In spite of the forecast I wanted to try for some of the scoters I have been seeing in my blackfishing area.
Got to the boat launch before light and encountered light winds and sprinkles, decided it's not too bad for the 20'cc duck boat and set off into the dark with Pops.
The plan was to set up for the sea ducks off a rocky outcropping for the first hour and then motor a short distance to the reef for blackfish as the tide cranked up. The seas had a 2' swell with 1' chop with no/off sprinkles, but since the swell was long in period the overall condition was doable for the small aluminum 20' boat.
Had so much action at the island with a good number of birds in the area we decided to stay put and bang away at the flocks. The birds were coming in fully committed to the decoys and I splashed the first 2 scoter easily. Pops was having a hard time connecting and missed the next 4 birds. Several more flight came threw and we added 3 eider to the bag, 2 females and 1 male.
Decided to head over to the fishing spot as it was getting late in the tide, hauled the decoys, motors over to the reef and anchored up. We were the only ones on the reef where usually there are 20+ boat. Had one guy fly fishing that came thru in a 18' BW looking for bass against the rocks, he had no luck.
On the first drop of the line got a undersized black that was released, rebaited and dropped down again. Stayed there for an hour, during this time had multiple flocks of sea ducks and brant buzz by the boat, Pops was able to add a oldsquaw to the bag after missing a bunch of easy shots while trying to fish. Pretty funny watching him trying to decide which to grab, the gun as birds are coming in or the rod that's twitching with a black stealing his bait.
Came back in around 11 with 6 sea ducks and no blacks.
Got to the boat launch before light and encountered light winds and sprinkles, decided it's not too bad for the 20'cc duck boat and set off into the dark with Pops.
The plan was to set up for the sea ducks off a rocky outcropping for the first hour and then motor a short distance to the reef for blackfish as the tide cranked up. The seas had a 2' swell with 1' chop with no/off sprinkles, but since the swell was long in period the overall condition was doable for the small aluminum 20' boat.
Had so much action at the island with a good number of birds in the area we decided to stay put and bang away at the flocks. The birds were coming in fully committed to the decoys and I splashed the first 2 scoter easily. Pops was having a hard time connecting and missed the next 4 birds. Several more flight came threw and we added 3 eider to the bag, 2 females and 1 male.
Decided to head over to the fishing spot as it was getting late in the tide, hauled the decoys, motors over to the reef and anchored up. We were the only ones on the reef where usually there are 20+ boat. Had one guy fly fishing that came thru in a 18' BW looking for bass against the rocks, he had no luck.
On the first drop of the line got a undersized black that was released, rebaited and dropped down again. Stayed there for an hour, during this time had multiple flocks of sea ducks and brant buzz by the boat, Pops was able to add a oldsquaw to the bag after missing a bunch of easy shots while trying to fish. Pretty funny watching him trying to decide which to grab, the gun as birds are coming in or the rod that's twitching with a black stealing his bait.
Came back in around 11 with 6 sea ducks and no blacks.