First salmon

I posted a picture in abpf. A couple weeks ago I went on an adventure
to Abbottsford, BC with about 10 other guys, several of us newbies,
after chum salmon. We all caught fish! This was my first salmon; I'm
used to catching 10-13 inch trout, so it really got my adreneline
pumping!

It was cold, wet, and rained the entire time (we were up there at the
start of that big storm they had). Hardly anything went as planned; it
was one misadventure after another.

In short, it was wonderful. I had the best time of my life.

We were fishing chartreuse streamers(?) my buddy tied. They're about an
inch to and inch and a half long. Don't really know what to call 'em.
I have a 9' pfleuger 8 wt rod, pfleuger reel, sinking line. Short piece
of 15# mono for leader.

We left Portland, OR, around 3 am on Wed (10/15) and got to the river
just before noon. Fished the rest of the day Wed, all day Thurs, most
of Fri. Then drove back Fri and arrived home around midnight. It was
grueling! (Did I mention it was the best time ever?)

In the 2 1/2 days fishing, I hooked and fought 40 salmon. Most politely
released themselves. Some broke off. Several made me trot along the
bank after them ("walking the fish"?). And a few made it to the bank.
At least 4 of them fought for over 30 minutes. Thought my arms would
fall off!

I brought home 2 salmon and smoked them. Delicious!

The streamside pics are still in somebody else's camera. Will post when
I get them if there's interest. My wife says I haven't stopped grinning
since I got home.

Can't wait to go back next year.

Tim H

"haresear" wrote in message
...
I posted a picture in abpf. A couple weeks ago I went on an adventure
to Abbottsford, BC with about 10 other guys, several of us newbies,
after chum salmon. .....

I have a 9' pfleuger 8 wt rod, pfleuger reel, sinking line. Short piece
of 15# mono for leader.


Nice TR. Score one for the low tech gearies!

-riverman
(Enjoy it while it lasts. You next purchase will require a remortgage.g)

"haresear" wrote...
I posted a picture in abpf.
snipped nice TR
The question that comes to my mind is when was this picture taken? That is
certainly Freddie Mercury holding the fish, but I thought Freddie was sleeping
with the fishes.
--
TL,
Tim
------------------------
http://css.sbcma.com/timj

Tim J. wrote:


"haresear" wrote...
I posted a picture in abpf.
snipped nice TR
The question that comes to my mind is when was this picture taken?
That is certainly Freddie Mercury holding the fish, but I thought
Freddie was sleeping with the fishes.

Oh, why did I get rid of that guitar!! ;-)

Tim H

Good for you! You and your buds must be tough monkeys to have fished all day
in that rain storm! Did youfish the Stave? I heard it was good just before
they spilled water over the dam.

--

www.sendmeyourmoney.com
there are no numbers in my email addy. Please remove to reply
"haresear" wrote in message
...
I posted a picture in abpf. A couple weeks ago I went on an adventure
to Abbottsford, BC with about 10 other guys, several of us newbies,
after chum salmon. We all caught fish! This was my first salmon; I'm
used to catching 10-13 inch trout, so it really got my adreneline
pumping!

It was cold, wet, and rained the entire time (we were up there at the
start of that big storm they had). Hardly anything went as planned; it
was one misadventure after another.

In short, it was wonderful. I had the best time of my life.

We were fishing chartreuse streamers(?) my buddy tied. They're about an
inch to and inch and a half long. Don't really know what to call 'em.
I have a 9' pfleuger 8 wt rod, pfleuger reel, sinking line. Short piece
of 15# mono for leader.

We left Portland, OR, around 3 am on Wed (10/15) and got to the river
just before noon. Fished the rest of the day Wed, all day Thurs, most
of Fri. Then drove back Fri and arrived home around midnight. It was
grueling! (Did I mention it was the best time ever?)

In the 2 1/2 days fishing, I hooked and fought 40 salmon. Most politely
released themselves. Some broke off. Several made me trot along the
bank after them ("walking the fish"?). And a few made it to the bank.
At least 4 of them fought for over 30 minutes. Thought my arms would
fall off!

I brought home 2 salmon and smoked them. Delicious!

The streamside pics are still in somebody else's camera. Will post when
I get them if there's interest. My wife says I haven't stopped grinning
since I got home.

Can't wait to go back next year.

Tim H

RalphH wrote:

Good for you! You and your buds must be tough monkeys to have fished
all day in that rain storm! Did youfish the Stave? I heard it was good
just before they spilled water over the dam.


Yeah, it was the Stave, just before they spilled water to lower the
levels. On Thurs afternoon, we heard this big BOOM from the dam, and
the water in the river dropped a foot and a half, almost immediately.
It was a weird sensation to be standing mid-thigh in water and then feel
it drop to knee level.

What happened was a tree fell on the power lines to the dam, and the
doors banged down, cutting off the flow. Of course, the fish went crazy
for about an hour, hitting anything you threw to them. Literally a
hookup every single cast. It was amazing!

So then a guy from the dam came down and shooed us all off the river.
Says that they're going to open the dam because now the *really* need to
lower the water level, and the islands we're fishing on are going to be
gone.

But they didn't spill right away. We came out the next day and the
river was at the same level, so we went back to fishing. The river rose
steadily during the day, but what do we care? We're catching fish. We
finally started to get a little nervous after noon, when the waist deep
water we waded through to get to the island got chest deep. But the
seasoned veterans didn't seem to care, so what the heck, we went back to
fishing! Turns out they knew another route out, but it seemed a little
dicey to yours truly for awhile. (didn't stop me fishing, tho).

As for being tough? I don't think so. The seasoned vets complained a
little, but all us newbies had the same experience. The minute we
hooked that first 20 pounder, we didn't feel a thing the rest of the
trip. Rain, what rain? Cold? Wind? Didn't even notice.

It was an awesome adventure.

Tim H