Salmon Fishing the Imnaha River

Seth's 34 inch, 15-20 pound, chinook, hen salmon

Seth got home from work around midnight. I was up waiting for him. We got our gear together and left town by 2 a.m. We got to the river around 4:30, fishing below the town of Imnaha for starters. We caught NOTHING, NADA, ZILCH, ZERO, well that isn't completely true. Seth landed a 10 inch smolt. So, around noon we headed up river, looking for good spots above town. We finally found some good water that was free and started fishing. I took off up river, exploring, leaving Seth to fish the whole he had spotted a salmon in. About an hour later he came to find me, packing a 34 inch hen. She was HUGE. Her own body weight pulled her gills away from her body, detaching her lower jaw from her body.

We headed back down to the gravel bar he had caught her on and I hooked up after 10 minutes of fishing. It was a good fish, not huge, but strong. I got it to the bank, almost to where we could get to it when two of my hooks straightened; I lost it!

Next cast I hooked a really big fish. I fought it hard below me, but wasn't gaining much. The hook pulled free as it tore line downriver. It had straightened all three of my hooks! Seth hooked one more before we left. It was a beautiful day! Lots of fun, with 4 fish hooked, one landed. I would have liked to have landed at least one of mine, but I guess I will just have to live with the rejection!

Losing my first salmon!

Losing my Second Salmon