sea lion on!!

[woolybugger65]

just got done reading an article in the latest fly fisherman magazine. this one blew my mind. apparently on the west coast some boat anglers have had a problem trying to land their catch. seems that the sea lions and seals want it as bad as the fisherman does. article says that these animals are attacking the fish while it's hooked. it even shows a picture of a sea lion jumping out of the water, right next to the boat, while the fish is being hauled in.
researchers say that some lions and seals are swimming up the tribs and staging at inland fish ladders waiting to fill their bellys. what a site that would be.
i wonder what they're doing to fish populations? no guys i haven't been doing shots of salmon river water. :p
steelheader69, have you heard OR had any experiences with this?

[JStreamside]

Hey, now this rings a bell. I have an uncle that lives in CA and he frequently goes on those "ocean charters" for salmon and albacore. On his last visit, he was telling me stories of things just like this happening...especially when they were salmon fishing.

Apparently the "fur bags" (as they fondly call them) follow the dang boats around and when someone gets a salmon on its not the fight with the fish they are concerned with, its how quick you can get your prize to the boat before the sea lions nail it. He said it can get so bad that they only boat 1 out of every 5 or 6 fish they hook. And I guess it gets even worse with albacore.

Come to think of it???Hmmm...didn't someone post something this past season about Trout Brook (on the SR) and the "fur bags" that were pouncin' on the salmon in there, too. sounds like they moved their "action" to the west coast for the winter!!! Maybe those guys should just get lawn chairs and plunk down right in the middle of the brook about 20 ft below the raceway to the SR hatchery!!!

JStreamside

[Steelheader69]

Oh god yes I know about them. More the seals then sea lions in my area. I will see if I can find a picture of a king I caught. I had it just to the net when a seal came up and swiped at it. Ruined the fish from the anal fin back. Which is some of the best meat. I've had chunks of fish missing. You can always tell when they hit too. You get an erratic run and a pause. Then a sluggish retrieve. Usually still alive, just missing a piece of itself.

Funny, just before I sold my jetsled we were fishing the Chehalis River here in Washington. Was trolling along when my kicker popped it's lock and swung up. Thought I may have hit a log. Shut the motor off and brought up the motor and had sealfur on it. LOL. Tagged one going under the boat. Fish were swarming near the surface scooting out of the hole we were trolling in. So that explained it. He'll have a headache for awhile I think.

Have heard of locals shooting them. You'll find them wash up on the beaches with bullet holes. Yes, these things will travel QUITE aways from the salt following fish. The river I have property on is about 20 river miles from the ocean at least. Have seen them up to our place and moving upriver. I do know that one of my "guestimated" biggest kings I ever had on was taken off by one of those dang seals. I even had my heavier king gear on too and I had it under control. Next thing I know I see a seal pop up near where I was playing the fish and in a matter of seconds it felt like a log had hit my line and I was being taken back to the salt. I finally got the line loose and the fish was ripped to shreds. I just snapped the line and let it float away at that point. Thing was mauled, belly gone, and just a mess. Figured the seal finished it off later.

[Kinghookjaw]

Although i cant say that i have had any encounters with sea lions, but 2 winters ago i was in Texas and we went out for reds and trout... there were tons of dolphins in the area we were fishing, which were the apparent cause of the lack of fish. anyways, I finally got a taker and i slammed the hook home and my rod doubled over... blood pumping. next thing i see is a dolphin break surface and tear off with like 50 yards of line.. needless to say the 10 lb test didnt hold up too good, and there is a dolphin out there with a red sassy shad in its lips. never thought i would have that kind of a fish story to tell.

[gman2153]

Several years ago I was reeling in a Bonita and a shark nailed it... I landed the head and a few inches behind the gills - that was all that was left...you could sdee the teeth pattern whee the fish was chopped off..

[ecsteelheader]

Me and a buddy were fishing in Canada for walleyes,i was reeling in a walleye about 18"-20" range and a big a$$ pike came up and slammed it right by the boat,,talk about cool,man that was awesome !!!! chopped it in half:eek: ,so i lost 2 fish in 1 cast,but it was worth it>))>

[Willy]

I was fishing in Maine, and I caught about a 16" chub. Pretty disappointed, until an 8 lb brook trout grabbed it. Didn't catch him though. Too smart to take a big saltwater streamer too.

Dolphins usually see the line. They will play with hooked fish, but won't bite until they spit the hook. Real smart.

[JStreamside]

Folks...that's why this boy doesn't fish the big water...especially where sharks and things are concerned. My simple rule of thumb...if there are critters in there desperate enough to eat your catch...than there is also "stuff" swimmin' around big enough to eat me!!!

JStreamside...(safely on shore in my waders)!!!

[Craydaddy]

Now that is a good point!!! LOL!!!!

[Talljeeper]

I have had many run in's with these damn monsters on the Columbia river.
I had a 30#(est) that got smacked by I would guess an 800# SL.
All I reeled in was the head.....

We have just recently gotten the green light to start using seal bombs...woohoo! :eek:

[Steelheader69]

Jstreamside, only problem, these seals travel up into the tributaries that are small. I had one day fishing the Satsop and had a seal swim by me as I was trying to wade the rivers. Mind you, this spot was only maybe 40' wide max. And half of that was shallow gravel bar underneath the water. So you'd be surprised where they'll show up.

[woolybugger65]

talljeeper, 2 things. what is your avatar? i clicked on it and it took me to your profile page. what is that thing with the teeth?

[Talljeeper]

I thought you guys might get a kick outta that ugly ole fish.
It's a ling cod...without a doubt one of the BEST tasting fish out there.
Sautee'd in butter, a little garlic and 7up...tastes JUST like Lobster. Its a bottom feeder...my biggest to date is just over 22#.
And yes they are UGLY, mean and toothy. I have more pic if you guys would like me to post some.
My last one puked flounder all over the boat. They love to chomp Rockfish when your reeling one of those up....

Man you guys have got to experience the Pacific Northwest sometime......it is nothing short of spectacular.
Oh and the really toothy fish is a billy bob.....LOL
Talljeeper

[woolybugger65]

jeeper please post more. i think we'd all like to see them.

[JStreamside]

ST69...NO FREAKIN' WAY!!!...That would be like a nuclear sub showing up at a spot we call the Black Hole on NY's Salmon River!!! In either case...a Sea Lion (or seal) in a 40' wide stream...or the sub in the SR... would definitely make me "load my britches" on the spot!!!

I'm not one to back down from much of anything, but if a "fur bag" did that to me...the next time it happened, I'd be packin' some serious heat in the form of a .50 cal pistol!!! Thank god we don't have 'em here.

JS

[gman2153]

that billy bob is nasty lookin,,,prehistoric

do you club it once you get it in the boat...? I would.

[gottum]

:D G-
Some say I should club you.... when you come in my boat :p
but I don't. lmaomf

Last April I saw 4ft-5ft sturgeon swimming just above the rte. 3 bridge on the Salmon River. It was huge- I thought at first it was a submerged log drifting down stream- I realized it had fins, tail and a very distint lateral line- it was creepy- the biggest fish I have ever seen in fresh water :eek: .

[woolybugger65]

gottum, shoulda pulled a croc hunter on em. :D

[Steelheader69]

Jstreamside, YUP, it happens occasionally. Especially if the runs are really strong. I don't really get scared of them, just ticked since I know the fishing is done for the day usually.

Yeah, lots of people have thought of the gun aspect. But not sure I want to go to jail for a long time because of it. LOL.