Finally caught a salmon :)

[matt.white.3363334]

It's been a rough couple years fishing for salmon. Been fishing a lot for salmon and everyday I learn something new. I just wanted to say thanks for all the help out there. Love this blog. Thanks for helping with my big catch.

 

[rogerdodger]

awesome. love the smiles. my wife and I went through the same learning curve here (well, I learned and she tolerated my frustration and kept going out fishing with me), but it feels that much better when you put it together and start putting them in the boat!

 

[Raincatcher]

WooHoo! Very nice! Those will look great on the dinner table and in the freezer. eace:

 

[C_Run]

Nice, congratulations. Let me guess...the lady's was bigger.

 

[matt.white.3363334]

Yeah hers was bigger. She got it all away to the boat but I had to help her bring it into the net. Nice 23 pounder.

 

[matt.white.3363334]

 

[budney]

Congrats! I hope to start salmon fishing in the near future.

 

[matt.white.3363334]

It's definitely a learning curve. Best recommendation I can give is bigger isn't better. never use too big of fishing line. Use the smallest leader you can get away with. And this time of year let em take the line and run a bit. Muscling em in doesn't work too well.

 

[matt.white.3363334]

Oh. And have lots of patience. It will happen.

 

[DrTheopolis]

Best recommendation I can give is bigger isn't better. never use too big of fishing line. Use the smallest leader you can get away with.

Yes and no. While I'm firmly in the school of "lightest line possible, then one more size down," it depends where you're fishing. In smaller water/tribs, I go no bigger than 10#, usually 8.

In the Columbia, or the open parts of the bay -- salmon don't seem to care -- you could tie it to a winch cable and they'll still hit it the same. Heck, in the big waters, my trolling/Big C plunking rod is spooled with 30# (25# leader), and everyone seems to think I'm ultralighting it out there.

 

[matt.white.3363334]

Yeah I was trolling 30 with 30 leader

 

[DrTheopolis]

Although I think that in the Columbia, you can get away with fishing pretty light. The person I go with out there just sits on anchor (his boat sucks for trolling), and when we drop OFF the hook, it seems like that gives plenty off "cushion" for using lighter line -- fish just drags you around and tires itself out (we never fish around other people, so no worries about fouling lines/anchor lines).

 

[matt.white.3363334]

I don't like fishing around other boats either. Lol my brother has a temper when people get to close to his boat. It's embarrassing

 

[DrTheopolis]

I see... your brother is That Guy.

 

[matt.white.3363334]

Yup he's ........"that guy"

 

[rogerdodger]

opcorn: