Pay-dirt at Sellwood Park

Well, this springer season has been pretty tough for me and I have been out quite a few times in the kayak and in my friend's boat. I did get a native last Tuesday, but other than that, nada except a couple of takedowns and a couple of pike minnow. That changed today and I finally feel like a champ!
I launched the kayak at around 6:30 and had the shelf next to the park almost to myself. After about 15 minutes I got hooked up to the most idiotic and lethargic springer in the entire Columbia River system. After setting the hook, the fish immediately swam up to the surface and started swimming around my kayak looking for a net to go in to. Problem was, I was nowhere near the point where I had my net out of the holder and ready. The fish stayed on the surface milling around like a koi in a pond and I had a really hard time keeping tension on the line while getting my net out. As soon as I dipped the net in the water, it swam into it headfirst like a heifer in a milking pen and that was it. The whole thing probably took less than 45 seconds.
I trolled a blue, naked herring. Not optimistic enough to bring a cooler in my car, I had to leave the scene and go home to the deal with my fish. After a really bad fillet job  (fish and chips anyone?) I went back out to fulfill the limit, but alas, no more salmon for me today. I tried to relax with some sturgeon fishing but it was totally crazy next to the Eastomoreland Golf Course and I lost track of how many fish in the 4-6ft range I caught there this afternoon. I love living in this city.

Congrats on the fish.

Beautiful,idiotic fish....great job!

You know what they say - you are what you eat...  I am already pretty idiotic,  so out of pure generosity and self sacrifice, I would be happy to take said idiotic fish off of your hands!  .

Right on! Nice to see the work pay off for you.

Nice work on the fish!  I anchored on the WA side of the Columbia today from 7 to 3 since it's closing.  2 nice takedowns, but both fish got off after a few minutes.  Springers are tough (usually)!  Good job.

Great report! Maybe the fish just won an epic battle with some other less fortunate fisherman? That would explain the lack of willingness to live. 

Congrats. She looks mighty chunky.  Maybe she was just to fat to fight.

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Congrats! Thank goodness for stupid fish. Hope it tastes better than it fought.

Thanks y'all. I didn't mean to complain about the fish. I was really just happy for the cooperation. It was really nice to get a fish I could keep in the net. She did end up being a fat little bullet, so I am stoked. I get motivated to keep trying when I read successful posts on this forum, so I thought I would share.