Operation Salmonid Slam-Down: Klamath + Trinity Rivers, 9/16 to 9/19

Awesome report!

Awesome report!

i had fun reading it    you Slamed the Salmonids!!  thanks for doing all the follow-up work.

Thanks for the kind words all!

Chris - You are the kind of fisherman, writer, and outdoorsman that many of us would like to be.  Your efforts on the water and your experience and abilities with tackle are always impressive, as is your knowledge of the species and their habitats and prey.  I see a contrast between you and I - mostly because I'm sneaking in banzai runs for a fish or two hear and there, while you're schooling creels full of hard to catch salmonids on all day runs - but I think we're similar too.  Appreciation for fishing as a discipline and a pastime as well as a passion for sharing it all with media that obviously required diligence and dedication to acquire - I see that we both really get off on that.  Thank you for sharing your stuff here.   

Eric - Thanks dude.  Fishing's what I do, and not many people can keep up with my all-day excursions.  I like to document them because I know that eventually, I'll be unable to pull them off myself.  Might as well do it while I can, right?  My next move is to construct a video report akin to yours.  I remember when I first saw your Lost Coast vids on YouTube, and first things I thought were "I must buy a kayak, and I must buy a video camera!" Couldn't afford a video camera at the time since I was in school, but now I think it's time to do it.  You're an inspiration bro.

Thanks for the Intel just added a bookmark... I read "bailed chester early" my dad was born in westwood...I love that whole area... would be great to fish with ya sometime... I'm pretty much Salty but I've wanted to hit eagle lake up on a yak... fished it from float tubes, pram boats, banked it... and all the choices that are in that whole area...nice place to be bailing from...

Hell yeah Sledge, I fish a ton up here and I'd be down to fish with ya if you're in the area.  As long as you follow the seasons, you can pretty much kick fish butt year-round up here.  I haven't fished Eagle very much just because I have Almanor right here at my doorstep, but I've heard good things about the shallow-water jig bite there late in the season.

Chris, I gotta say your reports are rivaled by none!! Ever think of writing a book? You have a talent with writing and photos. Not to mention with a rod and reel.... My biggest problem is I always bring a camera and hardly ever bring it out..........  Mostly, "here's my fish"  Those are some nice looking brown trout there! You know you can keep 10 a day.  I just got back from the Big K and found sum chrome. It is a scene, but there are ways around it too. You just went into the gauntlet is all. My biggest problem is all those jet boats running up and down past me... Most are curtious, but there are a few that treat you like your not there. Or worse, don't seem to think your a serious fisherman in that toy boat.... Bait is a always a LAST RESORT for me. Like you, I prefer to dupe em with something artificial when I can. I love the trinity too. Recognize a couple of those runs you pictured. The last fish with the hook outside the mouth is a classic example of a perfectly flossed fish you know.  I think this steelhead season is going to be off the hook up there too. As always, enjoyed your report.

Thanks a lot jonesz!  I've been thinking lately of documenting all my trips in some kind of compilation.  Glad to know that folks enjoy reading them as much as I enjoy recording them .  Klamath Gauntlet was pretty crazy.  We saw two guys almost get into a fistfight.  And just like you said, some of the boats just roar upriver past guys that are fishing and the resulting wake would screw up their drift.  This caused some yelling at times.   Most people got along just fine, it was only a choice few that were causing all the drama out there.  I'm right there with ya on the bait.  I hate roe, but damn, it sure can work.  I always try to get them on hardware first, but I cannot deny the power of well-cured eggs .

And that flossed fish...ha, who knows, maybe I did floss him!  My leader was maybe 30 inches long, and it definitely felt like a bite when I set on him, but I've never hooked a salmon from the outside of the mouth like that before.  I just tell myself that he went for the Corkie that was sliding above the bait  .

Love the pics!!! Very nice report

Chris,
Your report and road trip ROCKS!
Tad