Chasing Salmon in the Pacific NW

Finally had the opportunity to target salmon Monday afternoon. It is possible to catch pink and coho salmon.  
 

It was a beautiful day perhaps one of the last sunny days here for some time. 
 

I brought 3 rigs and two of them were bass rods. Why? Because I only have one dedicated rod for salmon, lol. I’ve since learned that depending on the scenario, bass rods can be used. 
 

I tied a few jigs and brought along the spinners I made a few weeks ago. The ones on the left were the ones I made for salmon. The one on the top left I seriously screwed up. It’s been quite a few years since I’ve tied Palmer style jigs and I couldn’t remember a few things so I tried a systematic approach and it was a failure. Went to YouTube and the light bulb ? turned on. 

I started my 8’6” Lamiglas mated to a curado 201d with the pink jig. The feather action was pretty good. Not too shabby for being so rusty.  Unfortunately, no results after about 30 minutes despite signs of coho jumping all over the place.

Time to switch gears. I tie on own of my homemade inline spinners to my 6’6” Daiwa AirDX, which was mated to a curado 101d. I’m not joking, lol. On about the 4th cast to the middle of the river, I got my first hit at the end of the drift. I felt it and set the hook. First salmon! It was an old male pink, but I’m on the scoreboard. I was going to release everything anyway today so no matter. It was unusually large for a pink. He fought hard and strong but I knew that even my Daiwa rod and curado were up to the task. 

Rod in one hand, recording with the other. That shiny thing just left of the fish’s head is my spinner. 
 

He was clean and shiny and motionless until I tried to take a pic. I quickly snapped it, removed the spinner and sent him on his way. 
 

It’s always cool when you catch a fish, but it’s even sweeter when you catch one on a lure you made. BAM!! 
 

I switched back to the jig, but I switched out the pretty in pink one for its ugly sister, yeah, the messed up. Guess what? Yup, I quickly hooked into another salmon. 
 

Unfortunately, it was another pink in the same condition and about the same size. I didn’t think it was necessary to take a cookie cutter picture so he was quickly released. 
 

By that time, my fishing liberties was just about spent. 
 

In the time I fished only 3 salmon were caught. Although I caught two, the lady next to me, also fishing a spinner landed a beautiful coho. 
 

All in all a good day.