TR for the Bighorn Micro Clave and a Trip to Chas's

Darin Minor wrote:

Chums will actually start to darken up faster than pinks, they'll
start in the
salt water. As far as I'm concerned, the smoker isn't even good enough
for
chums. There is a reason they call 'em dog salmon.

Well, one side of me wants to leave this comment alone so there will be
more chums for me, but the other side just couldn't leave it at that.
I caught several bright chums last year on the Sky above Monroe. They
were tasty grilled, no need to smoke them.

As a biological note, the salt/fresh thing isn't involved in the timing
of the fish turning color. They turn in anticipation of spawning, at a
standard interval before the actual spawning starts. If they are
Hoodsport fish, they often change completely in the salt. If they are
Skagit, Sky, or Stilly fish, they change as much as a week or two after
heading up the river. Particularly in the case of chums, the color
alone doesn't tell you they aren't fresh any more. Alaskan fish that
spawn in small creeks that dump straight into the salt often only spend
the last few days of their lives in the fresh water.

I do wonder when the Yukon river kings change color. They have over
2000 miles of fresh water to navigate.

Chas
http://home.comcast.net/~chas.wade/w...ome.html-.html

Chas Wade wrote:

Darin Minor wrote:

Chums will actually start to darken up faster than pinks, they'll
start in the
salt water. As far as I'm concerned, the smoker isn't even good enough
for
chums. There is a reason they call 'em dog salmon.

Well, one side of me wants to leave this comment alone so there will be
more chums for me, but the other side just couldn't leave it at that.
I caught several bright chums last year on the Sky above Monroe. They
were tasty grilled, no need to smoke them.

As a biological note, the salt/fresh thing isn't involved in the timing
of the fish turning color. They turn in anticipation of spawning, at a
standard interval before the actual spawning starts. If they are
Hoodsport fish, they often change completely in the salt. If they are
Skagit, Sky, or Stilly fish, they change as much as a week or two after
heading up the river. Particularly in the case of chums, the color
alone doesn't tell you they aren't fresh any more. Alaskan fish that
spawn in small creeks that dump straight into the salt often only spend
the last few days of their lives in the fresh water.

I do wonder when the Yukon river kings change color. They have over
2000 miles of fresh water to navigate.

Chas
http://home.comcast.net/~chas.wade/w...ome.html-.html

I just wrote what I'd read at one time, not actual personal experience.
Thanks for clarifying for me.
Just because they'll darken early doesn't mean I won't fish for 'em, I've
heard that they'll take some line.

Darin

Darin Minor wrote:
I just wrote what I'd read at one time, not actual personal experience.
Thanks for clarifying for me.

You're welcome. We need to get together and fish some time.

Just because they'll darken early doesn't mean I won't fish for 'em,
I've
heard that they'll take some line.

I had a 15 pounder at Hoodsport take 50 yards of my packing out to sea
and then jump several times way out there. The guy next to me looked
over and asked, "Is that your fish way out there?". Between the grunts
I said, "You betcha". That was my 10x10 with 15 pound leader and the
drag turned up tight. Kings don't fight any harder pound for pound.
Oh, and that fish was too dark to keep.

Chas
http://home.comcast.net/~chas.wade/w...ome.html-.html

Chas Wade wrote:

You're welcome. We need to get together and fish some time.


I'd love to get together with you sometime. Problem is right now I'm swamped
at work (I know, I know, work is over rated) and I'm trying to move up the
ladder so any extra time I put in helps me out a great deal. My only day off
is being spent with my family (just try and tell me that family is over
rated :-) However if we plan something out, I'm sure that I can probably get
away for a day. Hoodsport on a weekend day does NOT sound like my idea of
fun. I drove down there one evening after work a couple of years ago for
pinks and I didn't much care for it then. Let me know what you have in mind,
and maybe I can talk Dave Snedeker into joining us.



I had a 15 pounder at Hoodsport take 50 yards of my packing out to sea
and then jump several times way out there. The guy next to me looked
over and asked, "Is that your fish way out there?". Between the grunts
I said, "You betcha". That was my 10x10 with 15 pound leader and the
drag turned up tight. Kings don't fight any harder pound for pound.
Oh, and that fish was too dark to keep.

That must have been one nice fish, except for color of course.

Darin