Seward Silver Salmon Derby - Round 1
August 13 & 14, 2011

Saturday I get off to a late start.  Don't get in the water till 11am.  8 hours later...nadda...for salmon.  Got bored so dropped deep and got a DOUBLE! Too bad it was P-Cod.  Argh.

So I stay at a great Bed and Breakfast, Alaskan Odyssey http://www.alaskanodyssey.com/  Check it out if you are staying in Seward.

I sleep in again! Ack! But at least I am on the water by 7am.  

Nothing for the first hour and then my rod doubles over!  Oh yeah!...Dang lost it...wait...what the heck?

WHaaaa?  THAT caused my rod to double over?  Hmmm..... something fishy going on here...

Finally after paddling out to Tonsina Creek, I see a few boats hooking up.  It took me over an hour but finally I get hit.  Nothing.  ARGH!  

Finally I get in the groove and quickly land 3.  My first one I thought was a monster.  Then I weighed it and it was only 12 pounds.  Needs to be 50% bigger to even have a shot. One's a runt that I let go after closely examining the fish for tags. 

I get hit another 3 or 4 times and no hook ups.  I hate shortening the second hook.  But I don't want to leave snag marks even if the first hook is in the mouth.  I'm going to make them longer.  I got to land them before I have to worry about snag marks. 90% will be ok.  

2 more towards the end of the day closer to Miller's Landing.  Kept one, let the other go.

So the tally after two days, 20 hours of on water time....5 fish landed.  Biggest a respectable 12 pounds and 30+ inches for an upgarde for my AOTY points!  Got something out of it at least!  

Because it was a derby, I really didn't mess around with the video.

I'll be back next week!