Oka'Noggin' River Report 2/13/10

Paddled a 10+ mile stretch of the river on Saturday. Water temp was 41 degrees. Air temp about the same or a little warmer.

Within the first two miles I hooked five metalheads, landing four. Three were decent 23" to 24.5" hatchery fish which I kept as required. The third was a 30+ inch nate that I quickly released.





Because the fishing was so good early on, I kind of lost track of time. With my takeout point still 8+ miles down this slow moving river, it occurred to me that paddling in the dark was a very real possibility if I didn't get my @ss moving! So, for the next two hours or so, I focused mostly on paddling, pausing occassionally to make a few casts to fishy looking water.

About 3 miles from the takeout I stopped at a hole that had produced well in the past. Setting a time limit of 5 minutes, I anchored up and made a long cast up-stream. My offering landed in the riffle just above the hole. I slowly retrieved the lure to the edge of the hole and then let it flutter down into the deeper, darker water. As I was about to resume the slow retrieve, the braided line communicated a sharp twitch and... suddenly, 5 minutes wasn't enough time!  Although not huge, this hatchery buck was a gamer, and got bonus style points for the height of its only jump. Upon netting him and confirming his hatchery origins, I paddled to shore to do the photo measurement routine for AOTY. When I took the first measurement photo a funny thing happened (funny 'now', anyway); the flash flipped open and fired... Uh oh... My camera, which was set on auto, was telling me "hey DUMBASS, it's getting dark fast!"





Tossed everything back in the yak and took off. Last 3 miles were uneventful with one exception... almost 4 months ago I absentmindedly left an anchor with a pool noodle buoy in the river. Almost didn't see it in the low light, but amazingly, there it was, dead center in the river... about two miles downstream from where I left it.

 
DAYNG!! Nice pheesh!!

What a report! You hammered those steelies NY. Congrats.

Z

That a way to put a hurtin' on em.

Sounds way better than being home sick with pneumonia

    


Way to slay Nog!!!

Nice fish NY! Sounds like a wonderful way to spend the day.

fantastic report! and thank you for the great photos

Nice Fish porn NY

Ice ice baby ...

Nice feeshees.

-Allen

very nice fish.. bet it's nice to have that anchor back , too...

gotta ask; where's you get that OK? i can tell by the color it's recycled... but never knew there was a "classic" model....

very nice fish.. bet it's nice to have that anchor back , too...

gotta ask; where's you get that OK? i can tell by the color it's recycled... but never knew there was a "classic" model....

I bought it on sale back in September or October of 2008. I think the store name was Sportsman's Warehouse (located in Burlington, WA). The store has since changed hands and is now Wholesale Sports. Last time I was in there, the only yaks they had were SINKS.

squidgirl informed me after i posted that you've had it a while.

that sporting goods store was still eliminating its old stock and last i looked they've switched over to perceptions and base line old townes.

guess i'll keep my eyes open for one on CL .

I'm pretty sure NY's yak is a regular one. The recycled yaks come out pretty muck black.


Z