While our Covid hasn't affected our breathing, it has affected our ability to catch halibut. Catching bait has been easy, both perfect-sized jacksmelt and red-to-green label-sized herring, but Gage and I couldn't get anything to eat it except a Dungeness, a sand sole, and a 21" halibut. We watched a few halibut get caught by the yellow buoy at Hog today, enough to know that it's us, not the halibut that's the problem. While Gage and I have been isolating, Cameron has been working at the launch and he sent in this report:

    "Yesterday's report: 

Our folks who got three yesterday picked up another, same spot, same bait. The drifts were trickier for them, the wind was at least as bad, and the crowds were worse, so with nothing to prove after their slaughter the previous day, they packed up and got home before the wind worsened. They did it all again today (Sun) with one more halibut to show for it.

One (pictured) picked up by the yellow marker near Seal Island sand bar. Live smelt. All the info I could get from them, I'm afraid; with you and Gage doing so much fishing, there's precious little time to keep my thumb warm. Still, I'll take my whippings with dignity.

A number of rescues when the wind came up yesterday. More than one vessel blew away from the island (for the love of God, anchors! A bucket of sand! A child holding a rope! Something!), and there was a call about a capsized boat, which I later heard made it back to shore with everyone ok. The park service reported 5 separate incidents with a total of 17 people involved, and even though I never saw them, I'm certain beyond any doubt that they were an instrumental part of each rescue like they implied.

Today's launches were mostly clammers, with a few crabbers and halibut fishermen. I've been hearing less than typical grumbling from crabbers, and one mentioned limits, though not of what species. Little to report on the fish front besides what I already mentioned, but word is the water is crowded to our south, and some guys are even catching. Miller must be busy."  Hog didn't seem that full of boats, but it probably was to the boat catching fish as everybody wants to cuddle when they're not catching. Thursday is the second salmon opener of the year and the weather looks actually good all week. We could have pictures of silver fish that aren't jacksmelt on here. Fingers crossed...