Wa Salmon hunt first catch!

I got to the water 5AM w/ no wind. The tides were dropping and it was going waaay down. In Wa the tides have a huge swing and went from 11 ft. to -2ft today. By the book it's not the most favorable conditions but it was a beautiful morning. I started out trolling a 3 oz. crippled herring (lure) behind a 3 oz. banana weight. I was marking some really nice schools of fish around 20 ft. of water and trolled right through them. No hits so I smeared the lure with some shrimp/anise Smelly Jelly and sent it back down. Marked a ton more fish but no takers. I was trolling an area I'd trolled a lot before with no results so I thought I should mix it up and headed south. I marked lots of fish still, more than I'd ever seen but still no takers. Switched up the crippled herring for a white/green/ blackspot/pinkspot Coyote spoon slathered in smelly jelly. I got into a cove I'd never been to when I had my first takedown. I knew it wasn't just a snag because it held on and shook a bit. I paddled another 50 yards and swung around again. Got to almost the same same spot and BAM! Another takdown. Turned around another 50 yards later and once again BAM!... and it stuck!! He thrashed around a bit before going fully airborne!! Nice Salmon for sure! He was coming right at me so I was reeling away... and then nothing..    This school seemed to have takers and I wasn't about to give up.. went for one more go'round when KABAMMM!!!! He hammered the lure full blast. I took my rod out of the holder and got into fighting position. This mug was all over the place.. dodging and weaving, jumping and just causing havoc. After a few runs of full on ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ music I got him near the yak where he proceeded to go full on berserk Splashed the hell out of me... (Life is good) another couple runs and some straight down that put my rod into full on bendo action! After about 10 minutes of fighting I had my first chance at netting... he wasn't ready..  Back again for another few rounds of straight down, left right and finally gave a sign he was tiring out. One more time back at the yak and I netted him!!! 4lb. pink salmon What a great fight and clean fish. I trolled back to the car since I promised the wife a sashimi lunch. Nothing on the troll back so high tailed it home. Turned out to be the best sashimi I'd ever eaten and the wife made salmon miso soup (uses bones/head/meat you can't get.. easy and very good) The wife was happy I went fishing.. fishing and serious WAF building too.... oh man!

Well, felt good to finally get the skunk off and the new Shimano TRD rod and Shimano Charter Special reel performed to five star status. It's Salmon for dinner tonight too!!!

Life is good!!

Z

smooth water, salmon arials, sashimi and soup...


sweet salmon success!

south, salmon seem scarce...

enough of the eses, congrats Z

Way to go, Z!  Great report.   

Eric

Nice Z!! 

Nice fish and insane looking chow...GO Zee!!!

  Rightous Z!!!!  You deserve it, nice Job..... Your still on for Moutcha Right?.........Danglin

What a cute salmon type.  Way to go, Z

dude, you look like a salamander: white and clammy,  .

do my lunch a favor and keep the shirt on! 

congrats on the first of a new species. 

J

I can almost taste the feeling of success in your very apetizing report. Between you and Scwa, I'm developing a hankering for some raw fish.

Nice Z,

I didn't know you could prep such nice looking meals

Good Job!

Lets hope its the first of many for the 'yakers! Great report.

dude, you look like a salamander: white and clammy,  .
J

You're not surfing enough J. Be proud of your wetsuit whiteness braddah!.. although I think I have a little above average.. um, lightness power

BTW the surf sux here in wa.. too many killer whales and bigfoots in the lineup. It's best not to think about it.. 

Z

Z!..DUDE!   Excellent report from the beginning to the "table shot", not to mention the well-used emoticons!   SWEEEEET!! ...and way to stick with your plan til you got one!     it just feels better that way.

side note: hold that camera in the vertical position when snappin the self-portrait.

The wife was happy I went fishing.. fishing and serious WAF building too.... oh man!

Hey, Z,

It can't get better than that! And the sashimi makes me drool!

dude, you look like a salamander: white and clammy,  .

I suffer from that malady as well so at my house we call that a British tan!

Janice aka "Big J"[color]

side note: hold that camera in the vertical position when snappin the self-portrait.

I was gunnin for some tips w/ the pics from you that's what the image name of the messed up pic was about. Great idea.. hopefully when I land a large one that'll gimme a new avatar!

at my house we call that a British tan!

A Dutch tan isn't much different..  We're all in the same melanin challenged family

Z