New boat old fishing grounds

[Irishrover]

After 30 some years of fishing off the Oregon and Washington coast, my first mate and I decided to bring and end to our saltwater days. It was hard to sell the boat of our dreams the Teresa D, a Duckworth Offshore with all the bells and whistles that are needed to make ocean fishing safe and enjoyable. It did not seem right to restrict her to the lakes. I knew some younger person would take her back onto the salt. She is now up fishing the waters off the Alaskan coast and I'm confident that she will provide her new skipper and crew a safe and comfortable fishing platform.

We bought a used 18' Alumaweld Stryker with a single 90 Yamaha and a 9.9 kicker. A great small boat for fishing the lakes that are to be found all over this state. Yesterday we went up to Timothy Lake, a place we have been to many times over our long fishing career together. It was a good day on the water and we ended up with our limit of trout. Two of which would be legal coho size, nice big trout! The fish were caught on rooster tails, green wooly bugger flies and plastic worms. A little of everything.

The fishing experience was quite different from the ocean adventures of the past. No bar to cross, no tide timing, and a lot easier to clean the boat. However we will miss the challenge that ocean fishing presents, the smell of the salt in the air, and the broad expanse of water to fish. Yet it's good to recognize when it is time to move on and enjoy the still waters of the lakes.

 

[bass]

Now the only bars to cross serve ice cold beer on tap

I hope you find great happiness on this next phase of your life. I wonder every now and again how much longer I will be able to haul my kayak up and down the ramps and sit in it all day long. I keep wondering what I will do when that day comes.

 

[Irishrover]

I hope that day is a long way off for you. Be nice to have to have a home on a lake were one could at least shuffle down to the water and cast a line.

 

[bass]

I totally agree. My old high school chemistry teacher does just that. He is in a retirement village that is just like a 5 minute car ride down the the water. Not right on the water but close enough. He meets up with some other guys and fish. Not a bad way to spend the later years!