Rick Ferguson "DaGoose"
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The Beast
Jan. 7 2011, 11:15 AM
Jan. 7 2011, 11:15 AM
2010 was a rather interesting year. Attending the MLPA meetings was totally depressing. The ominous reality that well backed special-interest groups can impose unnecessary closures on such a large scale makes my stomach turn. The tuna and yellowtail didn't want to play. It was the least productive halibut year I've experienced since I started bounceballing 20 years ago. But my mother-in-law had a banner year of smack highlighted by asking "Rick, are you ever going to catch another halibut?" smiling all the while. The fish are not gone; it’s just Mother Nature's cycle. I did enjoy many great days on the water with my friends though. It's not all about catching fish.
My last two trips out before the never-ending rain were memorable in different ways. I enjoyed a gorgeous early December day with my friend Greg, who introduced me to saltwater private boat fishing many years ago. I was pretty much his deckhand and loved every minute of it, while learning the ropes. We don't fish much together anymore. So we started pounding sand in the morning, hoping for one good biter, and got it a few hours later. She went 23 lbs, the biggest halibut captured for the year. The day was filled with many smiles and laughs as we recounted our numerous adventures together. I guess the smile says it all!
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My last two trips out before the never-ending rain were memorable in different ways. I enjoyed a gorgeous early December day with my friend Greg, who introduced me to saltwater private boat fishing many years ago. I was pretty much his deckhand and loved every minute of it, while learning the ropes. We don't fish much together anymore. So we started pounding sand in the morning, hoping for one good biter, and got it a few hours later. She went 23 lbs, the biggest halibut captured for the year. The day was filled with many smiles and laughs as we recounted our numerous adventures together. I guess the smile says it all!
Next week the weather changed dramatically. Jeff and I ventured out into the thick pea-soup fog in my little skiff. It was cold and generally miserable. The sun never came out and the flatties didn’t want to play at all. About 1:00 Chef Jeff says “how about a philly cheesesteak Sammie for lunch?” and breaks out his trusty propane skillet, setting up shop on top of the ice chest in front of the center console.
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Jeff had all of the fixings: roast beef, provolone cheese, butter, mushrooms, peppers, onions, au jus dipping sauce, and a large loaf of French bread. The smell was divine. He then threw a towel on the deck and assembled the beast.
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Needless to say, it was a two handed affair and unbelievably delicious. It just didn’t get any better. I had a hard time trying to concentrate on bounceballing while we both mauled our huge portions. The food coma set in shortly thereafter and we called it a day. No fish but quite the adventure nonetheless!
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Remember to check out the lobster buoys for new structure spots and mark them in the GPS for future reference. They very well could hold halibut.
Tight Lines and Happy New Year All!
Rick
Best of Big Game
www.bestofbiggame.com
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