# 35# PM King!!!???!



## TroutSniffa (Jul 14, 2012)

Went up to the cabin this past sunday the 9th and just got home today thursday the 13th..
Shared this in the thread I started before heading up but felt it deserved its own.. Awesomee week up there, weather was perfect.. Fished about an hr and a half or so each night at dusk, went 2/5 with the takers being 2 browns and 3 kings.. landed 1 of each.. No pic of the brown as I didnt have my phone or go pro on me.. All fish hit bright plugs.. First king hit my plug screamed drag for 3 seconds then was gone... Second one I fought for about 20 minutes as it tried to melt my gear... After multiple runs and stops it took off down stream got into a current just ahead of a log jam and then took my line below the jam while I was still top side with no way to get it out.. my cousin / net man went down below the jam and tried to get her out but it came un hooked and swam free... Im pretty sure that fish I lost last night was larger and more fresh then the master angler I landed today... Pics below of the 42.5" long 24.5" girth black bulldozer.. Does the Weight (lbs.) = length (in.) x girth (in.) x girth (in.) / 740 formula hold pretty true for these lake MI kings? If so that put this fish at roughly 34.47 Lbs... ?? 42.5x24.5x24.5 / 740 = 34.4738 ... Fish swam free after about 10 minutes of resuscitation.. 7'2" medium heavy very fast action Shimano crucial with a Stradic CI4+ 4000 series, 20lb sufix main line with a 17# Seaguar Abrazx floro leader.


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## Slimits (Jun 30, 2014)

Just imagine how big that fish was out in the big lake before it stopped eating! Giant for sure. Def over 30 imo.


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## Sparky23 (Aug 15, 2007)

Yea thats a tank!


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## AdamBradley (Mar 13, 2008)

Definitely a tank! I’d support that measurement to weight result. I wouldn’t put it much over that, but I certainly would not put it any less than 32. Piscatorial pursuits has just about the most conservative calculator and those measurements put it at 32.9. Their calculator has been within a pound on a couple I weighed and measured. Speaking both salmon and steel. Congrats!


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## TroutSniffa (Jul 14, 2012)

AdamBradley said:


> Definitely a tank! I’d support that measurement to weight result. I wouldn’t put it much over that, but I certainly would not put it any less than 32. Piscatorial pursuits has just about the most conservative calculator and those measurements put it at 32.9. Their calculator has been within a pound on a couple I weighed and measured. Speaking both salmon and steel. Congrats!


Thanks Adam, sounding like general consensus is between 30 and 35# ... No matter where it fell in that range its a new personal best for me.. I was thrilled so see the fish right its self in the river sit there for a cpl minutes then slowly swim back up into the hole.. the pair in that hole are going to spread some incredible genetics on the gravel just ahead...


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

That's bigger than my 5 year old. What a fish.


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## Slimits (Jun 30, 2014)

TroutSniffa said:


> Thanks Adam, sounding like general consensus is between 30 and 35# ... No matter where it fell in that range its a new personal best for me.. I was thrilled so see the fish right its self in the river sit there for a cpl minutes then slowly swim back up into the hole.. the pair in that hole are going to spread some incredible genetics on the gravel just ahead...


Maybe, maybe not


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## BOILERTROUBLE (Sep 1, 2017)

Fished PM yesterday as well with a local Baldwin guide. We landed 12 kings most all were 25-34 lb class, lost many other kings as well. All were catch and release. The fish were dark and actively spawning, best day of Salmon fishing ever!


Slimits said:


> Maybe, maybe not


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## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

BOILERTROUBLE said:


> Fished PM yesterday as well with a local Baldwin guide. We landed 12 kings most all were 25-34 lb class, lost many other kings as well. All were catch and release. The fish were dark and actively spawning, best day of Salmon fishing ever!


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## TroutSniffa (Jul 14, 2012)

BOILERTROUBLE said:


> Fished PM yesterday as well with a local Baldwin guide. We landed 12 kings most all were 25-34 lb class, lost many other kings as well. All were catch and release. The fish were dark and actively spawning, best day of Salmon fishing ever!


 Congrats and awesome job, love hearing about good numbers of good fish... Would love to see some pictures of those 30# fish.. also feel free to share the guides name with the pics, those are impressive results..


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## nighttime (Nov 25, 2007)

Tried guessing for years, finally bought a digital that goes up to 50#. Most times hard guessing weight but that fish is most likely a 30+. Weighed a few this year just to see if my guess was close and was off a 1 or 2#. Biggest was 22# out of 3 I weighed. Good job on fish, what did you catch it on??


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## TroutSniffa (Jul 14, 2012)

nighttime said:


> Tried guessing for years, finally bought a digital that goes up to 50#. Most times hard guessing weight but that fish is most likely a 30+. Weighed a few this year just to see if my guess was close and was off a 1 or 2#. Biggest was 22# out of 3 I weighed. Good job on fish, what did you catch it on??


SMH had 2 scales at the cabin and none in my tackle bag.. Thanks it was a battle... That one took the "ghost pink lemonade uv bright mad flash tot" the fresh hen the night before took the wonder bread tot in the same hole.. back end of the hole behind a hard bend with gravel in front of it.. All fish came from deep n slow water.. saw nothing on gravel yet...


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## nighttime (Nov 25, 2007)

TroutSniffa said:


> SMH had 2 scales at the cabin and none in my tackle bag.. Thanks it was a battle... That one took the "ghost pink lemonade uv bright mad flash tot" the fresh hen the night before took the wonder bread tot in the same hole.. back end of the hole behind a hard bend with gravel in front of it.. All fish came from deep n slow water.. saw nothing on gravel yet...


