FishwithJD

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Underwater Salmon Bite…or Not?

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Here’s a a really interesting sequence of underwater photos I took of a small king attacking a glob of roe…and then passing on it. Sorry for the fuzziness of these shots, but this fish  was moving so quickly I couldn’t get him into focus!

He's a nice cluster of red eggs and a chartreuse Corkie drifting along...

He’s a nice cluster of red eggs and a chartreuse Corkie drifting along…

Suddenly, a king comes out of nowhere...

Suddenly, a king comes out of nowhere…

At this point, a hookup looks like a strong possibility...

At this point, a hookup looks like a strong possibility…or does he really see which way the hook is facing and attacks from the opposite side?

Check out that cloud of sweet milky goodness…how the heck could he resist? Maybe he's just circling around for another pass...

Check out that cloud of sweet milky goodness…how the heck could he resist? Maybe he’s just circling around for another pass…

Or not! What the heck happened here? And how often does it happen per day?? Inquiring minds want to know!

Or not! What the heck happened here? And how often does it happen per day?? Inquiring minds want to know!

Underwater Photos: The Rejection

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Sometimes everything can be right…the cast, the drift, the bait…and still the fish don’t get hooked. Here’s an interesting scene I shot on a tributary to the Togiak River in Alaska, where a nice Dolly Varden does a fly-by on roe cluster but doesn’t commit to the bait.

The Dolly Varden makes his move...

The Dolly Varden makes his move…

But something just isn't right…the close proximity of the camera perhaps?

But something just isn’t right…the close proximity of the camera perhaps?

Even that milky goodness seeping out of the bait wasn't enough for this guy!

Even that milky goodness seeping out of the bait wasn’t enough for this guy! Why do you think he didn’t go all in?

Underwater Photos: Dolly Varden attacks a glob of eggs

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Okay, more from my Alaska files…Here’s a cluster of roe drifted down a run on the Togiak River loaded with Dolly Varden (some rainbows and jacks were in there too). I always cut the points off the hooks while filming (if a fish got hooked, it caused too much camera shake). This sequence is cool as one dolly rejects the bait and another comes out of the pack to eat it!

He's hot on the scent trail now!

A dolly varden lines up on the scent trail of the bait…

At the last minute, he rejects the bait…perhaps the camera scares him off.

At the last minute, he rejects the bait…perhaps the camera scares him off.

Check this guy out, though…coming out of the pack to attack

Check this guy out, though…coming out of the pack to attack

No turning back now!

No turning back now!

Going in for the kill!

Going in for the kill!

Tastes good!

Tastes good!

Full commitment!

Full commitment!

Underwater Photos: King Salmon eats a Glo Bug

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More cool underwater stuff from my travels in Alaska in July: Here’s a king salmon attacking a Yarnie or Glo Bug (no eggs or scent). Though I clipped off the hook point while filming, it’s interesting to see how he would never have been hooked anyway — because the fish bites away from the hook!

Yarn and eggs…yum!

Yarn and eggs…yum!

Yep, I gotta eat that! (Although notice how he bites the yarn ball but completely misses the hook!)

Yep, I gotta eat that! (Although notice how he bites the yarn ball but completely misses the hook!)

No change for a hook-up here…the hook is still outside his mouth.

No change for a hook-up here…the hook is still outside his mouth. In a nano-second he spit it out (off camera) but look at that other little Chinook in the background moving in for a bite!