Huge salmon near grand isle

[Matt]

HEY FELLAS,
My name is mike. My friend Riley posted this pic that I sent him from my cell phone..he lives in Hawaii and was pretty jazzed about this one..i was kinda excited as well.
I caught it on WED 10/12/11 IN LAKE CHAMPLAIN ISLANDS.
If there is one thing I am it is an honest fisherman. I've been drifting Brown and Yellow stones through there as well as different color egg paterns on an 8 wt fly rod.
This fish was foul hooked and returned safely to the lake....Ive had a bunch take flys but there are so many fish that even nymphing and slowing taking the fly out sometimes you cant help but hook up.
To the person who asked about size and weight I didnt want to keep him out too long so I just took a quick measure and no weight....29"..It could'nt have been one more inch right!!
My favorite post on here was...."first post and he comes with this" classic.
Riley texted man and told me about the thread so I figured Id post.
~Be good, MT

Welcome, nice fish, thanks for posting to clarify. Too bad it wasn't hooked in the mouth! That would have been a great catch...the one I got a few days ago was around the same size at 28" but the kype on that sucker is just amazing. Don't be afraid to show off some hogs, we like to see some nice fish on the forums.

[easilyamused]

I think what makes people say "Not from LC" is because they are jealous!

Hmmmmmm........I think you might be on to something.......
It really is sad how you guys are so quick to jump on the band wagon and $hit on a fellow Fisherman. I get where some of the doubts are coming form but pretty sure that everyone here had a 1st post, and 99.9% of you didnt post a pic of a Salmon of that caliber and for that matter never will see a Salmon of that size. If you guys would quit pissing and moaning and post some Fishing reports it would make this more informative and less like Jersey Shore.........

what's that they do on facebook? LIKE!

[JK47]

I'll qoute my original post... "INSANE"

Well done.

Btw, many here do catch and release. An example would be the wallhanger pike I released last week, so please don't assume how member fish here. I'd like to think there is a nice balance or c&r and consumption.

[Digitroll Fishing]

Thanks for stepping forward Mike and telling us about your fish. I was too quick to doubt when I read about the IP address from Hawaii and a photo from december of 2009. My apologies. I am deleting that post. As Gerry said we have had some issues as of late but this case it wasn't true.

Back to the fish. That is pretty amazing. Thanks for showing us how big the fish truly are in our lake.

Peace.

Ron

[BEENKNOWNTA]

VERY KIND WORDS FROM ALL, thank you very much. Phish on.

[Ludo]

True, we are jealous of the fish, that's a good fish. I've not fished a lot this year...
I'm also jealous to not living in Hawaï...

Let's do like Facebook:

[raz]

[Kekoafish]

RAZ--If only I could fish out here in Hawaii. It's a whole new world out here. The fishermen out here have 12 foot rods 120lb test and stick hooks into reefs with 5-7 more hooks attached to the line. I dont get it! You have to swim to the reef with the end of your line to hook it in the reef, and I have seen people jump in the water off 40 foot cliffs to fight the fish in the water. Crazy! But I am fishing off the shores catching some small tropical fish. Only other way is to go catch Mahi Mahi on a $900 Charter. Not in my price range!

Anyways I hope the fishing back east is going well and according to my Buddy Mike, I see its still great! Hope everyone is good and Thhanks for the apologies! FISH ON!

[Champlain Angler]

Interesting thread. Awesome fish! I recall posting a pic of a large legitimate Lake Champlain salmon with a nice kype on another forum a few years back and it was questioned by some there as well (not nearly as nice as this one though). Oh well, I'm over it. We're all human. Good folks should never be too proud to forgive, or apologize, to keep civility going on a fishing forum. Hats off to those who have. To those who have not, it's never too late. We share a passion and a bond for a wholesome pastime, but after all it's not life and death. I prefer to stay focused on the unity and good that comes from these forums.

"Like a child proudly holding their first catch for a photo; it's their trophy. There is no such thing as a bad fish, no matter how slight. It's all relative."

[Sea Hare]

Great fish Mike, amazing to see one that big from Champlain. You are truly a great sportsman and proved it by releasing that monster. Congratulations !

BB

[Committed (DA)]

Thats a sick photo, what a fish! Great Catch, Great Release.
Just knowing that fish like that are swiming in our great lake will keep me on the water
DA

[Fishdawg]

Welcome to the forum Mike and congratulations on a super fish! The fact that you shared the info regarding your catch is appreciated and gives us all incentive to keep on fishin!! Thanks!

[WildFisherWoman]

It is a great fish! Good to see the report that it came from LC! I am a bit miffed to the jealousy statement though. Seems like.. Its not jealousy that gets people going.. Its bad experiences with negativity and falsification of information on these forums that have been a problem in the past. With just a pic and no info means a lot of nothing. Anyone can paste a pic and post it and say its from Lake Champlain. Glad to see the details behind it! Way to release it.

[fishfarmer]

I am completed shocked that folks didn't believe that this male salmon didn't from Vermont. With the ongoing lamprey control, stable stocking program, record fish being caught, and many individuals catching their "personal best" salmon in the recent years, that you would doubt that salmon like this are possible in Lake Champlain. They are and this is what they are going to look like.

[Matt]

I am completed shocked that folks didn't believe that this male salmon didn't from Vermont. With the ongoing lamprey control, stable stocking program, record fish being caught, and many individuals catching their "personal best" salmon in the recent years, that you would doubt that salmon like this are possible in Lake Champlain. They are and this is what they are going to look like.

People just aren't used to seeing such quality fish from LC, that's all. As WFW has mentioned, I think people were just on edge because of all the recent forum drama and "fakes". As the years go on and the fishing hopefully gets better, maybe fish like that won't be so uncommon! I know this year they've already tagged over 300 Salmon at the Salmon Hole, shattering last years "record breaker" of 131. I've seen quite a few 8 LB fish in the trap, and was lucky enough to land one last week. We can only hope things keep getting better.