The boat was the biggest craft I had ever been on, and a bit overwhelming, since the last boat I was on was an eight man rowing shell. Everyone had their rods set at their stations ready to catch the biggest salmon. And, thanks to Bacher, I was set up with my favorite rod, a Seeker with a Calcutta Shimano 700 reel, for luck.

On the trip out to find an area to fish, I quickly befriended Bryan Chapman, Reed's Sports Shop employee. He was nice enough to give me a few pointers on how to keep from getting sick and how to land those salmon, and overall, he kept me company to settle my nerves.

As I looked out over the water and at the beautiful coast, I felt a sense of peace. I knew that it was going to be a good day, and that I was free from sea sickness. The sea was so calm "you could water ski on it", according to Chapman.

Once we arrived to a spot with a school of krill, which is what the salmon were feeding on, it was time to fish. After taking a few more pointers from Chapman, and getting help baiting my line with anchovies, I was ready to fish.

Both of the deckhands, Curtis Craver and Mike Krieger, were very helpful in making sure that all the anglers were set up with as many anchovies as needed. The captain of the Wild Wave, Mike Baxter, suggested that the best way to get those salmon interested was to keep the bait moving by letting out the line, and reeling it in continuously.

When I watched the first catch of the day, I was completely overwhelmed and enthralled. It was amazing to watch such commotion, and excitement develop in a split second and then dissipate with no warning. I was ready to catch my own. I watched as people caught one fish after the other, and I still hadn't even had a bite. I was beginning to get discouraged, but I tried to convince myself that there had to be some truth to the phrase "beginners luck".

As I was getting ready to let out my line, deckhand Krieger, with his magic touch, decided it was time for new bait and put the anchovy on my line for me. A few moments later, as I was reeling in my line and watching the man next to me struggling with the fish he was in the process of reeling in, I felt something on my line.

I had a bite! I couldn't believe it! So the commotion began again, and I struggled with the fish to bring it up to the surface, but that slippery fish was able to work himself off my line. That salmon had managed to escape the expertise of my fishing abilities; I couldn't believe it!

Now, more then ever, I was ready to land a fish. So I asked Mike to help me bait my line again, thinking that he had the touch that would help me get another bite. Sure enough, a little while later, I got another bite and began reeling it in like a pro. There was no way I was going to let two fish get past me!

By the end of the trip we were able to reach full limits, leaving each angler with two salmon. With the help of the excellent staff of the Wild Wave, I was able to land two salmon on my own; what a feeling of pride I had.

Overall, the trip was a blast. The weather turned out to be too perfect, with calm waters and the sun peeking through the fog by late afternoon. With the incredible staff being where they were needed at the drop of a hat and every angler working together to get that limit, I don't think anyone could have asked for a more perfect day of salmon fishing on the ocean.