King Salmon Season begins! Homer, Alaska

[carbonbass]

so I have some friends that have told me the fight of a salmon is rather boring, that pound for pound it should be a much tougher fish. Your video seems to debunk that myth, as those look like true fighters to me, do different types of salmon fight harder than others? What is your input on this?

[Kardinal_84]

Originally Posted by carbonbass

so I have some friends that have told me the fight of a salmon is rather boring, that pound for pound it should be a much tougher fish. Your video seems to debunk that myth, as those look like true fighters to me, do different types of salmon fight harder than others? What is your input on this?

Well it just depends in my opinion. What does "battle harder or better" mean? How fast you can get the fish in? Or the quality of the fight (jumps, drag burning runs, etc) while its on the line? I've caught 20 pound halibut and king salmon with a barbie rod. Was that a better fight? I don't think so. You are almost tricking the fish to the surface. It took longer, but in my book the fight was much less spectacular.

For spectacular, my favorite salmon is coho. For sheer power, the sockeyes get the nod. Kings are well, kings. Best eating of the salmon and the hardest to find. Even a pink salmon on a 4wt in a fast stream is going to battle super hard.

Here I am using 50 pound braid with 60lbs fluoro carbon leader. Overkill in many ways. The fish just get cranked up to the kayak or the kayak goes to the fish, then it just pulls the kayak around. They fight pretty spectacularly when you have them on 6 ft of braid 15 seconds into the battle!!

I have never caught the southern species you have in So Ca. I have heard the tuna and such pull harder and faster. I rarely battle a fish much more than 5 minutes...even the bigger kings and halibut. I am a meat fisherman. Both ocean troll kings and halibut fillets retail for $20 or more per pound. That means for every 12 pounds or so of live weight fish, its a hundred dollar bill. I release very few fish. But now that I am catching more, I am going to try and tackle these fish with more conventional gear or even ultralight stuff. But while it might be fun, I am betting the battles won't be as spectacular as with my meat gear since I can't apply as much pressure on the fish. Longer battles, yes. Better battles, probably not. Well heck, let's find out!

[JohnMckroidJr]

Nice video and delicious looking eats, Any luck using your kayak for the big Summer kings off the kenai river or what about the giant halibuts....lots of those in Homer?

[Kardinal_84]

Originally Posted by JohnMckroidJr

Nice video and delicious looking eats, Any luck using your kayak for the big Summer kings off the kenai river or what about the giant halibuts....lots of those in Homer?

Thanks. I have tried the Kenai River a few times with minimal success for kings...as in one hooked. But due to low returns the past decade or so, I have been laying off the Kenai River kings. I've caught a ton of big fish out of there on power boats my biggest is 71. I did my part to knock back the numbers so I am trying to do what I can to not hit them while they are down.



Homer and more specifically Whiskey Gulch about 30 miles North has decent halibut. More numbers than size. But I know of two 100 pound plus halibut caught from kayaks in the area. I managed a 105 pounder but I got it in kodiak.

A video:
https://youtu.be/ZO7VfnLRSX8

[JohnMckroidJr]

Nice pictures and video. I use to work on a ship running from valdez to nikiski so I know a little about the area you are talking about. Once in awhile we would anchor in homer can catch halibut while waiting to go to the berth.

[captnblood34]

👍🏻

[blitzburgh]

Awesome!