AR Limit 9/29/13

After getting spanked at the salmon derby in walnut grove I had to get back to my regular home waters and get back on some salmon. On the water around 0520 to beat the weekenders to my spot and fishing by 0600. Wil (viplifetimepass) met me out there to get in on the action too. By legal time came around we had close to 20 guys on the line up. I was the first to stick one right before it got just light enough to see to maybe 0620 or so. Fought the fish all the way to the bank, tired it out, got cocky again and lifted my rod up to pull him on the shore and broke my leader like a class a rookie. Win some lose some. Got that out of my system, learn from your mistakes I'll get another one that's ok.

Walked back up to the line surprised to see no one else hooked up. Normally when one gets hooked hell breaks loose and everyone starts hooking into em. No one else hooked any though, guess I just got the lucky one fish passing through. 20 mins pass with nothing else happening except people getting caught up in each others line casting in the dark. Few tempers flying, luckily I managed to stay out of all that mess. Especially since I'm throwing braid, guys don't like it one bit at all when they tangle up with me. In the mess of everyone else I manage to hook into the second fish of the morning around 0700. Played it easier and took my sweet time with it. Tiring, but successful as I landed a 23lb hen to be my first of the morning. Made the walk back up and still no one else has hooked into anything! Rather be lucky then good any day and luck was on my side today so far. Back in the water looking for my second one.

Couple of the guys and I start noticing some deeper wakes in the water looking like fish moving through and sure enough 5 mins later finally another angler at the bottom of the line hooks into one. Watched him walk the fish down and around the bend. When his fish jumped it looked like a 25+lb buck and it was kicking his ass. When he returned 10 mins later he said his barrel swivel broke and lost the fish. Out of all things? Around another 20 mins after that I hook into my 3rd of the morning around 0745. Fish fought much harder then the first. Took me all the way down to my mono backing and sent me running down river to make up for the lost line. Fought him for roughly 20 mins in the current, but still managed to land him. A smaller but much stronger and cleaner 17lb chrome buck.

0800 and I've got my limit baby.

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And that's how its done.

I was still amazed at the fact though that within 2 hours of fishing 20+ guys on the line only 4 hookups and I managed to get 3 of them. I had a great freaking morning, but it was a really slow day over all. The fish may have moved in later in the morning, but I wouldn't know. Back home cleaned up the fish and back in bed and asleep by 1000. My kind of day.

Heard were getting some rains here very soon. Action should be even better then can't wait.

Till Next Time Guys
Mark

P.S. The secret is chartreuse beads HAHA

First AR Limit 9/24/13

Life has been getting a little busier which is great, but its seriously been cutting into my fishing time. Finally had an open morning where my boss told me I didn't have to be at work till 0830. Gives me just enough time to make a short trip to he river in the morning worth it. Set me alarm for 0430 that I slept right through. Luckily Deni work me up at 0600 on her way out the door to work. Made in on the water by 0630. Already several other guys out on the line by the time I got there.

In the short couple of minutes it took me to tie up I saw 4 guys hook into fish. Whole time I couldn't help but mentally yell at myself "Mark hurry up and get out there!" Finally get everything tied on and jump in the line. 3rd cast into it I hook up, fish on, fish off. Short lived, but nice to hook into one so early. 10 mins later another school rolls through and I hook into my second one. Walked the fish down trying to take my time and make sure I didn't lose him. I've been getting really cocky lately and I've been horsing fish too much and losing em at the bank. I've hopefully broken that habit for good now though. Was able to land my second hook up of the day and got a solid 15lb hen on the stringer. Probably my darkest fish of the year so far, but still beautiful.

After another 20 mins another pod of fish moves through and I hook into my third and what would be final fish of the morning. Smaller, but a much chromer hen that put up much more of a fight. Still no match though. Got a nice chrome 10lb hen to the bank and limited out by 0720.

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That's how you get it done right there man. Not even on the water for an hour. Got my limit and had a little bit of time to bullshit with some friends while my fish bleed out before I had to go into work. Very nice morning.

Work is getting crazy so I have to find some different time frames to fish. I'll still be getting out there though. The runs are really starting to improve and I know more are still on the way. This season is starting to get crazy.

Till Next Time Guys
Mark

King Salmon

Been hitting the American river recently over the past couple of weeks. Since we had our first rain there have been some fish moving through the system. I haven't found a hot bite yet, but Garrett and I both have been averaging a few hook ups each trip and landing on roughly every other day out now.

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My biggest of the season I got so far was this pig weighing in around 32lbs and measuring out at 42.5 inches. Only 1lb shy of my personal best ever.

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Went out this morning with my friend and old co-worker Robert. Been a long time since I've seen/fished with him and he wanted to get on his first salmon. Brought him out with me to the AR this morning to show him the ropes and hopefully bust a cherry this morning.

Couple of familiars in the line with us today which was great. Friendly crowd. No idiots or whiners to deal with. Started right at legal light and around 0640 out of the four of us Robert is the first to hook up. I see hop pop his rod to try and get his weight out of a snag then all of a sudden his rod is pumping and he say's "Oh I think I got one" haha. That pop set the hook good though and the fight was on.

