PNW Salmon

[John H]

I spent some days in the PNW doing various things but the centerpiece was a couple of days pursuing salmon on the fly. One beautiful fall day casting for coho in the tidewater and one very rainy day trying to make something happen on the upper river. There are a lot of people out there trying to get the salmon right now. It can be a tough life when you are big and tasty and pull hard. I also went out on the charter boat for ling cod, etc. The fish were 400 feet below the boat so I fished the 20 ounce lead fly. Good times.



A humpback whale. The biggest animal spotted on the trip. A lot of them out there. Seems like I see a whale every time I go to the coast. The captain got us pretty close to a pair that were playing around on the surface.


A beautiful stream meandering across the beach. Probably a good coho run here back in the day.


Big leaf maple.


Getting on the water at first light.


A bunch of dudes pounding the water.


We anchored in the tidewater and waited for pods of fish coming from the salt to pass within casting range.


That is what you like to see on your anadromous fish.


Coho in the 6 to 8 pound range. Not always released.


My top notch guide holding a Chinook caught in the rain.


Biking through the tree farm