Abundance
2011-06-06 04:45:18
I was wondering when the chums usually show up in Icy Strait area. They don't really show up in Neets Bay until close to July, and it seems to me that I heard they show up earlier up north. I don't think that I am going to try for chums, but I have a couple of relatives who are, and I suppose that few other onlookers would like to know. I have heard from from more than one source that they could be 1.00 a lb this year. Murray Pacific in Ketchikan sold out of blue mirror flashers several times this winter. Supposedly that's the kind you want. I suspect that a huge chunk of the fleet is going to go chasing those things. Maybe the king season will last a little while longer this year. Oh well, enough idle musing for now. Just a couple of more days my boat will be ready to ready to go off chasing salmon. I've been on land for a little over a month and starting to spoil. Thats the longest I've been on land in five years. Its a bigger job than than I thought it would be to convert a fifty foot sailboat to trolling. Hope that your smackin' em, but leave a few for me!
Salty
2011-06-11 01:19:04
I used blue mylar hotspots for chums and pinks for years.
They should still work ok. The peak of the Icy Straits chum troll harvest is likely to average out about July 1 over the years.
Abundance
2011-06-11 01:42:18
Thanks a bunch, sir. Like I said, I don't intend to to do it myself, but it does influence what my fishing partners do. I'm out and off tomorrow, trying to make the Monday opening in Sumner Strait. The sporties are starting find some cohos out in front, so maybe we will have a few of them around when it opens.
Groundhogbay
2011-06-11 16:56:10
Don't get your hopes up about fishing for Icy Strait chums this year, unless you've made prior arrangements with a buyer.
I talked to the captain of a tender yesterday, and she said they can't accept any more trollers. In fact, she said they are going to have to weed a few out just to get to a manageable number. The tenders want trollers that are set up a certain way so they can process the fish faster.
I live on the drag and handtroll sometimes. It's a real bummer when the whole fleet is out front, the tender is anchored at my front door, and I can't participate.
I know handtrolling for chums is a fools errand. It's still fun to do in small doses.
Oh well, I guess I'll have to go big or stay on the beach.
Abundance
2011-06-11 21:47:15
Well that doesn't sound fun at all. I know exactly how I would feel if that was happening close to home. I bet all of the chum fisheries are going to be nightmares this year. I'm going to stick to kings. I'm sure things will smooth out though. Most of the fleet are still learning the new circumstances.
I'm writing this on my phone, heading out. I can't wait to get my first one the new boat!
We have Chum jumping in the Juneau area already. I have caught a couple of nice-sized Coho on sport gear trying for Kings. Best of luck to everyone!
birdfeeder11
2011-06-13 20:38:28
I just spoke with peter at glacier seafoods and he said they have a tender in icy straight and their tender will buy from enyone trying to sell dogs and pinks.
Groundhogbay
2011-06-14 04:33:37
That's good news.
The tender captain I talked to worked for Taku.
Glacier Seafoods must have a different strategy.
They sure are expanding quickly. I noticed what looks like egg sorting tables outside the old Ford dealership building they bought.
I spent fifteen years of my life working in that building. It's only fitting that some of my fish might end up there