This Ship's log is a group of articles written by Patrick Roelle and covers a variety of topics related to fishing for albacore tuna, Chinook Salmon, and Dungeness Crab on the Pacific Ocean.
2020 Salmon Trip 2
Ship's Log April 28-May 1st 2020
Don’t Rush It
We worked real hard and real fast all day Monday the 27th to get to the stores to buy the rigging, get it ready, make our ice appointment, and get across that nasty ass Umpqua River Bar at high tide slack by 5:30pm. It was a windy day, but tomorrow is expected to be very nice, followed by a crappy ocean day, followed by a nice day, and then another. I figured we needed to get out across the bar when the time was exactly right for a safe cross, deal with the crap ocean on the way out, and fish starting on April 28th during that nice day...
Once we finally had it all ready to get ice, got ice, and then were ready to cross the bar, I called the Coast Guard for the bar report... Breakers in the south. That means NO GO. The bar is where the river meets the ocean. On the Umpqua here in Winchester Bay Oregon, we pay special attention to that!! The tide and the swell from the ocean meet together and MASH goes the waves. If it is breaking in the south, the normal safe travel lane, then you are going to have to wait... Many bad deals have happened on this bar over the years. It is one of the most unsafe crossings on the entire west coast of USA. I have lived my life of ocean fishing dealing with this bar, and have learned patience by having had these experiences.
2020 Salmon Trip 3
Ship's Log May 2-5 2020
Family Sacrifices
After the sale of the fish from trip 2, I went home to Cedar Grove Ranch and spent some good times with Kristi and the boys. The ocean weather forecast was grim, so I made plans with the boys. Wyatt and I would make a birdhouse for his shop class, and Zac and I would go shooting. Then the 3 of us would go fishing somewhere for a trout or two. These boys ages 13 and 15 are getting very tired of being “quarantined” to their home due to this Coronavirus thing. They have been creeping out of their rooms, rubbing their squinty eyes and looking around wondering what happened to these last couple of months. They helped with dinner as we made our plans...
After dinner, I looked at the weather. This season set dates for April 20 to May 5th. It is May 1st. The weather improved a bit, giving a little window of time to leave May 2nd and fish through the 5th. A 3 day window of time for the finish of this little season 1 of 2020. I paced a bit. Then I made a loud statement like this. “I’M GOING FISHING!”
2020 Salmon Trip 4
Ship's Log May 26th-29th, 2020
Priceless Salmon
I have a calendar right behind me as I type this stuff on my computer at home. When I learned the season dates for salmon 2020, I put big X’s on each day open for April and May-June.
I got a lot of stuff done during the break after the first season which ended May 5th. My brain got a bit twisted somehow. I thought I had to fit what needed done into the dates May 5th thru the 19th which was when I had to go back to sea for second season. I went to work on home projects, Honey-do’s and some kid time. Jeff and I installed the new captain's chair on the James Lee, added on the new Troll Valve, and got the boat ready.
2020 Tuna Trip 1 Part 1
Ship's Log July 1st-14th 2020
I left the day Oregon initiated the mask requirement. It was a strange and difficult decision to leave. I was torn by it. There are so many options. Financially we are fine, not too pressed into action for any particular reason. Just that searing desire to chase tuna and knowing they were there for the chasing was driving me crazy. My wife and I have built up a variety of options for making money. We own and self-manage 14 rental units, and live on a 167 acre ranch with many options. Kristi has a great fiber business going, and I could be doing more with cattle, lumber, and/or real estate. Or anything. Will get back to this later.
Jeff and I stocked the boat with supplies for a trip which may last 25 days. I printed the Oregon Regional and Northwest Overview from the Terrafin site, pointed an arrow to the destination of my choice, and got my stuff at home together. I am a Type 1 insulin dependent diabetic. Proper planning with food and that type of supply is important. It is an important part of my story, and has a lot to do with the entire shitteroo really. I do not want to sit at home and then move about town with a mask on, feeling oppressed with limited freedoms and lack of choices. I left the rest of my family to live that life, and Jeff, his dog Apollo, and Seanna and I headed out to sea on the morning of July 1st with heads full of uncertainty. There were no real verified tuna reports anywhere nearby. Jeff trusted me...kinda. And the dogs had been salmon fishing together and made great friends. The group of us are a team taking it on and willing to do whatever it takes.
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