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He fought the fish great and was really patient in the fight which was great. Slow and steady wins the race. After a long 10-15 min battle Robert brings the fish close enough to the bank to where I can grab him and we got the first fish of the day on the bank!

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Solid 20lb buck.

First time ever salmon fishing today, first salmon he has ever hooked into and he even landed his first salmon! That's how you pop a cherry right there! Fantastic start to the morning. Kept on fishing and I ended up losing one and landing one before 0730.

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A very nice silver hen I managed to score for myself.

Foul hooked and landed one more shortly after that went back. My last hook up of the day came around 0830 that came unbuttoned a minute into the fight. I started getting cocky and was just horsing the fish a little to much. No biggie though I got one on the stringer its a great day.

0900 rolls around and the Warden rolls down to check us out, make sure we weren't snagging (good thing I released that foul hooked fish) and had our licenses and everything was good. He told us he was down here looking for snaggers, and to watch the river and see how many fish were moving up. Said he saw a couple of schools, but still no huge pods. Not sure if were just still waiting on the bulk of them now or if the construction on the river is holding up the fish.

Threw in the towel around 0930 and called it a successful morning from there. While I was fishing Ethan gave me an invite to join him for a jigging session on the Sac. Had the day off why not lets do it. Meet him and Andrew in Elk Grove and took off for Garcia. Dropped the boat in around 1645 and made our way to Freeport. 20+ boats out today its still a made house out here. Jumped in the drift and hoped that there would be some fish out here to play today. Half way through our first drift Ethan and I are looking at the graph and we see a fish on the screen, both of us said it out loud to each other, "There's one! There moving through. Hey look there's another, and another, and another!!! Holy shit there's tons of em on the . . . . . FISH ON!!! Ethan hooks into one in the passing school and the fight was on.

I was pretty impressed watching Ethan fight this fish with him mag heavy shimano clarus and 50lb braided line. I watch the fish attempt to make a run and Ethan tightened the drag and and just said "Nope!" That fish didn't go anywhere and turn right back towards the boat and into the net. First fish in the box baby!

Saw one other boat next to us hook up in the same school. Further down towards the end of our first drift, Andrew sticks one on his jig and brings a beautiful king to the net. Both fish maybe 15-18lb bucks.

Alright my turn next. Ran back up and made one more drift. I caught all of the clam's I could ever want but no salmon in the evening for me. It was damn exciting to see two come to the boat jigging though and being net man is a lot of fun as well. Off of the water by 2000 Satisfied with our evening outing.

Our catch

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Great day of salmon fishing today.

I got the fever bad man. I'm gonna continuing to be hitting it hard too till the end of the season. Last year I stopped around October cause after that the water was too cold for me to wet wade. I got my waders this year though, so there will be a lot more salmon killing to come.

Till Next Time Guys
Mark

Feather River 9/2/13

Found the time to run back up to the Feather for some more salmon action. Last time I came up here I hooked into a few fish, but wasn't able to land any, they all nearly spooled me. The fish here are fresh hard fighting fish plus fighting them in the fast current here is ridiculous. My third one I hooked into I decided to make the attempt to swim it down. Got tired of losing fish and I needed to land one to take home. Swam down but struggled in the current and the fish was riding close to shore. The fish ended up diving right into a tree and got stuck in there. I tried pulling the fish out for 10+ mins or so but it wasn't happening and the situation was getting pretty sketchy. Decided it wasn't worth it so I had to snap the fish off. Made the long walk of shame back up river without a fish. Fished the rest of the early afternoon for no other hook ups to add insult to injury. Finished that day around 1400 to make it back home in time for school.

Back today on the water just before 0800. Had a full plan today on chasing fish down river if I have to. I brought a life jacket out and wore it the whole time I was out there. Throughout the morning I hooked into 3 other fish that popped my hook and I should have jumped in for, but even though I was prepared for it, it still didn't seem like the greatest idea in the world. I held back at first and was hesitant to jump in and lost my first few. After the first 3 fish I lost I was determined. Got into my forth one, had him under control for a while, but sure enough he made that run down and he was not coming back up. Another fisherman was looking at me looking back and forth from the river and the bank, asked me "You going for a swim man?" Looked at it said I'm getting this fish so, "Sure am!" Hopped in and floated down. I was attempting to swim to the other side I land the fish there, but by the time I was almost to the other side I was so far down river there was a great bank on my side of the river so I swam back and got to shore, and by that time the fish was pretty worn out I got him to the bank pretty easily.

Put in my work for it and had a few guy's on shore thinking that I was a mad man for trying it, but I don't care. Got my fish and I'm not getting skunked today! Kept at it for a few more hours, but wasn't able to connect into another fish for my limit. I'm happy with just the one though.

Got back home and cleaned my fish up for the oven.

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Came in around 18lbs roughly.

Put in some serious work for it, but hard work has its rewards! And I love me some salmon.

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Went through a lot of rain on the way back, should be good news for better fishing to come.

Till Next Time Guys
Mark