OT-Fishin'

[Mike D.]

My cousins and I went salmon fishing early this morning on the American River, a local stream that is ripe with fresh fish at this time of year. Kind of a slow day, but I did catch one nice 30 lb hen. We slow drifted fresh roe through 3 good holes, along with several other boats. This beast took nearly 30 minutes to get to the net. These fish are extremely strong and use the swift current to their advantage. I had to keep pressure on the fish at all times lest the barbless hook break free. Just about wore my weak butt out.

[3leggedturtle]

Nice, that really has my mouth watering right now. Almost drooled on the keyboard Glad you had a good day on the water

[J Miller]

Mike,

You sure your scale is right? That monster only weighs 30 pounds? Looks like it should weight twice that much.

Looks like you had a fun day, that's for sure.

Joe

[Mike D.]

I don't know, Joe. We all had it pegged at 40, but the guide we borrowed the scale from says it don't lie. I filleted it out and the bag of meat is darned heavy. Trimmed all the belly meat, too, along with the cheek steaks. Now, it has to be cut and wrapped.

[Pitchy]

Very cool, grats Mike.

[Marvin S]

Them are strong fish. I have fished a few rivers and creeks in Alaska and know what you mean when you talk about them getting in the current.

[rjohns94]

awesome fish. congrats.

[Borregos]

Nice one Mike

[JerryB]

You sure did have a good day. Glad that you are able to get out like that.
I found a sack of Spanish mackerel in the freezer that my nephew brought up from Florida a few months ago. My wife fixed the whole mess for supper tonite, good eating.

[Shasta]

That's a beauty Mike! They usually don't look that fresh by the time they make it up my way. I've never caught one legally but in my mis-spent youth helped a few into the smoker, smoking being the only way I like river-run salmon from around here. Glad to see you are out-and-about and doing well.

SHASTA

[Blaine]

That's a real dandy, Mike......They're all beat up and dark around here these days.....Got some little silvers coming up river pretty soon, tho.

[Rusty]

Glad you're feeling well enough to go out Mike. I wonder how much of that you'd have to eat to get tired of it?

[Mike D.]

The salmon are in great shape for being 100 miles from the ocean. At their speed it only takes a couple of days and they are very clean. In another week they would darken considerably, though. The run will continue through November and into December. Last week the flows would be dropped to allow equipment into the bed to rework the spawning gravel that was displaced by this spring's huge flows. After the gates were reopened the water would muddy up for the rest of the day. That project is completed so the river is up and running fast.

[kimwcook]

Good for you, Mike. 30 minutes of fighting a fish like that would wear my butt out.

[adirondakjack]

Nice fish. A fellow I used to hunt with would bring smoked salmon to deer camp. He'd warm it a bit over the fire, then serve big slabs on slit open and toasted sub rolls with some mayo laced with a hint of hot sauce. OH MY GOD were they good.

[marlinman93]

Beauty Mike! We were out in the Columbia catching silvers and chinooks in mid Sept., and had a bit of luck. Just got back from annual buck hunt, and we caught some nice redsides in the creek near camp too. Nothing we got was quite as big as that one of your's though!

[Mike D.]

I just finished cutting up the 10 lb filets into eating sized steaks. Tough to deal with in the kitchen sink. The freezer is packed and there's several lbs to give to friends, neighbors and relatives.