I had the special opportunity to take my little brother Rick, and his son Brian trolling for salmon.... They both have never trolled up an Atlantic, so I had to truck them down to ol reliable..... converse...We set up our usual 6 rod spread with divers, lead core and riggers with sliders. Brian started the day and we pick
Away at the small fish laker and salmon during the morning.
Surface temp was 64 and 69 by end of day. Key temp was 54 at 55 and it broke colder from there... We set riggers at 55 and 45. Slide diver out 180 to get em down to 50.
It got hot... At 10'we found a pod of fish between garden and thompsons. After set I g back up from doubles I had a fish take a three amigos custom Raz mpg taped spoon........
Out of my hand as I was putting the slider on! I was pissed cause I thought I popped it..... But as I held the line a huge salmon rocketed out of the water from the 45 foot set and I had him I Hand!
I quickly dropped the line and picked up the rod and handed it to Rick.... Who has been watching his son catch fish all morning not touching a rod yet.. I told him real, tighten it, hold rod tip up and hold on! The fish Leaped again at 70 ft back and slapped back in the lake and we knew he had a hog...
The fish them ran deep and stayed down..... And pulled and pulled............ And pulled... Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Slowed the boat down, picked up the slide divers and other rigger.... Hold on.... More line going out....
7 min of the fight... Middle of he battle.. Caught a fish in middle of sequence, no need to reset rod:)
Like me I get on radio and tell super cab we got a pig on... 10 min now...
We troll from thompsons to picket dragging this bastard at 1.4 mph and Rick can't get him off bottom.... We make a full turn and head back to thompsons win him still out 100+++ haven seen him for 20 min but we know from the early leaps he is not a laker
After super cab and 5 other boat troll by watching us... We are working him into the warmer water at the surface, he is 20 ft down 50 ft back....
We start rolling film... At 11. See below for a quick video..
I get the ego slider out and mount the merc.... Spread out over the motor between my legs Rick pulls Jaws into the 68 deg surface water... That poops him out good and we were able to handle him into the net.... 37 min I tot the fight Jaws is OURS.
Yes, Dave we got him... He is deep and dark and has a 1" Kype just like the Jaws we fought in that local before....
I have to post some pics now, cause the best fun was watching Rick try to wrestle his pissed off 27" 8.8 lb salmon into letting take his picture...
Wow look at that Jaw
Boy he's girthy
We know you like him, but get a room.
There ya got him back into position..
But hold him out for a Reelax style pic!
Wait can't get him in the frame!
Now ya got him... Where the tail?
Oops
There ya go again...
Give up..
Short YouTube video of net job. Seemed to have pulled a vocal chord when I lifted the net to get him into the boat..
We filleted this fish, 2 nice 3 lb slabs.... Took carful
Measurement at 27" and 17" girth. Weighted in at 8.8 lb on my stingy Berkeley digital scales.. Rick will have a replica mount done of this really nice fish... I am blessed to have help him with it... Being over a lb and a half bigger than my personal best and truly a fish I have been hunting for over a year... It was a special day we will never forget.
This fish has never been touched by a lamprey... A testimony to the efforts of the lamprey reduction program.
