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8-25-04 - ALL NIGHT LONG Waters Fished: Racine Harbor, Kenosha Harbor First off, I was SUPPOSED to be at Creekside Outfitters for the monthly meeting of the Creekside Conservation Club. I got stuck at the office until 7:20 PM or so...no way I was going to make it. I know a couple other folks who were supposed to be there couldn't go either. Folks we need people to show up! Yes, I'm guilty as charged...but work is work, ya know? It's one of the few things that can override most everything else. And to top it off, due to some dire Mac issues at the office I had to go to WI Wednesday night to HOPEFULLY get things resolved by using my Parent's Mac. I'd already worked a full day and then some...I needed a break, a release. Since it's on the way, I might as well hit the harbors. Yeah, no pictures. Lemme tell ya, there just wasn't anything to take a picture off..it was dark, rainy at times, and bone numbingling exhausting. I met up with the West Side Possee (Matt, Joe, Josh) at the McDonald's on 50 by 94 around 8:00...Bart had been on the Root and was currently chasing fish in Kenosha Harbor. Matt had been after me to visit Racine Harbor, which neither Bart or I are familiar with. Why not learn some new water? Well we got on the harbor to the sound of what most be sonar/radar blaring every so often. Waves pounded the rocks of the outer harbor, sending massive thirty foot sprays up into the air....large volumes of water landed on anyone who dared try to fish there. While the brave charter boats were out cruising in the chop, we had to go inside the harbor to find safe fishing areas. Bottom line, in about 3 hours I had 3 hits; one fish actually stayed on for about 10 seconds...5 or 6 tugs on the rod before it was gone. The current flowed in and out of the harbor, constantly swinging our spoons to the left or the right. With the wind to our backs, distance casting was a breeze. Doesn't much matter though when what few fish were breaking the surface had no interest in our offerings. Why not go back to areas that had been productive, so around 11:00 PM we headed over to Kenosha. Again we set up on the outer harbor....it was here I saw a Chinook on a stringer. OK, first official king of the year. After plugging away for an hour or so without a single hit among the dozen or so anglers present, I decided I was heading to the inner harbor for more consistent action. Our crew split paths to maximize our options...they'd fish the channel while I returned to the deep inner harbor. What else can I say...the fish were more active here. I managed a good 4-5 hits...within 30 minutes of my arrival I saw one king landed and another lost. Both Browns and Kings were dancing tonight. It was probably 3:30 AM when I got my last hit....the guy to the right of me had just shown up. We cast simultaneously....overhead a seagull passed from behind and squacked...then dived to the water as if hitting a fish. My line went BURIPRAPRAPBRIPRAPRAPRAPRPAZIPRAPBRIP and the guy next to me too was hooked up. Whatever I had was swiming towards me from my left....the seagull out in front of me was being dragged to my RIGHT. A double of a whole different kind; a giant silver torpedo breached the surface at full speed right in front of me, meer feet from the shore while I was reeling in line as fast as I could....and this silver torpedo was heading straight for the seagull, now fouled up in the other angler's line. As the fish dove down I put the brakes on him....he turned and my spoon popped out. Meanwhile my neighboring angler was struggling with his seagull....thankfully the bird wasn't hooked...it had mearly flown right into the guys line as he cast (hence the loud startled squak). One lost king and one fouled bird pretty combined with almost 8 hours on my feet told me I was done for the day... Yes, I stayed out almost 8 hours after work...I put in the MAX effort possible to bring in a fish, and while having a few chances, it just didn't pan out. Next week...next week... MP |
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