Had a few hours in between the lodge change out to put an all out ambush on the kings in the river....the morning bite was less than perfect backtrolling plugs, although those running the best lines were rocking the boat...not great etiquette as a lodge guide to go run those same lines while our clients are in the other guide boats and pull fish out around them, so we were pushed to lesser runs, which resulted in hook ups, but no fish in the boat...we begrudgingly headed into dock after an hour or so out with no fish to show, only some exhilirating hook ups:
A bit discouraged, but estatic about having a few more hours, we headed back for some king revenge just as the tide was about to come in...backtrolling was obviously useless as I tossed out the watermelon rind only to see it float UP river...for a second I felt like I was in a Shel Silverstein poem. Reeling the boat around, we hooked up some spinners and got in the game. Standing on the back of the boat and running the sweet kicker motor, I felt kind of bored despite good conversation...I truly could only think about rainbow fishing and fly casting. Knowing that was a sure way to waste my time, I switched my gears to thinking about eating salmon in the winter...I put myself into provider thought process and went all out hunter mentality. Finally I started to feel like I was in the zone....the salmon zone... my spinner was churning just right, the motor was purring perfectly, and my focus lied on the run below me and my position....sure enough, FISH ON! I threw the motor into neutral while my fishing buddy and I spat back and forth about who would fight the fish, (he wasn't taking my rod for nothing)...I fought the beast of a king into our boat and decided that this beat up beauty was coming home with us:
Another run through and we hooked into a tasty little Jack, two more kings that we LDR'd, and another big beast we released:
Lessons I have learned while Salmon Fishing:
Sometimes you just have to know when to let them go....
other times it is in order that you deliver a bloody beating.....
at times you may have to also cut them up...
and eating them can be your sweet reward...
