05/05 - 05/06 - Lopez Is. Opening Week-end

Tom -

What I use for shrimping is just like computing the price per pound for salmon!!

50# Stealth Commercial pots. (blueoceantackle.com)
350' of leaded line.
Puss and Boots catfood (fish flavor)
Gold Seal prawn bait
Copper River prawn scent
(a mixture of all of these) in Scotty bait jars - 1/8 inch holes for higher current, 1/4 inch holes for neap tides and short soak times. Sometimes both 1/4 and 1/8 jars in the same pot.

If you have a butt carcass (I keep mine in the freezer) it usually helps to drop one in the bottom of the pot.

My float size varies with the expected current, and I use an addional float on 30' tag line if expecting more than 1 knot of current.

For 1 knot + of current I use the smallest Danforth anchor ahead of the pot -- and to prevent the float from moving the pot I use a weight ahead of the pot about 10'... if the pot moves at all -- no shrimp.

I use one pot per float and line, but I THINK that if you stay close and tend your pot you can put two pots on one line. Done all the time in Canada, but the regs are not clear in the US. Many of my friends put two pots down -- I use an electric puller, and two 50# pots + shrimp + anchor could be a real grunt.

Because I can see the shrimp (pod, herd, flock, huh?) on the depth sounder, I can drop the pot up current so the pot will leave a scent trail -- and hopefully drop near the shrimp.

HTH,

Dusty (sometimes I even get shrimp)
 
I think that my problem in the past has been not weighting down the pots and having them move on me. I will be re-rigging my 4 pots before we go. I picked up some bait jars at the last boat show but have to drill the holes. My little brother, all 6'2" and 260 lbs of him< is building me a pot puller as we speak or type. I tried both spots you mentioned last year but only got a few shrimp. I have been leaving my pots down to long and surning the whole tide.

I have the same fish finder you do, so what do you see on the screen that tells you shrimp, over lets say herring or sand lance?? sorry herring are off the bottom more but you know what I mean.
 
All right Tom .... Uncle, I give, we'll be there. I signed up and made the reservation with Kathy. We will be there, probably with rugrats in tow so we will be busy but are looking forward to our first CBGT. And to putting some miles on our new Cruiser.

Sark
 
sark, bring swim suits and take the kids to the pool, we will have are fat a$$ in the hot tub after dinner. You will really like this place and Iam going to get shrimp this year if I have to dive down and put them in the pots my self!!!

dusty... your a funny man!!! :roll:
 
We now have 29 signed up for Friday Harbor. Record setting time I think. Two boats have signed up with the marina but aren't on the Event Sign-up on the site yet. Play Time out of Anacortes and Soulmate out of Friday Harbor.

Pat and I may need to re think the quantity of beer.
 
We now have 29 signed up for Friday Harbor. Record setting time I think.
Click to expand...

Yep - that's why they call us the C-Brats. Even though the gathering is at one place, if enough boats gather at another it's still a record! And Ricardo is still going to Blake Island.
 
Meander and crew have signed on for the 5th & 6th C-brattie gig at the Islander. :D
Any of you experienced border crossers able to tell me where the closest, or best to use, customs point is.

We will be travelling from Vancouver BC area, (by water of course). Most times we would cross over to Vancouver Island and then down from there, but we are open to a more direct route if someone can suggest it.

Ron
 
Friday Harbor is directly across from Fisherman's Bay, that might be the best. Will you cross into the Gulf Islands and come south by that route? Down the mainland coast? Blaine may be an option if you go that route. Bellingham Bay and Anacortes are too far out of the way. Roche Harbor is another good option.
 
Oh Boy! Almost Lopez Time!

Last year, Linda and I celebrated our opening day visit to Lopez (Birthday,Captains License, and something else - I forget but almost any excuse will do) by booking a dinner at the Bay Cafe http://http://www.bay-cafe.com/ . It is expensive, but absolutely wonderful. It is an easy walk from the Marina. We have already made our reservations this year for Friday night May 5th - it is a pretty small place so if anyone else is interested, I'd recommend making reservations ahead of time. You can do so on their web site....

See ya'all soon!

Mac & Linda
 
Five weeks until opening boating season for all West Coast non C-Dory boats. Most of the C-Dorys I know around here don't have a boating season that is short of 12 months a year.

32 boats are signed up for Lopez so far. We are looking forward to meeting several new owners and wanna-be owners. Pat and I are bringing a 50 Liter keg of pale ale for consumptive use only. No bathing in beer or other funny things allowed with it please. Actually I am bringing it on Anna Leigh on the passenger side to offset my weight.
 
Anyone have experience launching from Port Townsend and crossing to Lopez. Parking the truck and trailer etc. Thanks for any info.

Ernie
 
I have not done it, but can say that on a nice day it is no problem at all making that crossing. If the wind is up and blowing over 20 mph it can be a real pain. if the wind is up over 30 forget about it. You can always take the long way home thru deseption pass and down the east side of whidby island but its a lot longer that way. Where are you coming from?
 
I just booked with the Lopez Islander for Fri and Sat night. I need some local advice on where to launch. I have launched at the Deception Pass State Park many years ago. Does anyone know if it would be safe to leave the truck and trailer there over the weekend? Any other suggestions?
 
We have left our truck and trailer at the Park down the road from EQ a couple times with no problem. Also have left it in the parking lot at the marina just across and east of EQ and that worked well also. I think Kathy at EQ has an interest in that marina.
 
Yes, EQ Kathy does have an interest in the Marina but she has nothing to do with the security there. I've had a boat in the Marina for about 20 years and often leave my vehicle there for days at a time. Works for me.

The new ramps at the Park are great and I think the security there is okay too -- but like any other parking lot stuff can happen. The trailer/tow-vehicle parking area is frequently patrolled... but just like Cornet Bay Marina, the usual bumper sticker applies. It does happen.

Dusty
 
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