We decided to go back to Kalinin Bay and meet up with Lady J, Jackie and Layne, so they could show us how and why they are so successful at catching halibut. After a wonderful day with them we caught 5 halibut, not very big but certainly worth keeping for some delightful meals.
The next day we went out one final time at Kalinin and Jim caught a 30 lb king. Later that day we left for Rodman Bay and spent the night. There was nothing there but at least 50 commercial crab pots.
On Friday the 24th we went to Ell Cove and found a beautiful, quiet little cove and stayed there for 2 days. We also caught 8 Sea Bass and had a delightful bass dinner that evening with Asplunds and Gills.
Onward to Warm Springs Bay the next day where there was a magnificent waterfall. We had to be careful leaving Ell Cove due to all of the purse seiners that had just arrived the previous day. They couldn’t start fishing until midnight and had 15 hours before they had to stop so there were nets everywhere. It was estimated there were around 60 boats. After we arrived in Warm Springs, the purse seiners started coming in when they were through for the day. They rafted 5 deep at the dock and one rafted to Sea Jay. We took a walk up to the hot springs that are right beside the river at the head of the waterfall and then walked a short distance to Baranof Lake. Great boardwalk path. We then went out for more fishing and Jim caught 2 good sized halibuts.
Tuesday June 28th - Warm Springs to Patterson Bay
Patterson Bay June 29
This is a was long and narrow bay with steep high sides with exposure to the South wind. We anchored in 90 feet of water at the had of he bay and put out 300 feet of chain. The 150 pound Rockna anchor really did its job holding solid in gusts up to 37 kts that night.
This is a very scenic anchorage but must be treated with respect due to the deep and rocky bottom and narrow head of the Bay. Patrick did extremely well pulling in 16 dozen prawns in three sets.We got about 4 dozen nice pawns that night.
Red Bluff Bay June 30-31
Red Bluff Bay is as it is named with high red rocky bluffs at the entrance.
It has a winding entrance and must be treated with respect to avoid fowl rock infested water.
We keep saying it over and over but this is an outstanding and beautiful anchorage, with high and dramatic waterfalls, snow capped peaks and green pasture at the head of the bay and plenty of brown Grizzly bears grazing on shore.
Patrick got a hot tip from Steve Oberto on where to set the prawn pots and we did very well for two days harvesting a robust catch of prawns by the bucket full. We set the prawn pots in a secret spot close to shore on a steep declining bottom in about 240 feet of water.
Spirit went on to Petersburg today and we decided to stay another night before heading for Petersburg and on to Wrangle for the 4th of July and a tour of the Anan Bay bear and wild Life Observatory Grizzly bear watch.
The second day at Red Bluff we caught more prawns and thew next morning we headed for petersburg with Gail Warnings for that day. We bumped our speed up to 14 knots from the usual 10 but the wind caught up to us and we were seeing gusts above 35 knots. SEa Jay was fine but the dingy got the ---- kicked out of it so we slowed to 10 knots for the last third of the 75 mile 7 hour trip.
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