Fish on!

[koboabe]

havent been able to go fishing for the last week or so, but I decided to neglect my unpacking and post move chores to try and bonk some fish
caught this nice 32" steelhead on the Kalama yesterday.
got to the bank around noon, and third cast... FISH ON!

this is the second time I have caught a fish in this drift, on the third cast...

looks like the time I spent (looking like a fool) on the Clac and Sandy have paid off.

and all the great info I was able to gleam from this board.

Fish in sitting in a brine as I type, but I need to find a smoker.
where is a good place to get a cheap small smoker?
Home Depot has them for a lil less than other places, but I dont need anything too fancy (I dont catch that much fish )

 

[willierower]

Bi Mart has them.

 

[drownworms]

how cheap we talking you van make one from a hot plate and a box.thats cheap lol.

 

[koboabe]

how cheap we talking you van make one from a hot plate and a box.thats cheap lol.

haha... I do like cheap.
but I will prob just pick up a little chief

 

[Mike123]

haha... I do like cheap.
but I will prob just pick up a little chief

I dont like my Little Cheif.. it's a piece O crap...

MUCH rather have a hot plate or two and build a box!!

 

[willierower]

I like my lil chief we have been using it for over 20 years and only replaced the pan and the element 1 time. We just did a load of fall salmon 2 weeks ago and it was great. You can't beat the price.

 

[Mike123]

I like my lil chief we have been using it for over 20 years and only replaced the pan and the element 1 time. We just did a load of fall salmon 2 weeks ago and it was great. You can't beat the price.

I just don't like how small the pan is... I've built smokers and you can build a much nicer one and smoke the fish more evenly with your own.

 

[osmosis]

I agree with Mike123, homemade is much better than those crappy little chiefs.

That a big 'ol summer man, Nice fish.

 

[FishKiller23]

I have to agree... I find myself using mine every once in awhile and mostly on fish. I wish I would have got one that was a little bit larger... Also they pretty flimsy but easy to use.


Congrats on the fish.

 

[koboabe]

thansk guys
I ended up grabbing a lil chief.
it seemed to work well.
I think my brine was too salty though.

but for a first attempt at smoking its not bad.
low qual pic from my phone...

 

[alm21]

That's a great looking fish, nice! I've never been on the Kalama. Do you fish the lower Kalama?

 

[willierower]

Yea we use less salt because the Kikoman has a lot of salt in it . We add and take away from the book says. We add red pepper flacks and Teriyaki and smoke with Alder chips.

 

[koboabe]

nope, I fish above the fly only section.

just look for any fast water.
there are bound to be a couple steelhead in there, waiting for nook eggs.

once the river fills up I will need to find a new hole, but for now its producing nicely

 

[Markcanby]

I saw a show where a guy made a smoker with 2 terracotta pots an just a grill grate with a portable electric burner.

 

[FISHHEADMAFIA]

can't go wrong with a lill chief . Granted , homemade is better , but for a quick batch of smoked fish , perfect . the only thing i dont like about it is that if it gets to cold outside , its worthless . Insides wont get hot enough , but above 55 or so , if you set it out of any kind of wind it will do just fine . Hell , ive done pork loins and even a whole chicken in mine . But that really does take all day .

 

[drownworms]

keep the original box to cover chief with to keep the heat in better

 

[Thuggin4Life]

A friend of mine put his big chief in a metal garbage can with insulation and cut the can so he can switch the chips out. Works pretty good for winter steelhead.

 

[RIVERFISHER]

craigslist always has small cheap ones..

 

[joesnuffy]

I just cut up a 8lb elk roast to throw in the Big Chief smoker tomorrow. Lots of jerky on the way.

 

[koboabe]

I need to try my hand at some jerky