We're done Shrimping for 2011

Took out the family for our last day shrimping. There's one more day, but I can't take the day off on a Wednesday. We got to Twanoh at 5:15 and were the first ones there. We launched with eased and tied up at the mooring buoys. Not too long, our friends started to arrive and by the time we left the park we were 4 boats deep tied side by side.

The weather was perfect. Little wind and flat water. There didn't seem to be as many boats either. We set and retrieved our pots with ease. We dropped at the 270 ft depths. I need to remind myself to get more rope. I need 400 ft shots of rope to fish the deeper water. We were OK with our set up with the calm conditions. If the wind, water and tides were kicking up we wouldn't have enough rope. We managed to get our limits for 6 people.

Tough Shrimp Opener

I opted not to take my boat and the family shrimping because of the minus tide and the windy weather forecast. I'm glad I made that decision. I instead got a ride with Duane, Nancy, and Kieth. There was construction going on at Twanoh State Park and they said parking was going to be limited. I arrived around 5:45 and saw that the launch was already open. Duane was already there so we launched without much incident. We tied up at the mooring buoys and hung out with Tom and another boat.

As we left the moorage the winds were already picking up. By the time we got to the shrimp spot the tide was already moving fast and with the wind coming from the SSW, the drift was almost 4 knots! In a nutshell, the conditions made it difficult to set and retrieve the pots. Boats were running over the flags, tangling other lines, and just a down right mess. As a result we lost our first pot.

Add insult to injury we were 30 shrimp short and dinged the prop as we took out of the ramp.

Close, but no cigar- another fialed turkey hunt

I had an opportunity to join Tim R. for a turkey hunt at one of his spots. This was going to be a day trip. We left his place at Rochester at exactly 2 a.m. and drove 3+ hours to the spot in Klickitat County. Right when we got out of the Jeep and not more than 50 yards a turkey gobbled. We quickly set up at a little opening and waited and waited and waited some more. Tim was behind me calling and I was out front in the ready position. My arm just about fell off trying to keep the gun up and pointed to where we think the bird will show. It finally got lighter and the turkey came down from the tree but never to be heard from until it was about 100 or so yards downhill and behind us. Rats! We decided to leave that bird alone and let it get comfortable.

We walked around the woods but saw and heard no other turkey. We then decided to go after the bird. He was actively gobbling and we also heard some hens. We set up near a road and Tim started a calling sequence with yelps followed by a gobble call. The bird responded and headed towards us. When the bird got close, my firing lane was obstructed by brush. I could see the bird about 50 yards downhill but the shot was too risky. The bird was going to step out into the open but hung up behind a tree. It then decided that it had enough of the call and walked back into the forest. He gobbled one more time but he was a long way down the hill now. Rats!