ColumbiaChinook

Late this past Sunday mid-morning, I read that over 22K kings had passed over the Bonneville Dam the day before. I quickly packed and headed down to Cowlitz County. The weather had calmed down and the Sunday afternoon tide was a good one, but I only saw 1 fish landed, and it wasn't mine.

Yesterday morning I was on the river by 6:30am. Very busy. I guess lots of people read the same report. Very slow morning and I started to pace on the water-- current was really starting to build. I wasn't marking any fish as I ping-ponged from the WA shoreline to the Oregon shoreline. And then at about 10am, in 39 feet of water on the Washington side, my fish finder went nuts. I have to paddle, so can't always stop to take pictures, but the screen looked like the 110 in LA at 5pm the Friday before Memorial Day Weekend. Lots and lots of big, beautiful fish arches.

It wasn't 5 minutes later that this nice chinook bit my lure.

Congrats.

That's dedication. Great work.

Sweet!

Very Cool!

Hasn't anyone ever told you that you can't catch salmon from a paddle kayak?!?!?

-Mark-

Thanks for posting! That is a killer looking nook

Great fish, good job!

Great looking fish!  Great job!!

Great looking fish!  Great job!!

Good work! I fished the outgoing tide on the C out of the Port of Kalama Friday from a PB with wobblers for six hours and nada for our three rods. Saw but one fish caught, and many hundreds on the fishfinder.

Very nice! The smile on your face says it all

I'm certain you got a good workout, between paddling the river and landing such a great looking Salmon. Looks like you also have your kayak set up with a minimal amount of gear. Nice job!