| HOW TO CATCH THE BIGGEST SALMON OF YOUR LIFE! |
By Greg Brush
Deep into my relatively lazy Alaska winter, with several feet of snow on the ground and a warm cup of java in hand, my mind wandered to the swirling current and subtle seams of my favorite section of river. The water I pictured was in perfect shape, a light turquoise color with just under two feet of visibility, and the dull gray clouds of summer promised relaxed fish willing to aggressively strike my intruding plug with a fury difficult to describe. Drifting deeper into the pleasantries of another day of King salmon fishing and half-expecting to hear the protesting hum of the drag, I was abruptly jolted back to reality by the ring of my office phone.
Inquiring about guided salmon fishing still many months away, the stranger on the other end relayed an all-too-familiar story. He had visited Alaska the previous summer, enjoying the spectacular vistas and abundant wildlife as well as his time on the water, but had returned home after a week of fishing with his dream of a giant salmon unfulfilled. Curious to discover where this fisherman had gone wrong last year, I gently probed for more details. When he said “Me and my buddy borrowed uncle George’s drift boat and some old spinning rods and fished the Kasilof River on our own in early May,” I suddenly realized that this well-intending angler had virtually set himself up for disappointment. He had cut corners and failed to do his homework early in the game, hoping to catch the largest salmon of his life on the wrong river at the wrong time with the wrong equipment.
I couldn’t help but feel sorry for the fellow. After all, we’re all guilty of looking for a short cut to success at one time or another. And fishermen seem to be even more prone to this common human tendency. Which one of us hasn’t longed for the secret weapon in lures or hot new techniques?
While the title may have led the reader on a bit, this article is anything but another “how to” piece on a specific method. Instead, it will reveal the real secrets to landing your once in a lifetime monster king salmon; basic fundamentals that are often disregarded in a fisherman’s haste to hit the water. Before one can employ specialized techniques, a fisherman must first put themselves in a position where these techniques have a reasonable chance of working! Lay a solid foundation with these five key points and you are well on your way to catching the biggest salmon of your life!
FISH WHERE BIG FISH LIVE!
The necessity to fish where big fish live sounds rather obvious at first, but it is likely the most commonly overlooked point amongst trophy salmon fisherman. You would be surprised how many anglers spend years and years dreaming of the salmon of a lifetime while fishing average water that contains mostly average stocks. Talk to any fishery biologist and he will be quick to point out that genetics and habitat are critical in any trophy fishery. For example, Kentucky may have good bass fishing and even produce an occasional trophy sized largemouth, but it is probably not the best place to find the bass of a lifetime. The savvy bass angler knows that he can increase his odds tremendously by fishing big Florida strain largemouth in the proven trophy waters of Mexico, Southern California or of course Florida.
Likewise, Alaska is the salmon capitol of the world, and the Kenai River is the undisputed king of trophy Chinook waters (see sidebar). It has produced the current world record, a 97 lb. 4oz. behemoth, as well as another seven out of ten of the biggest kings ever caught on hook and line. On the Kenai River, an “average” king weighs right around forty pound and fifty pounders are only considered “good solid fish” by locals and seasoned guides. Each summer, sixty, seventy and even a hand-full of eighty pounders are landed by Kenai River fishermen who do their homework. Those facts illustrate two things: good genetics and ideal habitat!
It is important to note that Kenai kings are all wild fish, undiluted by hatchery genes. While most Chinook salmon return to their natal stream to spawn as four year old fish, Kenai kings are genetically unique. Mother Nature, in all her wisdom, has somehow programmed a percentage of these special salmon to stay at sea for up to five years, returning as huge six and seven year old fish. Naturally, an all-wild fish that spends five years swimming against strong ocean currents and gorging itself on protein-rich herring, squid and candlefish will be that much bigger than the standard two-ocean four year old variety!
FISH WHEN BIG FISH ARE PRESENT!
Many salmon fishermen who otherwise plan well overlook the second biggest success factor of all: to catch a trophy Kenai king salmon one must fish when big fish are present! Most anglers are well aware that catching resident fish on oceans and lakes means two things: locate the fish and determine what they are hitting. While this fundamental principal remains critical to all angling success, first time river fishermen must realize that anadromous (sea-run) fish are a bit different. They are only present in the relatively narrow confines of the river at certain time periods. Repeatedly pounding proven holes and runs with a favorite king salmon lure at the wrong time of year will only produce an empty fish box and a frustrated fisherman.
In fact, run timing is such an important detail that it can literally “make or break” your trip. The Kenai has two distinct runs of Chinook salmon, and each has a relatively easy to identify “peak” when the king numbers spike. You can substantially raise your odds by being on the water during the peak of the run when statistics show that more big fish are present than at any other time.
Alaska Department of Fish and Game collects and maintains an unbelievable amount of data on these special fish, including a daily sonar count on the number of kings entering the river. Their records identify the period from June 5-21st (early run) and July 13-26th (late run) as peak of the Kenai king returns, and your best shot at the biggest salmon of your life!
