Finally a 36 incher!

[Boatloadakids]

Finally caught a 36 incher but had to go to Alaska to do it. Took my crew to Alaska and had a blast with the dogs and the kings. We caught Chum salmon until it got boring and then went after the kings. Had seven g-sons with and we all caught several king salmon. Great trip. No encounters with bears this year.

Glad we got back in time to attend the UL Commission meeting tomorrow. Thanks TD for the notice. I'll be there to hear if and when I can get after the cats again and if there will be any left alive to go after. Hoping for the best but preparing for the worst... can't stand the thought of losing a great fishing hole.

BLK and crew
[signature]

[cat-tech]

those are some nice fish and tasty.
[signature]

[Blackellunge]

and here i thought we had a musky report! lol.......some amazing fish in those pics. that trip is on the bucket list. thanks for sharing
[signature]

[fish_or_die]

Awesome report!

Why do they call the chums "dogs"? Those things have nasty teeth!
[signature]

[MSM1970]

HEY you cant enter them your on team south not team waay north[]

looks like a wonderful trip, gona have to start saving my pennys[]
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Great report and pics.

Just an update to the meeting. It will be at 8 AM and not the 9 am in the original notice.

I'll be there. See ya.

By the way, the chums are called dog salmon because that is what the native peoples and year round Alaskans catch in quantity...and dry...to feed their dogs all winter.

Like most salmon they are more edible to humans when in the salt. They go downhill quickly once they hit fresh water.
[/#0000FF]
[signature]

[Piscophilic]

Glad you made it up there and back! Sounds like a really fun trip with good company and plenty of cooperative fish. Thanks for sharing!

Have you been by the lake to see what it looks like since your return?
[signature]

[gaardvark]

Looks like a lot of fun. I just started this whole grandparent thing a week ago, but I am sure looking forward to fishing with him.

Is that last picture a pink salmon? sockeye?
[signature]

[Boatloadakids]

Pisco-- I have not been out at the lake yet to assess the devastation. I will be there soon and often to see how she goes. I'm sure hoping for a little bit of good news at the meeting tomorrow.

Thanks TD for the update on the meeting time... I would have arrived just in time for the closing prayer.
[signature]

[Boatloadakids]

Gaardvark-- Probably the greatest blessing of being gparent is being able to spoil your gkids rotten and then send 'em home -- kind of a revenge on your own kids. You can also wait 'til they get a little older and take 'em fishing. It is great when you are retired and hopefully free of a lot of financial obligations so you can squirrel away a few coins to take the kids fishing. Love it.

That last fish was a humpy -- not sure if that is the same as a pink or not.

BLK
[signature]

[Boatloadakids]

Fish or die-- This pic might be part of why they call them dog salmon.
[signature]

[remo_5_0]

Looks like a blast! Thanks for the pics.
[signature]

[PBH]

TD is correct. Many people who have access to other species of salmon will "turn their nose" to Chum salmon because they are "for the dogs". Thus: dog salmon.

but, they are very good eating if caught "fresh". But, the sport of chum salmon is absolutely AWESOME! They are a true bulldog, and will put any tackle to the test. Broken rods and knuckle-busters -- Chum salmon live up any expectations of a freshwater angler!

Interestingly enough, due to the poor reputation that chum salmon have for table-fare, grocery stores do not sell "chum" salmon. Instead, they use a far less used name that most people do not associate with "dog" or chum salmon: Silverbright. You see it frequently in the seafood section of the grocery store -- but probably didn't know you were buying salmon "for the dogs"!


good stuff. I Love those fish -- which is why the Chum salmon is the ONLY fish hanging on the wall of my home!
[signature]

[HD7000]

Awesome! I'm planning a trip up there hopefully next summer! What part were you at?
[signature]

[mtncat1]

those have a bad rap for table fare but i think they are the coolest looking of all salmon
[signature]

[Boatloadakids]

PBH-- I have heard the locals refer to the Chum salmon as the Keta salmon -- one and the same?? The Keta name sounds more appealing than "dog" salmon.

The Chums I have seen returning up stream to spawn start to literally fall apart as they complete their life cycle. I sure agree that they can give a very good accounting of themselves in the open water. Fun to catch even if you do not like them as table fare. Thanks for the info.

We fished in the Juneau area. We made a good effort to get to the Red Dog Saloon but the tourist ships were in and there was a waiting line to get in so we missed out on their specialty drink -- the Duck Fart. None of us drink alcohol but we planned to by one Duck Fart drink just to sip and say we had one (no designated driver needed) []
[signature]

[gaardvark]

A pink and a humpy are two names for the same fish. I caught those up in Juneau 30 years ago.
Thanks for the response. I am anxious to take my grandson to wild places once I retire and have more time. Too bad that is still a long way off. For now I just need to get my younger son out to wild places more often.
[signature]

[PBH]

[quote Boatloadakids]PBH-- I have heard the locals refer to the Chum salmon as the Keta salmon -- one and the same?? The Keta name sounds more appealing than "dog" salmon.[/quote]


Pacific salmon all have numerous names. Us Americans call them differently than the Canadians (in Canada you almost exclusively hear the terms "chinook" and "coho" -- rarely do you hear "king" and "silver"). They also may distinguish names depending on fresh vs salt water, and sometimes, simply just due to personal preference (foyer vs. lobby?)

King salmon / chinook, spring, Quinnat, and Tyee
Silver salmon / coho /
Sockeye salmon / red / kokanee / blueback / nerka
Pink salmon / humpy (humpback)
Chum salmon / dog / keta / silverbrite

The river and spawning grounds of Chum salmon will often dictate their quality. Once the chum salmon start spawning, they deteriorate very fast, and become nothing more than dog food. But, if you catch them "fresh" then they can be excellent table fare.

We've often had locals mention to us concerning our salmon trips that "you keep dogs?!". We try to explain that they are still salmon! Here are some pics of a fairly fresh chum:

Fresh:


fillet:


tasty dinner:


(FWIW -- we specifically target the Pink and Chum runs. We still get late chinook, and early coho -- so our opportunities to catch 4 species in one river are very good. Sockeye don't run the river we spend most of our time on, but can be found close by. Pinks are a blast on tackle most Utahn's already have -- average size of 5 - 12 lbs, and fresh from the ocean, they know how to put a bend in your rod. Throw 15lb chums in the mix, and you're in for a fun day. Tie into a 30lb chinook, and your arms will be sore for a week! Add that final 12lb coho and you'll have memories for a lifetime!)







(sorry to the OP for the hijack!)
[signature]

[Boatloadakids]

Very interesting info -- thanks!
[signature]

[gmwahl]

We caught , kept, and ate chums when I was up there. Brought a bunch home too. They were just fine.....tasted like any other salmon for the most part. brite and good from the salt.

Mike
[signature]