05-23-2010, 12:29 AM
MacFly....since you asked......that was a gorgeous, fresh king salmon caught 2 years ago. I was shore fishing for rainbows at the mouth of the Kashwitna River at the Susitna River (huge, old nasty colored river) with a large olive, wooly headed sculpin. Was using my favorite 5 wt flyrod with 10 lbs fluoro tippet. Although this is at a state campground there was not another soul in sight....just me and the Alaskan WhiteCrested Fishpeckers (called bald eagles elsewhere [
]). Landed one small rainbow about 15 inches and a few casts later I hooked into what I thought was a great bow. Well about halfway through my backing I knew this is no rainbow but had to be an early chinook. Couldn't chase her down river cause there was no where to go......also didn't think I had a chance in heck of getting her so that made me relax. After 30 or so minutes I was able to slowly start working her upstream through a couple of downed logs and then caught my first glimpse of her in shallow water about 10 yards downstream.....that's when the adrenaline kicked in as it was the first time landing her actually seemed like a possibility. Another 10 minutes and her back was breaking water in the shallows...I walked back not wanting to reel her in too tight and as she layed sideways in a few inches of water, I dropped my rod (gently) and sprinted down to tail her on shore. What a toad....light rod and line....she was 43" and I like to say about 40 lbs (she hit 38 lbs on the scales).
Sidebar here, I had shoulder surgery 3 months before this and wasn't supposed to be working it out all that hard. After this fight I couldn't cast a flyrod for nearly 6 weeks....but the pain was worth it.
Anyway....it was one of my pride and joy catches.
Brian
[signature]
]). Landed one small rainbow about 15 inches and a few casts later I hooked into what I thought was a great bow. Well about halfway through my backing I knew this is no rainbow but had to be an early chinook. Couldn't chase her down river cause there was no where to go......also didn't think I had a chance in heck of getting her so that made me relax. After 30 or so minutes I was able to slowly start working her upstream through a couple of downed logs and then caught my first glimpse of her in shallow water about 10 yards downstream.....that's when the adrenaline kicked in as it was the first time landing her actually seemed like a possibility. Another 10 minutes and her back was breaking water in the shallows...I walked back not wanting to reel her in too tight and as she layed sideways in a few inches of water, I dropped my rod (gently) and sprinted down to tail her on shore. What a toad....light rod and line....she was 43" and I like to say about 40 lbs (she hit 38 lbs on the scales).Sidebar here, I had shoulder surgery 3 months before this and wasn't supposed to be working it out all that hard. After this fight I couldn't cast a flyrod for nearly 6 weeks....but the pain was worth it.
Anyway....it was one of my pride and joy catches.
Brian
[signature]