FISH WITH SOMEONE WHO KNOWS THE FISHERY!
Kenai kings are big powerful fish that usually necessitate the use of a boat to land them. Running a boat on a shallow glacial river is a challenge in itself, and the Kenai is a step above and beyond your average river. It is big and fast, with many obstacles to avoid. Throw in severe boat traffic during peak seasons and it is not the best water for beginners. Each summer, numerous otherwise experienced salmon fisherman from “the lower 48” are humbled by this large body of water, scratching their heads after days of frustrating fishing puts them no closer to their salmon of a lifetime.
Learning by trial and error is certainly an option, but the prudent angler who is limited in time will choose to fish with a seasoned guide or long –time local who knows the Kenai River and the specialized techniques used to hook its monster salmon. And hooking a few of these incredibly strong fish is just half the battle; landing them is another thing! The biggest salmon in the world combined with an extremely swift and shallow river with lots of obstacles and other boaters makes this venture trickier than one might think. Having an experienced operator can really make a big difference!
USE THE PROPER EQUIPEMENT!
Fact: without the proper gear, a trophy Kenai king will win nearly every time. With little effort, they can snap generic fishing line like thread and turn cheap rods into graphite shrapnel. Every year, tremendous salmon are lost by nonchalant anglers who suddenly find out they fumbled their big chance.
Many years ago, early in my career as a professional fishing guide on the Kenai River, I had an experienced fisherman request to use his “old pet rod and reel’ instead of the proven set-up which I provide on all my charters. His average quality rod and reel initially appeared to be in fair enough condition and I simply wanted to keep my customer happy, so we hastily pushed off that June morning with visions of giant kings dancing in both our heads. But it was not to be, as five minutes into the day the power and fury of a giant Kenai king slammed home an important point.
My client was just settling into the rhythmic lifting and setting on the bottom of his salmon roe when a sharp tap was followed by a serious jolting tug. Coming back hard with the proper hook set and proudly shouting the salmon fishermen’s customary mantra of “fish on!” my client had roughly two to three seconds of glee before things went bad. The huge salmon turned and ran directly away from the boat, as they often do, peeling line off the old level-wind reel as if the drag had been totally backed off, only it hadn’t! Turning the star drag forward a bit to slow the run-away fish did not work as planned, as the tired spool protested and lurched to a sudden stop. Something has to give when you have a locked up reel between a two hundred pound man and eighty some-odd pounds of irate salmon, and I can still picture the bugged eyes, white knuckles and rigid stance of my panicked customer as the fish continued downstream, his rod loading past the breaking point and the monofilament cracking like a July 4th fire cracker. The entire event took perhaps 5 seconds, and I doubt either of us will ever forget it.
That was the only strike the gentleman had that morning, and I learned a very important lesson that day. Using quality tackle of heavy weight is an investment in success. The wise trophy hunter always employs the very best equipment he can afford, inspecting it meticulously and tying every knot like it’s his last. Sensitive but stout 8 to 9 foot G.Loomis rods and quality Shimano level-wind reels with super-smooth drags have served me well for years, surviving tremendous battles and constant daily abuse. Premium line and terminal tackle are of utmost importance. Anything less can cost you a dream fish.
INVEST ENOUGH TIME AND STAY POSITIVE!
Giant king salmon don’t jump in the boat! The Kenai River is a relatively low success rate fishery where you generally work hard for every strike. Far too many visitors cut their odds tremendously by not allotting enough time, leaving disappointed after fishing just one morning.
Spending multiple days on the Kenai can make a huge difference, as water conditions change day to day and surges of new fish enter the river with every high tide. The more time you invest, the more the odds tip in your favor. I like to compare it to big game hunting: who would travel to Africa for a one day safari?
Finally, an angler’s outlook can make a huge difference, and a positive attitude can be an amazingly effective weapon. Laugh if you must, but somehow these huge fish seem to unexplainably avoid a “sour puss” fisherman like the plague. Be patient and have realistic expectations. Go ahead and fish hard, but relax and enjoy your time. Watch a bald eagle circle overhead and snap a photo of a gangly moose. Take a minute to marvel at the emerald green water that originated from a hundred thousand year old glacier. Ponder just how unique a trophy Kenai king is, and how fortunate we are to have an opportunity at such a special creature. Let your imagination run wild, because that’s what this river is all about: one moment you are day dreaming about the fish of a lifetime and the very next instant you are fighting it!
Greg Brush is a professional fishing guide from Soldotna, Alaska. He owns and operates EZ Limit Guide Service and is in his 15th year of guiding full-time on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula. He averages nearly 125 days a year on the Kenai and Kasilof Rivers during a short 5 month season and his clients have landed hundreds of trophy King Salmon exceeding the fifty pound mark. Although he enjoys halibut, trout, Coho, Sockeye and Pink salmon fishing, he feels nothing is as rewarding as putting a new angler on their first giant Kenai King! You can e-mail your questions or comments to Greg at fishme@alaska.net or visit his website at www.ezlimit.com.
|
 |
 |
|
|
