishing 2011 is in the books - although no fish to clean on this day, as always I had a blast on the water with great company.  Tabasco T and his brother "Ler" or "Lorenzo" (Tyler) joined me for the warm up trip.

Although this day has been on my schedule for weeks as "warm up trip", there was nothing warm about the day other than the Colman heater in the boat.  Things started off beautiful at 5:15am in the driveway where we decided to leave most of the boat top home - expecting dry conditions.  We were on the glassy water by 6:00am, headed out of the bay to the channel and into the main system of the Columbia.  While witnessing a sweet sunrise at around 6:30am we dropped the first baits in the water - shortly after, the western Oregon rains hit and didn't stop.

Other than high winds and Coast Guard restricted seas, I don't let conditions stop or slow me, but I'll admit when the elements are making a full attempt to do both.  I've fished in colder conditions but something about the early March rains that will sure bite a guy.  As I type this post, my fingers are still thawing out and a bit numb - even with no fish, I loved every minute of it.

Tabasco Todhunter was kind enough to relive me of my kicker duties for a few minutes while I warmed up by the heater - This first picture of him pretty much sums it up.

Tabasco T on the kicker!

On a positive front, the warm up trip was successful in that we got all the kinks worked out and are ready to go for this Saturday and Sunday as the season picks up.  On that same note, it's good to get the first blanked trip off your back.  In fishing, it's inevitable, you're going to have days where you don't catch fish - and we call that getting blanked, skunked, goose egg, nada-ed, nilch-ed.  It's good to get the first one out of the way!

Nice leather jacket "Lorenzo"

Bait!

It's common for the diehard springer fisherman to setup camp along the Columbia for the duration of the short salmon season.  Given the high snow pack and heavy rains so far this year, river levels have been much higher than usual and are fluctuating frequently.  This camp we fished near Saturday was setup in advance of the recent rains in order to secure a spot later in the season - oops.  Camp on the right is completely flooded.

High water!