With the weather report on the positive side, I wanted to take out the Tin Cup and see if I could figure out what was wrong with my big motor. I launched at Atlantic City at 2:30 and fired up the 'sizzler' (50 hr Evinrude) and it seemed to be running ok so headed over the West side of Mercer island sort of north so i was directly across from the tip of Seward Park.

No wind, blue skies and the sun shining I dropped the Jared Johnson rod with an ounce and a quarter of lead and a UV sling blade with a newly tied pink hootchie with a smiley blade tipped with pink gulp maggots. Started my troll south and was messing around in the boat and like an idiot, when I opened my ice chest to take a swig of water then shut in on my other Lamiglas rod! SNAP! Broke in 2.. crap! But I before I could get too upset, my rod buries into the water and it's fish on!

After a couple of runs I was able to bring in my 1st cuttie of the day. Now after my last report, I was very careful identifying this fish and was sure it was a cutt. 2 feint orange slits under his throat and spots all over the tail. So the rod goes back into the water with fresh maggots and krill scent and get one more hit but didn't stick.

Now I notice to the north and to the south there are some rain showers approaching but am not too concerned ( yet) Pretty soon though a stiff breeze picks up and I notice white caps north of me so decide to bring in the line and head back to the boat launch to wait this one out.

No sooner do I get the pole in all hell breaks loose!! Rain, wind, choppy water and my boat is getting tossed all over the place! I fire up the Sizzler and head across the lake only to have start to stumble again like it was doing before. Oh no, I am in trouble~so I baby it across and just as I get into the marina it dies! I frantically try and start my trolling motor and it won't start. The wind is pushing me quickly into the dock south of the boat launch and there is nothing I can do but prepare to hit the dock head on. A nice couple rush out the help me hold my boat while I try and get the motors started but no luck. Finally I realize the reason my trolling motor isn't starting is that the safety pin had popped out so fired it up and made it back to the launch with my boat lurching all over the place. Whew~ ran up and got my truck and was able to get the boat safely on the trailer.

Now you would think I would thank the Lord I was safe and head home~ Well, I thanked the Lord but after doing some work on my laptop realized the squall had moved on and it was unbelievably nice again! Not a cloud in the sky and flat water! I figure I can back down the boat and see if I can get that big motor started. NO luck, this baby is headed to the shop but looking out think to myself, I can just use the little motor and stay close and fish some more!

Good choice as I head out of the launch after re-launching my boat, I start trolling right away to the south tip of Mercer and right away! BAM! fish on!! a scrappy 17" er. Back down again and just as I start to turn north I get another one!! So with 3 fish I think this has turned out pretty good so start to turn back to head across when WHAM! My rod really buries and starts peeling line and realize this guy is got some weight to it. After an epic battle with some acrobatics he finally succumbs to my net! A fat 18+ cuttie.

So I head in happy that I am alive and have 4 fish to take home. Now as you can see, all the meat on these are red and I am thinking it could be that they are feeding on sockeye smolt which one threw up on my deck after netting it but who knows! All I know is that these were all cutthroats and no white meat on any of them. Sorry for the long report but it was a pretty wild afternoon

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