King Salmon Season begins! Homer, Alaska

[Kardinal_84]

So I try and take a gander at these forums to see the different species and to daydream about being able to fish without a drysuit. lol

While most folks are putting way their hunting gear and prepping their ice fishing gear, here in Southcentral Alaska, it is time to gear up for the winter king salmon. Typically smaller than the kings we intercept on their way to spawning rivers, these Kings just mill around the bay for a few years util they head back south to their originating streams.

Had not caught a September King and waited till the final weekend. Went 3 for 6 on both Saturday and Sunday. Kept 5. This batch of kings make it 13 consecutive months I have caught a king salmon from my kayak in Alaska! Should be great fishing through December!

The video:
https://youtu.be/UzAhssXcrpk

A few pics:

[ful-rac]

Well good news is that you'll probably never have to worry about your fish going bad on you while you stay out there all day...Lately around here your time is limited...from the time you catch your fish to the time you get that fish on ice. Your fish can go bad fairly quickly, with all this warm water around here.

[kayakfisherman]

Wow. How much fun is that?? Plus, you get to eat
Salmon!!! Way cool!

Great Video. Yanni

[Kardinal_84]

Thanks!

Man, I guess the grass is always greener on the other side. Yellowtail? Bonito? Any sort of tuna???? Wow, yah if it was possible I would swap pound for pound and I'd pay shipping. lol.

So here' last night's dinner.

Put Fresh king on parchment paper.

Roasted peppers, artichoke hearts, roasted tomatoes, roasted garlic from the supermarket Antipasto bar. Chop them up and keep the olive oil residue.

Salt and pepper fish to taste.

Cover with Antipasto stuff.

Cover with grated parmesan cheese.

Top with lime slices and a pad or two or three of butter...

Wrap up in parchment paper.

Place in 425 deg preheated oven. Mine fillet from a 15 pound fish took 15 minute and even then the thick parts looked translucent. Thinner parts were good. I will say this method makes it hard to over cook. I've cooked thinner fillets in 6 minutes using this method.

I don't know what i would call this. My kids called it "GOOD!" lol.

[Geno Machino]

Looks so delicious!!!







Geno

[Ro12]

I don't know bout everyone else
But I dream of heading out your way
Pretty sure a lot of others feel the same way

[grey zone]

That's great fishing, nice fish.

[Cadillyak]

Nice video. Nicer fish. Is that a Hercules u are fishing. If so, I don't blame you. Super strong rods!

[taggermike]

Great job and video. For a guy thats used to tying on a hook then putting a live mackerel on it, Salmon gear often looks crazy complicated. Notice you're not using one of the long parabolic rods. Are those used when running off a down rigger? Looks like youre running a fairly light wieght in ftont of your flasher. Were your fish fairly shallow? Spoons, plugs, hootchies, plug cut, rotery gizmos, how do you decide? Thanks. mike.

[Kardinal_84]

Thanks everyone. I have alrady taken Nick out from these forums. Had a blast. Anyone who finds there way to Alaska should look me up !! Let's fish!!!

Originally Posted by Cadillyak

Nice video. Nicer fish. Is that a Hercules u are fishing. If so, I don't blame you. Super strong rods!

It is a Seeker Hercules. SRH-60 rate for 40 to 80 lbs braid. I use it for halibut and kings mainly.

Originally Posted by taggermike

Great job and video. For a guy thats used to tying on a hook then putting a live mackerel on it, Salmon gear often looks crazy complicated. Notice you're not using one of the long parabolic rods. Are those used when running off a down rigger? Looks like youre running a fairly light wieght in ftont of your flasher. Were your fish fairly shallow? Spoons, plugs, hootchies, plug cut, rotery gizmos, how do you decide? Thanks. mike.

In this video, I was fishing over 60 ft of water about 20 ft down. So a 12 oz sinker ahead of my flasher gave me about 30deg of ine angle so I let out about 70ft of line. You can only attache flashers that spin in line directly to the weights. The flashers that swing side to side, you need at least 6 inches of line between flasher and weight.

I am a huge bait fisherman, I also troll 90% of the time. But there are days when you would go broke buying bait with the dozens of pollock I can land in a single day. So on those days, I use a lure. The main feed here are sandlances so skinny profile baits are what i choose. Either the Silver Horde Coho Killer or a Goldstar needle fish hoochie behind an action imparting dodger.

I am not a fan of long noodle rods for downrigging. When the rod snaps up, it might pick up 2 or 3 ft of line max. That's nothing relative to line stretch from mono and the blow back I get when trolling an 8 pound downrigger weight. I prefer short (6ft) fast action sticks that hammers the fish with braid as soon as the line tightens. The shorter fast action stick makes it MUCH easier to control the fish at the side of the kayak.

Down to about 25ft I can use weights. 25 to 50 ft I use deep six divers. I can get better line angle and slightly deeper depths. Anything below that I break out my downriggers.