Shelter Cove Salmon Opener - 4/4/15 [Report + Video]

What's up, NWKA?

Just thought I'd post up a quick report and video from opening day down here in Northern CA.

I had an excellent weekend up at Shelter Cove. GF and I got in late on Friday and crashed at Marios, then I got up around 5:00, checked out the lunar eclipse in a crystal clear sky, and got started rigging up...

Me and a handful of other kayakers made our way down to the launch around sunrise and headed out toward the whistle buoy. As soon at we were in about 40 feet of water, I dropped down a DD6/herring dodger/krippled anchovy. After about 10 minutes, I hooked up a feisty ~18" salmon. Pulled it up beside the boat and shook it off the hook without touching it. Dropped back down and got slammed again, but this time it was a nice sized black RF. After that, it was slow for then next hour or so...

Then I got the bite I was looking for... A nice bright 31" hen.

Shelter cove was a pretty magical place. There's no way to describe the feeling I got each time I looked toward shore and saw nothing but miles upon miles of pure, raw, natural, un-fucked-with North Coast beauty. It was unreal. Can't wait to go back....

~Alex

Nice one. Congrats. BTW didn't  know you guys clipped your fish.

Thanks, man!

Word is they clip about 1/4 or 1/3 of the hatchery chinooks, but we're allowed to keep them regardless of whether they're clipped. It's more of a tracking/research thing down here. The clipped fish have coded wire tags in them for identification.

Beautimous!!!!!   Great fish!!! Great video!!!

Ok, I did my good deed for kayak promotion for the year this weekend!  Got to get back on the water!  great Motivation!

Great job Alex!!!

Thanks, man! Glad I could return the motivation!

Your videos helped get me through the LONG off season.

Awesome. Thanks for that. Looking forward to hitting The Cove soon.