Wanting a change from lake trout, it was time to find some salmon, Locally the only salmon near me this time of year is in the grocery store... so a little road trip was in order.
After my truck breaking down on Thursday the plan was not looking good, but plan B had us using my fishing partner's work truck, so we were still in the game.
A couple hour nap Friday evening, I was up at 11pm Friday to do last minute prep work before my fishing partner and Fish-Hawk Brand Ambassador Chase arrived at my place at 12 midnight.
Midnight came and went and no fishing partner... he slept through his alarm.
Eventually he arrived and we are off to "Salmon town" a short 5.5 hour drive away. We arrive at the boat launch and meet up with James David Chapman our third guy for the day.
Launched the boat and made a little 15 mile run to fishing spot #1... set up the rods and in no time.... FISH ON!!! And just like that our first fish is in the boat.... unfortunately a nice lake trout. Lol. Not the target species.
We continue trolling for an hour at least with nothing.
Finally just as I am going to switch some lures and make a turn… a rod fires!! FISH ON!!! And we quickly land a small chinook salmon. It was small, but it was the target fish species and first salmon in the boat for 2022!!! So I was happy.
About 5 minutes later we boat our second small salmon. Just after this a boat driving by us slows down and decided to set up and start trolling less than 100 feet outside my outside planer board, I guess he was hoping to catch a 3 pound salmon as well fishing where we were. Lol. There were probably 50-60 boats or more out, but we have trolled out to deep water as I was making a turn, so not a boat within a mile of us, until buddy decided to come over within hand shake distance. lol
Anyways we completed our turn and headed back into shallow water running our 6 rod spread of deep diving crankbaits, spoons, minnow baits and 1 Hotfish lures Flasher with a spin n go.
We continued the next several hours of not stop action catching some nice lake trout and a bunch of chinook and a few coho salmon. A great first day of salmon fishing, even if we were not getting any big fish, the numbers made up for it.
The middle of the afternoon, we decided to move to another location and fish shallow away from the rest of the boats, in search of some bigger fish or maybe a brown trout that I have been trying to catch for a couple years. We set up in shallow and within a few minutes… FISH ON and it was my turn… this is the nice brown trout I have been trying to catch… but nope just a nice sized chinook salmon, biggest of the day so had to complaint. Lol Thinking we found some active fish… but nope… that was the only fish, so after an hour we called it.
At the dock we loaded up the boat and headed to The Kavern for pizza and drinks and meet up with fellow angler Darryl Penhale for some fishing talk.
After food we head to the hotel and a bit of sleep
Sunday morning we are up and out the door at 5:30 am and met my friend Brad, our third guy for today at the boat launch at 6 am. Launch the boat and make a run to the fishing grounds, setting up in a new area today hoping for some bigger fish.
We were fishing shallow in 20 to 30 feet of water and 3 foot roller waves which made boat control interesting to say the least. Saturday there were probably 50-60 boats out Sunday we counted maybe 10.
Not long into our trolling run our 3 colour leadcore rod takes a hit and FISH ON!!! Our first fish of the day. As continue shortly after …. DOUBLE HEADER!!! Unfortunately we lose one of the two fish. Our plan is to fish until around 11 am so we can hit the road in good time for the 6 hour ride home.
The whole morning as we battle the waves we hammer the salmon, a bit better size then Saturday but nothing huge. We also lost quite a few that morning as we were battling the waves.
Around mid-morning one of the rods take a big hit and my partner Chase is up and after a nice battle we land chunky brown trout!!! We finally put a brown trout in my boat… only downside was I did not catch it.
Not too long after I am rewarded finally and I reel in a “NOT so chunky” brown trout.
Shortly after 11 am we head back to the launch and load the boat on the trailer and head for home just before the rain starts.
All in all a great start to the salmon season… we could not find the bigger fish some guys did, but we caught awesome numbers, especially considering this was only my second trip to this location in 12 years.
1100 km round trip…. 45 hours away… 24 hours up straight no sleep… lots of fish … little money spent on gas … good food … great fishing buddies … can’t ask for much more than that.
Too busy catching fish Saturday and too busy catching fish and fighting the waves on Sunday to take many photos but hope you enjoyed the ones we took.
Until next time.
