Oh, that's why they're called "Kings"

Made a late trip out to the Sound tonight looking for a Salmon for the smoker. Launched near the Steilacoom ferry docks and headed out towards Chambers Creek. There were several boats out there and everyone appeared to be jigging so I busted out the Point Wilson Darts and joined the action…saw one guy hook up right away with what appeared to be a good fish but I was lost in my own drift and missed him netting it. He left soon after so I assumed it was “big enough”.  I jigged my butt off over the next hour or so trying several colors and sizes but didn’t get any action so I decided to bust out some herring and try some drift mooching off the bottom (heroin, right Roger?)…first drop…WHAM!  Whatever nailed that herring was heavy and immediately doubled the rod over and buried the tip in the water…then nothing…couldn’t feel the fish and couldn’t feel the bait rig so I assumed the fish was running towards me.  I started reeling like hell to try to catch up and suddenly a BIG King comes launching out of the water not ten feet in front of my Outback. I swear he came four feet out of the water and I’m pretty sure I was looking up at him as he danced through the air and seemed to eyeball me…AWESOME! (gotta get a GoPro). I knew this fish was big so in spite of my surging adrenaline, squealing drag and racing heart, I tried to chill out and settle in for the ride, concentrating on not allowing this guy any slack. I got him almost to the side of the Kayak no fewer than six times and every time I’d go for the net he’d surge away stripping line from my reel in powerful runs. Several boats were around me enjoying the show and I could hear them saying things like…”wow man, that guy in the Kayak has a monster on!” and “that dude in the canoe thingy is going for a ride!”  Several offered to help land it but I politely declined and asked them to give me some room as I really wasn’t in control of where I was going (there’s nothing like hooking up with a good fish in a kayak right in front of a fleet of $60K fishing boats who aren’t catching anything) I was using 30lb Power Pro but only had a 20lb mono leader so I was getting nervous as the battle wore on and I kept thinking about that knot in the mono where it attached to the swivel…was it a good one? How many twists did I put in that improved clinch knot?  After a half dozen runs and three more spectacular leaps clean out of the water, I finally got him next to the Outback and slipped as much of him as would fit into my net and heaved him aboard.  Cheers erupted all around me and I was shocked to look up and see no fewer than 20 boats around me (there wasn’t more than a half dozen when the fight started).  A boat full of nice people pulled up alongside me to see my prize and were happy to snap a couple glamour shots for me…taped at 38 inches...didn't have a scale, but it was heavy!

This is why I fish…sometimes I catch fish, often times I get skunked…sometimes I make memories that will haunt me for the rest of my life, calling me back for one more drift.

Awesome report! I can't get enough of the Chinook reports flooding in! I love it!

Awesome story. Makes me want to go to Chambers Creek right now!

Way to go Gordon! What a hawg! Great report, I'm getting jealous.

Dino
HOW - NWest

Awesome fish!  Great story!

Herion gets them every time. Dude that's a nice fish, it makes up for the 13 hours we spent on the salt saturday. I hear some rumblings in the AOTY rankings.

Very Nice Gordon!!!! Gotta love a fish tale with pictures

Thanks for the great write-up! Got me itching to be on the water. Congrats!

Great story, man!

Fred "True" Trujillo

Wow!  Nice fish Gordon!   

I'm wondering why you're not wearing a drysuit or pfd. What if I was fishing next to you and had to save you. I could risk my own life, because of your fool hardy approach to safety. I think you should blur your picture all but the fish, so that you're not responsible for needless deaths on the water.

I'm sure fire marshal bill has something to say about that.

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=fire+marshall+bill+videos&mid=0F535435B537CA0CCE150F535435B537CA0CCE15&view=detail&FORM=VIRE11

I'm wondering why you're not wearing a drysuit or pfd.

+1

Nice fish!  I was there earlier this week and only managed a dogfish and some sculpin 

Sent from my GD300

Sweet!! Thrilling when they come straight up and get air!!
Very nice, thank you for sharing and do it again!
Grant

Great report -- and what a nice fish. Congrats!