Ever since former Seattle Seahawk and WSU Cougar lineman Robbie Tobeck stepped away from The Outdoor Line, I've had to listen to the "Cantankerous Cougar's" complaints: "Boy, I never hear from you anymore,… We haven't been out fishing since I left the show"… etc,etc… you get the drift. So, after hearing fairly solid crabbing and blackmouth…
With memories of last year's San Juan Island (Marine Area 7) smokin' hot blackmouth (winter feeder chinook) opener spinning through my head, I couldn't wait to get up to the Islands for the opener! Add the fact that I'm going to have my pard' Robbo Endsley and Island guru Jay Field on board Big Red…
To simply state that there is water everywhere just doesn't do justice to our current state of affairs. At least we are armed with more information for this season's series of November drenchers. Thanks to the new Langley Hill radar we have a better view of incoming fronts. This new view is particularly helpful to…
For the second year in a row, I've had the opportunity to fish the Marine Area 8 & 9 opener to "scout" or pre-fish the opening event of the Northwest Salmon Derby Series, the Bayside Marine Derby. Usually, there are a few "easy" fish available on opening day and you get a good read on…
Throughout all this talk of budget cuts, ocean survival and La Nina the fact remains that the hatchery steelhead are on their way! Here's why I'm looking at this year's hatchery runs more positively that the last couple years: Look at the "bumper crop" of pinks & coho we've seen this year! There couldn't be…
I seriously considered issuing a warning before posting this blog, something like: "Warning! Fish guts ahead" for example. So, consider yourself cautioned. The best way to learn how to consistently catch actively feeding fish is to find out what they are eating and mimic the "menu" by tailoring your presentation to represent the feed of…
It's been a while since we've seen a coho season around here with "legs" like this one. What am I talking about? Well, when a spawning run of salmon in these parts provides action and opportunity for three solid months… it has "legs" or the ability to run a long distance. I guess after 2010's "coho…
There's a scary statistic out there stating that if a youth doesn't experience hunting or fishing by the time they turn 18, there's a slim chance of him or her becoming an outdoor enthusiast in their lifetime. So, when my son Matthew turned 18, I knew it was well past time to get his Hunter…
Last season was nothing short of a silver bust in local waters but hot on the heels of a pink salmon run is a very solid showing of chunky coho salmon! With the Everett Coho Derby looming in a little more than a week, let's brush up on some silver slaying strategies! Robbie Tobeck gets…
After visiting the Nootka Sound Resort in late April on our "scouting mission" the prospect of fishing my own boat out of this incredible facility on the west coast of Vancouver Island had me counting the days until I could return. I was not disappointed. Unlike all our other fishing trips where we fend for ourselves…