So heres the deal. I havent been fishing since I started diving. We're talking about 3yrs. I have some gear & used to enjoy it quite a bit. I have a brother visiting from SanDiego & he put together an impromptu fishing trip. I think before I got there I was already of the mind that "I'm just along for the ride". I didn't even bother to get a daytrip license. My wife wanted to fish so I let her have at it.
We pulled out of Edmonds Marina & headed just south a ways to fish for bait. Here's where the diving started to interfere. The people fishing were directed to drop there bait to the bottom & catch flounder. They caught several fish but never did bring a flounder on board. Mostly I saw Rock Sole, maybe a Sandab or 2. I heard someone claim they had 2 bullhead. never heard of a bull head & was thinking bull something else as I looked at 2 pitifull pacific Staghorn Sculpins.
We left there & headed off to the Ling Cod fishing spot. They baited their "Flounder" which looked like something had swollen up inside the bellies now(do they have swim bladders?? I dont know) & plopped them in back to the bottom. someone got hung up at one point & gave a big "yank" to break free & reeled in some "sea garbage" aka plumose Anemone(now a dead anemone)
& I could feel a sick spot in my stomach as a potential dive site was being ripped apart one line at a time. They hooked 5 ling & got 3 in the boat. These are pretty much the only monsters I get to see on a regular basis. They dont look as threatening on the boat as they are clubbed to death with a midget baseball bat. We only had one keeper. 1 too small by 1 inch & 1 too big by several inches and other than my mixed up feelings about our purpose, it was a nice day on the water. My brothers wife caught the keeper & I took a fillet home. Kind of the old hunter adage that you only kill what you can & intend to eat. I still feel bad for the poor ling but I do admit he was tasty.
I hope that when my time comes & I get swallowed up by a bigger fish that he at least feels a moment of remorse for my kind & finds me a filling if not satisfying meal. In the mean time, I will catch my fish on film.
MJ
![fish :fish:](./images/smilies/fish.gif)