First Salmon !!

[flintlock]

The squeaking of the Mitchell 300's handle seemed to hypnotize me as I retrieved the spoon cast after cast. I had been on the pier for several days in anticipation of catching my first coho salmon. I heaved another cast with the yellow eagle claw rod and sent the 3/4oz spoon far into the lake. As it started to settle to the bottom the squeaking of the handle began again as I continued to reel it back in. As the sun started to fade the 2 older guys I had been fishing next to said, "Well Kentucky, it doesn't look like it is your day yet, maybe tomorrow you will get a hit." I didn't know their names but at the young age of 13 with a heavy southern draw, they simply nicknamed me Kentucky, and I was fine with that. I was amazed at how far they could whip their spoons with the 11ft rods they were using and I guess my mouth must have been hanging open as they mentioned something about me catching flies and chuckled. It didn't bother me much and soon I was asking them all about catching salmon, trying to learn a "secret" from one of these old timers. As daylight started to fade we made our way off the pier and wished each other luck for tomorrow.

When my eyes opened I immediately realized I had overslept and shot out of bed like a rocket! Within seconds I was peddaling my grandmother's bike the 2 miles toward the pier with my fishing stuff in the basket. Yeah, it was kind of sissy looking, but it was all I had and it did make it nice packing the stuff. Besides, there weren't any girls on the pier this time of the year anyways.

As I neared the pier the fog became thicker and thicker and soon I could hear the fog horn calling in the distance. Was I ever mad! My last day of vacation and I overslept at least an hour! I hustled onto the pier and saw it was absoltuely packed with guys fishing, it was saturday! I was shocked to see that most folks had a coho hanging from a stringer, evidently the cold water blew in over night and the fish were in. The only problem was there was no place to fish, it was wall-to-wall people! I was about to throw a fit when I heard, "Hey Kentucky we saved you a spot." I was shocked and elated at the same time! I looked over and sure enough, there stood the 2 old guys from yesterday and they moved over a few feet so I could slide in. I smiled and nodded my head in appreciation and launched my spoon out into the fog, all in one motion.

As I had scarcely turned the handle 3 times a jarring strike hammered the rod and I rared back in self-defense. FISH ON!!!! The old guys were coaching me as I fought the fish hearing it jump in the fog with the rod just shaking like crazy. "Keep your rod up, let him run!", they said. After a great battle I saw a flash of silver and soon they had slipped the dip net uder my salmon!!!

I was SO happy you just can't imagine and as I stared at my salmon in the net one of the old guys said, "Now, you have to kill it." I looked up at him confused and he smiled and repeated, "You have to kill him so he doesn't shake off the stringer and get away." I looked at the other guy and he was nodding and said, "YOu have to bite him behind the head to kill him." "Are you sure?", I asked him. Absolutely, he said and gave me a quick nod. I thought about them saving me a spot and helping me, they couldn't be lying. I picked up the 4-5lb coho and gave the old timer one more look to see if he was winking at his buddy and he just sat there and said, "go on." SO, I clamped down on the coho behind his head and that fish went to doing the death quiver immediately and it was over. Cheers erupted on the pier and folks were clapping and laughing all over. I had a mouth full of small scales and salmon slime but I really didn't care too much, as there was a celebration on the pier I will never forget in all my days and I finally had my first salmon!

Somewhere in Michigan are 2 old guys that are probably sitting in a nursing home by now and every now and then I can't help but imagine that they bust out in a grin thinking back on that day 32 years ago.

Here is to old guys that give the kids a hand, and especially those that have a little fun along the way.

FISH ON!!!!
Wess

[jblackburn]

Wonderful story!  Thanks for sharing! 

[GSLAM95]

  Thanks for sharing, I can see why you will never forget that day....A very well told story indeed!

[Deputy 14]

Good story. Glad you shared.

[tomstopper]

Great story. Thanks.

[redarrow]

Awesome story Wess. Watch out for us Michiganians.We're a nice bunch of rascals.

[TrackeySauresRex]

AWEEEESOME READ!.. WTG.. Kentucky 

[gotcha]

Great story!I have fond memories of a 300 Mitchell and a Eagle Claw rod,good cork grips not the foam stuff.You can certainly tell you been running with Catdaddy.

[TRKYHTR]

Great story brother.

TRKYHTR

[trackerbucky]

Great story

[redrivergar]

Thanks for sharing a great story.


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[catdaddy]

Well done--loved the story!

[Hognutz]

Nice story, Wess!! I believe that you have a little Catdaddy in you..That was an entertaining story.