Lake O was good to us today, Went 4 for ten

Came home with 4 in the box...all Chinooks. Just before quitting time in about 210 ft of water WHAM....a rigger went off and ran out to 200 feet of line out.....I fought that fish for 34 minutes and only gained 31 feet of line back.....I walked back 5 feet then forward reeling and he would only give me a foot back.....man this fish fought hard for 34 minutes and stayed down down down......I could not budge him off the bottom.......we were in the process of pulling all rods and was going to stop the boat to lessen the drag and he rushed towards me so fast he got some slack and unbuttoned......In my whole life I have never felt a steady tug like this fish ever.....that includes a 44 lbs Muskie......this thing what ever it was ....was an absolute beast. Fished out of Bronte.

Maybe it was an even bigger muskie Arnie. Great post. I read it three times. You captured the moment in a paragragh. I don't know anything about that kind of big water fishing. It does sound fun though. Nice picture of the fish having a tailgate party.

Wow… makes you wish to have gotten a look at it before it got off - just to know what it was. Great day out 👍🏼

Great fishes!! Great story!! Congrats on your success!!

I don’t think there are Muskie there….the Muskie I was talking about was years ago on Cooks Bay….. like 55 years ago…. Lol yup I am that old. It was either a big snagged salmon turned sideways or a huge Laker. It really stayed down and it would not come up. It was having its way with me and there was nothing I could do.

Arnie

Drew we were praying for a look.

I have had that happen on Lake O. Every time it has happened it ended with either a lost fish or netting a snagged Salmon. Last one was this summer where the Chinook must have slashed and missed the bait but the hook got pinned at the top of the head just to one side an inch behind where the leading edge of the gill plate meets the head. I thought a had a tourney contender. It fought just like you described all the way to the boat. In the end it was only about 20lbs.

Probably exactly what it was because it just did not fight a normal type fight.Taking the 4 feet back out of the 5 I walked in would explain a snagged fish too....he was aimed in the right direction to take it back out.....also he would be leaning to stay deep in that direction. Possibly a down towards the tail snag.

Arnie

We went out today but could not get on the fish.....It was supposed to be flat but got windy around 10 am and had more than a few tangles.....called it a day at 11 am with an empty box.....a 8 inch Chinook saved us from being skunked as when we reeled the tipsy in he was attached.....lmao. Thats it for the salmon this year as my buddies boat is getting pulled next week.

Arnie

Great post,thanks Arnie,nice looking Kings.

Thanks Dale.

good outing for sure........


I have had many salmon on over the years that put up that fight you described so well


Of the ones that were finally netted, yes, they were all foul hooked either near the tail or near the pectoral fin. it's exhausting work and you keep praying its a monster, but usually anywhere from 18-23 pounds