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[chris gadsden]

With the forcast for heavy rain in the days ahead I thought I would spend a couple of hours out on the flow.

I did not rush out this morning and I started fishing around 7:30, the water had some color but was plenty fishable. Very few anglers around, actually I could only see 3 when I started fishing. It sure is nice having a run all to yourself as you do not have to watch out for any other float just keeping an eye on your own.

There was not much action for the first while which seems to be the norm of late. Finally I get a couple of chances but come up empty. I think it was my third take that I strike gold so to speak.

Its a strong running fish I know it is not a coho salmon, it is running deep not jumping or twisting like most coho salmon do in the Vedder. It must be a chum salmon as I had not had a chinook salmon on for many of the trips the last week or more.

After what seems to be a long time, my arms are getting sore from the back and forth runs. I just get the salmon close than off it goes again. Finally I see it and boy it is silver. For a brief moment I think is it a coho salmon but I then see the spots on the back and the tail the tell tale signs of a chinook salmon.

As I bring it ashore I believe it is the brightest one I have beached this season so I decide to retain it, its around 15 to 16 pounds of silver.



After marking my license I am back at it and I have another fish on for a few seconds. I am then joined by another member of the forum. I miss a couple more and say to the new arrival to the run I think I am setting the hook too hard so on the next take down I just sort of pull back gently after letting the float stay down a little longer. It works and the battle is on and a fresh doe is in the shallows. I take out the hook and she is on her way to find a mate and complete her spawning cycle.

I think I miss another fish before I am into another one that puts up a spirited battle before I am able to bring it ashore, its fresh run buck chum salmon that I decide to retain for the smoker as Ernie says the bucks make better smoking than the hens.



I have one more chance before the bite dies off and I have had enough for the day anyway. As well my arms are sore from battling these 3 Pacific salmon. They are coho salmon that one would like to catch but with a poor coho run this year it is good to be able to catching chum and chinook salmon.

My arms remain sore as I have to pack out the burlap sack with 25 to 30 pounds of fish but I am not complaining as some good smoked fish lies ahead. The bonus to another fun day on the Vedder River.

I hope the river holds for those that fish the weekend, there are fish there to catch and maybe some more fresh chinook salmon like I was able to land today. Good luck to all.

[Sabre]

Thanks for the report Chris, & nice fish too

[tooler91]

What was your lure of choice? I hooked into a bunch of chums and a few ugly springs using nothing but peach yarn. The chums hit it hard.

[chris gadsden]

What was your lure of choice? I hooked into a bunch of chums and a few ugly springs using nothing but peach yarn. The chums hit it hard.

Short floating Double Red Hot pro cured chum and chinook bait. if you fish the lower river you should have better success getting fresher fish. Today some of the chum I observed being caught were in very nice shape as they have just entered the system. Of course there are some in the middle of their spawning cycle and are now in their spawning colors. One poor chap who evidently did not know any better was trying to hook them right off their spawning beds.  This happens every year by those just starting out

[tooler91]

I know what you mean about people not understanding their spawning beds. Last year I witnessed two guys walking right up the riv er, just about the bridge, chasing chums out of their spawning beds. They were laughing pretty hard. I yelled at them, but they just flipped me off and kept going. I tried to get a look at their vehicle as they headed out to it, but could not get a good enough view.

Some people seem to think it is all fun abd games when it comes the fishing. With today's hectic pace in life, it is one of the last truly relaxing times I get to be out in nature, enjoying what has been given to us and what we have been entitled to take care of to ensure our firther enjoyment and that our kids can enjoy.

[younggun]

lots of fresh chum pushing up the river fast, hooked them mid river on blades. hard time landing them in the high fast water, but did beach a few

[tooler91]

Thanks younggun. I will be on the river tomorrow.