6/8/08
Spring has been slow in coming this year, it seems like it has taken the river forever to get high enough to launch a boat! However it has come up and we were finally able to get the new boat in the water for the start of this seasons Kenai fishing. Fortunately the fish were slow in arriving as well!!
As we were launching the boat we saw a couple of fish caught in a slot just down river from us. There were several boats working it so we decided to start there and slowly drift down to some of the more popular holes.
With in 20 minutes and the first cast with my new lucky pole, I got the first hook up! It was not a hard hit and I figured it was probably going to be a small salmon or maybe a trout. I was wrong! As I took my pole out of the pole holder the fish discovered he was hooked and went ballistic!! I was totally unprepared and was nearly pulled out of the boat!! This was NOT a small fish, it was a hog and I was in for the battle of my life!
It's hard to describe what goes through your mind at that moment....for me first it was surprise. Then feeling the action and weight on the pole and seeing the line literally peel of the real, even though you know the drag is set tight enough for a 15 to 20lb fish. The realization that this might be the biggest fish you've ever hooked into!! Then shaking with the adrenaline and excitement you catch your breath as the monster rolls, shakes his head in defiance then takes off on another run! After about the third run you start thinking "Don't loose it!!" Then you get an urge to tighten the drag but you don't 'cause you know better! You grab the pole with both hands, muscles shaking and settle in for yet another nerve racking run. Somewhere in all this chaos, you try to keep track of all the other boats and your proximity to the shore and other obstacles hoping that you and the fish don't get tangled up somewhere! Finally the moment of truth and quite possibly the most dangerous time of landing a big fish.... the net! You get your first close up look at this huge behemoth and the adrenalin goes into high gear!! The net touches the water, the fish sees it and he's off again nearly tangling the line in the net and motor, you barely escaping the trauma of loosing the biggest fish you have EVER seen! By now you are really loosing your mind! Again you think of horsing it in, but you know that is a big risk when using light gear. At this point you know you have to get it landed soon, your gear and nerves are at the breaking point! Finally the fish is tiring, and comes in close the net goes in the water again. The hog feels the unnatural substance on his skin and goes into another fit, only this time it is too late! You practically pass out from relief until you see that its going to take BOTH of you to lift it into the boat AND now your hoping that it isn't to big for the size slot!!
It's official! 43" & 35lbs!!
Ok so it isn't the world record, not even really big for a Kenai King.... but considering I was raised on small trout and bass that barely measure in at 2 lbs and maybe 18 inches, this was a major experience and one that every one who enjoys fishing should try to do!!
The limit for kings on the Kenai is 1 per day with a season limit of 5. So with my fish finally secure in the boat I was done fishing for the day and we headed back to the front of the line for another drift now working on a fish for Mark. It didn't take long and Mark got hooked up too!! Now if all of the above wasn't nerve racking enough, try the whole thing all over again but with ME driving the boat and netting the fish!!! We did it though!!
I didn't have much time to take pictures this time, it was fast, furious and quick and we were done and off the water in less than 2 hours!!
Marks fish is on our left, a hen of course! 39" 34lbs!! now we have eggs too, not a bad days work on the river!
Spring has been slow in coming this year, it seems like it has taken the river forever to get high enough to launch a boat! However it has come up and we were finally able to get the new boat in the water for the start of this seasons Kenai fishing. Fortunately the fish were slow in arriving as well!!
As we were launching the boat we saw a couple of fish caught in a slot just down river from us. There were several boats working it so we decided to start there and slowly drift down to some of the more popular holes.
With in 20 minutes and the first cast with my new lucky pole, I got the first hook up! It was not a hard hit and I figured it was probably going to be a small salmon or maybe a trout. I was wrong! As I took my pole out of the pole holder the fish discovered he was hooked and went ballistic!! I was totally unprepared and was nearly pulled out of the boat!! This was NOT a small fish, it was a hog and I was in for the battle of my life!
It's hard to describe what goes through your mind at that moment....for me first it was surprise. Then feeling the action and weight on the pole and seeing the line literally peel of the real, even though you know the drag is set tight enough for a 15 to 20lb fish. The realization that this might be the biggest fish you've ever hooked into!! Then shaking with the adrenaline and excitement you catch your breath as the monster rolls, shakes his head in defiance then takes off on another run! After about the third run you start thinking "Don't loose it!!" Then you get an urge to tighten the drag but you don't 'cause you know better! You grab the pole with both hands, muscles shaking and settle in for yet another nerve racking run. Somewhere in all this chaos, you try to keep track of all the other boats and your proximity to the shore and other obstacles hoping that you and the fish don't get tangled up somewhere! Finally the moment of truth and quite possibly the most dangerous time of landing a big fish.... the net! You get your first close up look at this huge behemoth and the adrenalin goes into high gear!! The net touches the water, the fish sees it and he's off again nearly tangling the line in the net and motor, you barely escaping the trauma of loosing the biggest fish you have EVER seen! By now you are really loosing your mind! Again you think of horsing it in, but you know that is a big risk when using light gear. At this point you know you have to get it landed soon, your gear and nerves are at the breaking point! Finally the fish is tiring, and comes in close the net goes in the water again. The hog feels the unnatural substance on his skin and goes into another fit, only this time it is too late! You practically pass out from relief until you see that its going to take BOTH of you to lift it into the boat AND now your hoping that it isn't to big for the size slot!!
It's official! 43" & 35lbs!!
Ok so it isn't the world record, not even really big for a Kenai King.... but considering I was raised on small trout and bass that barely measure in at 2 lbs and maybe 18 inches, this was a major experience and one that every one who enjoys fishing should try to do!!The limit for kings on the Kenai is 1 per day with a season limit of 5. So with my fish finally secure in the boat I was done fishing for the day and we headed back to the front of the line for another drift now working on a fish for Mark. It didn't take long and Mark got hooked up too!! Now if all of the above wasn't nerve racking enough, try the whole thing all over again but with ME driving the boat and netting the fish!!! We did it though!!
I didn't have much time to take pictures this time, it was fast, furious and quick and we were done and off the water in less than 2 hours!!
Marks fish is on our left, a hen of course! 39" 34lbs!! now we have eggs too, not a bad days work on the river!
Saturday, May 3, 2008
2008 Up-Dates
This year is proving to be very busy for us. We have a new truck, new boat & we just bought some new property that has half a house that we will be finishing. Because most of our friends & family have MySpace pages and because it is taking to much time to update both right now, I have decided to keep only the Myspace active at this time.Here you will find all our current photos & blogs about everything going on! This years fishing season is just beginning and we have a new boat to help us take advantage of all that the Kenai Peninsula has to offer, from saltwater to freshwater lakes & rivers and follow along as we build our dream home or hunt in out own back yard!!
Meet you there!! Mark & Lori's MySpace pages
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