MATCH THE HATCH - Alaska Style

Just in time for the Eulachon Run~!

I got some new USA source tackle in the other day after my big troll shrimp came in from Hong Kong. lol As far as these tasty plugs go the brined hooligan (smelt) in the photo is the smallest they get. 98% are actually about 2-3" longer. So you can see how small these plugs are. Just under 5 inches so they could imitate a capelin, adult sandlance, juvenile herring or immature smelt.

The hooks are more for bass fishing so at least the back one will be replaced with a red 2x I use on my troll baits. Not very often does a salmon grab the front of a plug from what I have seen in downrigger videos so I'll leave them alone for now. If I put a small smelt or sardine fillet wrap on I might drop the middle hook. The screw eye will make a good anchor point to keep the wrap from sliding back. Besides being nice and shiny they are rattling plugs which put out a good vibration as well as sound which might also be a plus especially if you are working along the beach with hooligan and herring moving through.

Can't wait to get these wet.  TODAY April 1st, was the first day of Spring on the Kenai River here at HQ. NO April Fools! After this winter I wouldn't kid about that. Ugh! A 15 yard long slot opened in the ice in the center channel out back and a single adult tundra swan was swimming in it calling for its companions. There were two adult bald eagles standing on the ice just a few yards away checking it out to see if it was injured or weak and an easy meal. They didn't make that mistake. The wing beat of a swan can break bones and an eagle wouldn't dare take on a healthy adult.  Shane mentioned that last week one of the other charters got a king with a hooligan in its belly. Time to fish! Unfortunately time to start recording kings on the license so I think I'll be doing mostly CnR so I have some slots for that big Kenai king in July.

Ooo...looks fishy.  Ive heard its been fairly warm down your way.  Been busy with the sportsman show this weekend .  Hoping to get out again sooner than later though!!

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Ooo...looks fishy.  Ive heard its been fairly warm down your way.  Been busy with the sportsman show this weekend .  Hoping to get out again sooner than later though!!

They even smell fishy....after handling that hooligan! Just swapped out the back hook for a #2 red 2x short shank VMC treble.

Warm...well...Friday night/Sat morning was the first day since mid November here that it remained above freezing all night and morning...not by much, only 33°F but hit 46° today. My outdoor smoker legs finally thawed out from the ground where they were encased in ice. Time to start smoking up some ribs and pulled pork! Still a foot of snow on the roof.

Ever since you dropped your Gopro down your fishing line to film those halibut on the hook I've been pondering gear for filming the bite as well as the fight. And you mentioned a while back about running your cam on your downrigger to film your halibut bites. Only thing is the fish takes off without the camera following unless the cam is going to be on your line.  I've been doing some mental engineering and may have a rig that will work great for filming my live bait fishing and record everything right up to the harpooning. Once I get a working prototype put together I'll fill you in. Unless its a big flop. LOL

Was planning to hit the Show this weekend and take in a number of the seminars but the avalanche mitigation work and road delays along Turnagain Arm talked me out of it.    I'll have to get my info direct from the Kodiak biologists now since I found out they won't be doing a similar presentation at the Peninsula sports show. Hope you had a lot of attendees!!