FishwithJD

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The Monsters of the Kenai

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Just when you thought it was safe to get in the water...


So, thanks to Greg Brush of EZ Limit Guide Service in Soldotna, Alaska, I’m going to be totally worthless the rest of the day. I had been very focused on writing my column for Salmon Trout Steeheader Magazine and then I saw these pix from the Kenai River in my inbox. Now, I’ve got a case of the shakes and all I can think about is going king fishing…

And really, who could blame me? After all, the above pic is of a 55.5″x34″ Kenai River king that was estimated to weigh a mind-blowing 86 pounds! I say “estimated” because Brush’s client, Steve Huckey of Arizona released this monster! Click here to read more…

NOAA Fisheries: “Change CA water pumping ops”

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nimbus-damWell, the Feds finally understand what we’ve all been saying for a looong time: The way the Northern California’s water is managed is a bad deal for fish like salmon, steelhead, sturgeon…and even, as it turns out, southern killer whales.

Last week, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released its final biological opinion that finds (surprise, surprise!) the water pumping operations in the Central Valley by the federal Bureau of Reclamation jeopardize the continued existence of several threatened and endangered species under the jurisdiction of NOAA’s Fisheries Service.

Federal biologists and hydrologists concluded that current water pumping operations in the Federal Central Valley Project and the California State Water Project should be changed to ensure survival of winter and spring-run Chinook salmon, Central Valley steelhead, the southern population of North American green sturgeon and Southern Resident killer whales, which rely on Chinook salmon runs for food.Click here to read more…

Hook Rigging for Small Plugs?

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JD

On your idea of using a #50 hot shot for spring Chinook: When you change out the hook and use the barrel swivel– do you remove the split ring and attach the barrel swivel directly to the screw eye? Or do you attach the barrel swivel to the split ring?

Thanks, Chris

Hey Chris, I take a small set of needle nose pliers and open the screw eye on the plug and attach the swivel there. With a split ring and barrel swivel, run you run the risk of adversely affecting the plugs action.

So, you’re saying it’s fall??

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Sacramento King .JPG
They tell me we’re nearly two-thirds of the way through September already yet my internal calendar is reading “June.”

I guess that’s what happens when there’s no salmon fishing in the Sacramento Valley for the first time in my life. It’s a really starnge sensation to not be out chasing kings every day…depressing, really. So, just for old times sake, I thought I’d throw up a photo of ol pal, Rob Bonner, with a chrome king he caught with me in the Sac a few seasons back. Although I’m not sure if that’s making me feel better or worse…
Click here to read more…