Shelter Cove - OMG!

Well, all my hours trolling at the Cove this year finally paid off big time.  I don't want to be ungrateful about the half dozen or more shakers and keepers up to 8# early in the year, and my dad's 15#er that was part of his 30 minute limit, but today's fish takes the cake.  I am humbled!  I don't know if I could've gotten luckier.  I got to the Cove at 3:00 or so and the tide was coming in to 7.7 feet at 3:55.  There was no parking lot and the 3 trucks that were pulled as far up the rock bank as they possibly could were getting their wheels wet regularly.  I hung out for 20-30 minutes trying to figure out why I'd driven down for a 1 hour fishing window (3 hours of driving, roundtrip...).  I had my truck at the bottom of the ramp road, just before the turn, and I was considering unloading my stuff and parking up top, but with an hour to fish I felt like a dork for even considering it...  A local surfer in a BMW SUV pulled up and was pondering the break and his own window of opportunity.  I mentioned my quandry over where to park and even mentioned that I was unsure of even going out, and he encouraged me to go - he actually let me know that I could park there at the base of the road since there was no red zone.  I decided to go for it.  I geared up and went out.  Out toward the Bell Buoy I started trolling with my mooching rig - double hook rig below a banana.  I got a few little hits and figured it was the usual culprits - blues and blacks.  I thought, why not use the flasher too...  I rigged up my second rod and traded it out for the mooch rig after unsuccessfully picking up whatever was biting it.  It was already getting on 4PM by this time, and I knew I didn't have long to hang out.  I trolled another couple of minutes and got an active little strike, but again thought it was just blacks - I figured if I was really lucky I'd pick up a ling on the troll...  I pulled in the scarred chovy and put my hook back out for about 2 minutes at 21 pulls when I got another hit - this time it was sticking.  It didn't seem strong at first, I figured it was a black.  Then I figured, "Oh, it's a decent black."  Then it took some line out, and I figured, "my drag's too loose..."  It took more and I figured, "oh, it may be a ling..."  When I had my thumb pushed down on the spool as it smoked out line I thought, "OMG, I have a salmon on!"  It took a few great runs with my thumb nervously resisting it on the spool, then I thought I lost it!  I reeled and reeled and it was loose - I thought sure it was gone, then it was there - it had run at me.  Same cycle occured again - running then running at me and I thought I lost it again.  Well, by now I'm shaking and praying that I at least get a look at it.  About 5-10 minutes into it (who knows time when you're in Nir-F***ing-vana?) I get it close enough to see.  I see it go broadside and I'm pleased to see a nice salmon, but I had no idea!  I got it in close and it was tired from the good runs it took.  I had the king-size net ready and got it in the first try.  I reached back for the priest and whacked it good a few times.  OMG!  I was so stoked.  I let out a primal yell and got the camera out for boatside shots.  I got everything taken care of:  camera put away, hook pulled, rod set aside (DeepSix, red and silver flasher/dodger, double-hook chovie-rig bare, no hoochie or clip); then I opened the front hatch on the Scrambler XT and went to insert the monster.  It didn't fit too well!  I barely got it in there.  I put another chovie on and trolled for a minute before figuring that the gods had already blessed me and I should get home on time.  I had trolled less than 15 minutes!

38# on two scales.  Over 40".  My dad's comment:  "it's short for how heavy it is"...

I'm in heaven!   

OMG you have to change your name ot salmonking now! Outstanding story and great fish! I guess all the salmon are up north this year.

The word was that the salmon bite was slow...  but not many boats out either. 

Yes, I look like a freak in the 3rd pic, but that's how you get when you catch a fish like that!   

Wow!  Awesome fish.

WTG!

Congratulations,  That's a fish of a lifetime.  Salmon have been pretty scarce for the Kayak anglers.  My best bet is the Sac river in the fall.

John

Outstanding!!!  Hopefully there are some of those in the 600 THOUSAND salmon that are supposed to show up in the Sac this year.  As bad as this year has been up and down the west coast, I'm thinking that 600K number may not pan out.  Time will tell.

-Allen

WOWWWWW!

What a SLUG!!!!!  Congratulations on probably the best hour you've ever invested in fishing... and good work keeping him hooked with him slacking your line and running back at you.  Huge congrats!!!!  Freaky look on your face is acceptable with a fish like that. 

EK

awesome fish and story, yeah, what eric said, having that fish run at you and keep it on is both luck and skill.

Awesome fish! I'd settle for a Salmon half that size and be happy . Wow! It just proves that there is a lot of luck to fishing but that persistence and frequency give you more chances at the roll of the dice and, furthermore, skill let's you keep it once luck has given you one. Hats off to your accomplisment. I hope you own a smoker, if not, I'd recommend getting one fast. Oh, and did I mention _sharing_ is a virtue as well particularly smoked

Dude...run out to the nearest store and get some lottery tickets!  You're on a roll, when you're hot you're hot.

No, really that's awesome fish...good going.

I don't know about other guys but I'll probably be showing your picture when non-believers say, "you can't catch big fish on a kayak."  Oh yeah, look and be amazed...

Yowza!

It gives a person hope.  Great fish and story.

Ab-so-lute beauty!! Congrats on landing 'em!

Can I come over for dinner?

Congrats, that is a beautiful fish, just spectacular.

MolBasser