Smoking some Chinook

Oldman · October 03, 2011, 08:56:46 AM

I went to an up-scale fish camp last week and the only thing I caught and brought home were bed-bugs. 16 bites and 6 bugs in my socks. >:( They gave me a one day free stay when I returned....I put it in the trash.

Kummok · October 03, 2011, 10:04:08 AM

Not a problem up here Olds....the little buggers have to wear parkas to keep from freezing and that makes them big enough to see/squish! ;)

Caneyscud · October 03, 2011, 11:31:53 AM

Someday, Someday!!!!!

How were the runs up your way this year Kummok?

Kummok · October 03, 2011, 12:42:02 PM

As always, it depends on the fishery....Copper River had high water a lot and lower numbers (from what I've been told by friends ther...I didn't fish the Copper this year)...the Kenai was K-I-L-L-E-R for Reds this year. Reports of Silvers and Kings right out our front window, at the "Can"...that's a 1.5 mile run from the dock so it's a great $aving$ on ga$ when they are that close.....Here's results of our last trip with my good friends, Bob & Harriet (My wife cut my head off or you'd see a BIG smile!). There's three Silvers (white gums) in this group of Feeder Kings (black gums):

Caneyscud · October 04, 2011, 06:59:17 AM

and what color gums are those two (possibly more) flat fish on the right. Those are a good eating size! I bet you did have a one of those big smiles. This seems to have been the year to come up. I was talking to another guy in Vancouver and he said their runs were really good.

Tenpoint5 · October 04, 2011, 08:06:43 AM

Quote from: Caneyscud on October 04, 2011, 06:59:17 AM
and what color gums are those two (possibly more) flat fish on the right. Those are a good eating size! I bet you did have a one of those big smiles. This seems to have been the year to come up. I was talking to another guy in Vancouver and he said their runs were really good.

I am thinking them be Halibut Caney

Kummok · October 04, 2011, 09:22:35 AM

Those flatfish are salmon that got squashed by the boat and flattened...the brown color is because of the bruising...yucky stuff...(bycatch while trolling for target species)....

Caneyscud · October 04, 2011, 02:34:51 PM

I thought just that - you couldn't fool Caney with that fake Halibut costume you have on them! I probably still have my bumps and bruises from landing some of them squashed salmon a bit bigger and in 4 - 5 foot seas - it may have only been 3 or 4 foot seas - but felt like 10 foot. Outta Homer a few years ago. Formed a great respect for those Dangerous Catch guys and their 40' seas.

Kummok · October 04, 2011, 03:25:16 PM

LOL....can't fool ya! ....and those Deadliest Catch guys are wusses compared to Sir Shackleton and his crew!! ;)

Caneyscud · October 06, 2011, 08:48:25 AM

While not as glamorous as your run, here is a "run" had on a local farm pond owned by a friend. Man those big "gills" were fun! Excuse the crappy iphone pics.

Quarlow · October 06, 2011, 07:24:05 PM

Aaaaw Caney those little guys are so cute. ;D ;D ;D Now what are you going to use that bait on.

Kummok · October 06, 2011, 11:06:14 PM

Whattayamean "not glamorous"??? I bought a pair of earrings for my wife that looked just like those!! ;) ;)

Kidding aside, those look real tasty to me...I grew up catching perch and blue gill in Shasta Lake (N. Calif) and had some great feasts as a kid..

Caneyscud · October 07, 2011, 06:32:06 AM

Quote from: Quarlow on October 06, 2011, 07:24:05 PM
Aaaaw Caney those little guys are so cute. ;D ;D ;D Now what are you going to use that bait on.

One of these maybe?

But then you know, beggars can't be choosers. I have come to the conclusion that Alaskans, Canadians and NWerners are being pretty selfish. Ya'll take the opportunity to catch all them red-fleshed beauties and all them big ugly flat fish before they have a chance to come down here where we can have a crack at them. I wish ya'll would let a few through.

Funny thing is that we do have some big fish here. I just happen to have chosen a way to fish that makes it less likely that i'd catch a monster. I love ultralights - both spinning and fly. And I just didn't want to have the bother, maintenance and noise of a boat. I cherish, walking up a small stream or river surrounded by trees, hills, and wildlife and wading knee deep in the crystal clear waters. Sorta mano - y - mano with the fish. All I have to do is pick up a rod, my waders (if not cool - not even them) and my wading bag, and I'm set. No worrying about battery charging, do I have to stop at a gas station, did I lube the bearing buddies, are the trailer lights working, is the propeller bent, where's the engine oil, etc.... Do I miss a boat - you bet I do! If someone would give me one - I'd have another in a New York minute.

And I do have the gear to go after the biggies. But throwing a 10 wt with 300 grain line can be tiring for a lazy ole white haired fat guy. They are bringing the sturgeon back, we have cats over 100#, Carp will go 40+ pounds, the stripers 60+ pounds, paddle fish 8' long, and the River Muskie grow to a pretty good size. I had intended to concentrate on the muskie some this year, but somebody decided they needed my gear more than I needed it. My pickup got broken into and among other things, they also took my muskie gear. My smokers were safe though!

Kummok · October 07, 2011, 10:18:41 AM

Quote from: Caneyscud on October 07, 2011, 06:32:06 AM
Quote from: Quarlow on October 06, 2011, 07:24:05 PM
Aaaaw Caney those little guys are so cute. ;D ;D ;D Now what are you going to use that bait on.
....I have come to the conclusion that Alaskans, Canadians and NWerners are being pretty selfish. Ya'll take the opportunity to catch all them red-fleshed beauties and all them big ugly flat fish before they have a chance to come down here where we can have a crack at them. I wish ya'll would let a few through.....

Dang, Quarlow...I think Caney has properly exposed us... :o ;) ;) Although that glamorous Muskie DOES look like it snuck through....AND Caney painted an accurate picture of why we fish...looks like we should offer him a life endowment membership and coerce him up for some red fleshed lip ripping!

(STOLE your fish gear?!?!?....THAT'S a hanging offense in my book!! >:( >:( I hope that they sit on a sturgeon hook and get it stuck waaaaay past the barb! :o )

Quarlow · October 07, 2011, 08:15:04 PM

Yup I would say the cat is out of the bag. razzafrazz'r dang darn. I think membership would do him good.
You know nothing is safe anymore. You can't even lock stuff up and it be safe. My brother had an old reel lawnmower under the stairs, the motor was apart and it didn't run. I had a perfectly good rear bagger that ran like a top but looked like crap. I guess theives are smart enough to know that a reel mower cuts much better cause they stole it and left mine.
Caney, I know you know I am just joshing ya. I really miss my days on the cattle ranch. All I had to do was walk across the field behind the house and I was fishing for some nice scrappy trout about 14"s long. Knock the head and tail off and they were the perfect panfry.
It was funny though, I had my graphite rod and balanced reel with 3 different spools of line. 2 or 3 stainless steel fly boxeswith all knids of feathery things.
I would cast as best as I could to look like I knew what I was doing, damn it was impressive.
Then my bosses buddy would come along to fish with me. He would go into the bush and cut a long willow stick about 8' long. He'd tie on a piece of line he kept in his pocket with a hook on it. He would catch a couple of grasshoppers and stick one on the hook and then he would proceed to out fish me at like 6 fish to my 1 or 2. Bastard. LOL