Anyone Here Hook a Whale?

[johnkn]

LOL

"A close call between salmon fishermen and a breaching humpback whale was caught on camera Monday off Monterey, Calif., and it's likely that the anglers were not even aware of the spectacular event.

The accompanying image was captured by Tim Huntington from aboard the High Spirits, run by Blue Ocean Whale Watch out of Moss Landing in Monterey Bay.

Kate Cummings, owner of the company, told USA Today that the same whale had breached twice before the outboard began passing through the area, with its crew inside the wheelhouse on a cool, gray afternoon.


"I do not think they saw the whale at all," Cummings said. "They probably didn't see the first two breaches either, as the timing between them was several minutes and the boat wasn't in the vicinity when it had been breaching.

"There were scattered whales throughout the area, though, meandering through the fishing boats, so the boaters must have known whales were in the area."

Cummings said the boat was probably 50 feet from the whale when it breach, "

 

[grouperjim]

Yikes. That was close.

 

[moose8420]

I had something similar happen to me a few years ago. I dropped some people off on a beach and took off around the corner. Out of no where a whale breached within 50' of my boat, let me tell you, I was well aware of the event so I stopped. Needless to say my friends on the beach heard this load crash and my motor stop. They thought I blew up my motor and we were 60 miles from home. After weighting about 10 minutes, I started moving along again, and the whale immediately breached again just as close. So my friends on the beach heard the motor start up and immediately a large crash. They really thought we were stranded for a while until I was able to return. The whole event was scary for all of use since I thought I was going to have a whale on my transom and by buddies though my motor exploded.

In Southeast Alaska, Humpbacks will tend to breach to the sound of engines in the evening.

 

[dave-j]

Almost anybody who has been tuna fishing in the northeast has had their share of close encounters with whales. Believe me, they know you're there. We've had some spectacular "whale shows" of multiple breaches. While trolling for tuna on Stelwagen Bank we see them all the time. Rule is to stay away from them, but sometimes they approach closer than the legal limit (can't remember the distance) and the protocol is to immediately go into neutral and wait.

Once while sitting in neutral a whale surfaced right next to us, exhaled (stinks to high heaven), and rubbed up against our chine on the way back down. Was done very gently and with full control. We surmised the whale had an itch that just needed to be scratched!

 

[MadGar]

Both of your stories are pretty neat. However, I am glad I am reading them instead of experiencing them or the whales exhale wouldn't be the only thing stinking :shock:

 

[PKS1801]

Are you saying that you would have pooped in your breaches?

 

[A-K]

Last summer while salmon fishing, on my friends aluminum boat. I just dropped the down rigger ball down to about 60-70 feet, soon as I put the rod in the holder. I saw a whale chasing a huge bait ball on the surface, BAM! The whales fin clipped the down rigger line (200# braid), snapped it like it wasn't nothing. All within seconds. It was something!

 

[MadGar]

Are you saying that you would have pooped in your breaches?

:lol: exactly what I’m saying

 

[johnkn]

Madgar, fortunately (or unfortunately) the only whales I see around here are the 2 legged variety. :lol:

 

[MadGar]

I have to agree with you there, :?

 

[dave-j]

The other really cool thing we have seen is a "bubble net" by humpbacks. They circle around below a bait ball, blowing bubbles coralling the bait into a tighter and tighter ball. Then they come up through the middle of the ball and feed on the bait on the surface. It's really special when you see the circle of bubbles before all the feeding action starts.