Funny my buddy landed one on same tot last week. Damn hotntots will catch anything!!


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## TroutSniffa (Jul 14, 2012)

nighttime said:


> Funny my buddy landed one on same tot last week. Damn hotntots will catch anything!!


lol love em... from kings to steel to resident browns on small rivers you cant really beat em..


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## Null Response (Jul 27, 2018)

BOILERTROUBLE said:


> Fished PM yesterday as well with a local Baldwin guide. We landed 12 kings most all were 25-34 lb class, lost many other kings as well. All were catch and release. The fish were dark and actively spawning, best day of Salmon fishing ever!


Which guide were you fishing with?


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## BOILERTROUBLE (Sep 1, 2017)

I would like to give his name, but I'm going to be selfish and not give it out, its hard enough to get a fishing date with him because of the short season and his present clientele, I filled a cancilation. There are many good guides up and down the river, you just need to pay the price $ and if the timing is right for the fish you can have a great day of fishing.


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## BOILERTROUBLE (Sep 1, 2017)




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## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

What was the hot fly? Or didn't it matter?


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## BOILERTROUBLE (Sep 1, 2017)

Trout King said:


> What was the hot fly? Or didn't it matter?


We were using black stone fly at end and clown egg in the middle on 10 lb maxima


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## Null Response (Jul 27, 2018)

BOILERTROUBLE said:


> I would like to give his name, but I'm going to be selfish and not give it out, its hard enough to get a fishing date with him because of the short season and his present clientele, I filled a cancilation.


That's a shame... I'd probably want to keep his identity a secret too.


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

Null Response said:


> That's a shame... I'd probably want to keep his identity a secret too.


Nah. Nothing to running a two fly rig through salmon. Strip, flip, zip.


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## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

ausable_steelhead said:


> Nah. Nothing to running a two fly rig through salmon. Strip, flip, zip.


I just can't believe people pay for that, also seems like a waste of flies when a tuft of yarn will accomplish the same results.


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## PunyTrout (Mar 23, 2007)

I have a feeling that N R was inquiring the name of the 'guide' for reasons other than wishing to hire him...


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## rippin lip (Nov 29, 2010)

BOILERTROUBLE said:


> View attachment 330663


Did the guide have you put your fingers in all those released fish gills like that? There all going to die anyways, right. Sounds and looks like a real class act guide.


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## Wanna Fish (Aug 26, 2011)

"The size of the fish is directly related to the bend in the elbow at the time of the picture." Still, nice fish.


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## TroutSniffa (Jul 14, 2012)

Wanna Fish said:


> "The size of the fish is directly related to the bend in the elbow at the time of the picture." Still, nice fish.


mine? lol... the size of fish was directly related to what it ate how long it lived the body of water it lived in and its genetics ... the picture didnt dictate size, the tape measure did... 42.5" long 24.5" girth period


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## PunyTrout (Mar 23, 2007)

TroutSniffa said:


> mine? lol... the size of fish was directly related to what it ate how long it lived the body of water it lived in and its genetics ... the picture didnt dictate size, the tape measure did... 42.5" long 24.5" girth period


I'm pretty sure he meant the picture with the dude wearing a chartreuse cravat... Maybe. Maybe not. Doesn't really matter.

I don't care how far away from your body you were holding the fish. Still qualifies as big in my book.


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## TroutSniffa (Jul 14, 2012)

PunyTrout said:


> I'm pretty sure he meant the picture with the dude wearing a chartreuse cravat... Maybe. Maybe not. Doesn't really matter.
> 
> I don't care how far away from your body you were holding the fish. Still qualifies as big in my book.


lol thanks PT... no comment on the other picture lol... 
headed back up in an hr... will report back sunday night...


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## jpmarko (Feb 26, 2010)

That's a big fish. It definitely looks like it weighs 30 lbs, if not a couple over. The biggest one I've ever caught was 24 lbs and it fought hard. It must have been a riot hooking and fighting that monster. Nice catch.


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## mattawanhunter (Oct 30, 2011)

Holy crap what a Monster, Congrats!



TroutSniffa said:


> Went up to the cabin this past sunday the 9th and just got home today thursday the 13th..
> Shared this in the thread I started before heading up but felt it deserved its own.. Awesomee week up there, weather was perfect.. Fished about an hr and a half or so each night at dusk, went 2/5 with the takers being 2 browns and 3 kings.. landed 1 of each.. No pic of the brown as I didnt have my phone or go pro on me.. All fish hit bright plugs.. First king hit my plug screamed drag for 3 seconds then was gone... Second one I fought for about 20 minutes as it tried to melt my gear... After multiple runs and stops it took off down stream got into a current just ahead of a log jam and then took my line below the jam while I was still top side with no way to get it out.. my cousin / net man went down below the jam and tried to get her out but it came un hooked and swam free... Im pretty sure that fish I lost last night was larger and more fresh then the master angler I landed today... Pics below of the 42.5" long 24.5" girth black bulldozer.. Does the Weight (lbs.) = length (in.) x girth (in.) x girth (in.) / 740 formula hold pretty true for these lake MI kings? If so that put this fish at roughly 34.47 Lbs... ?? 42.5x24.5x24.5 / 740 = 34.4738 ... Fish swam free after about 10 minutes of resuscitation.. 7'2" medium heavy very fast action Shimano crucial with a Stradic CI4+ 4000 series, 20lb sufix main line with a 17# Seaguar Abrazx floro leader.
> View attachment 330226
> View attachment 330227
> View attachment 330228





TroutSniffa said:


> Went up to the cabin this past sunday the 9th and just got home today thursday the 13th..
> Shared this in the thread I started before heading up but felt it deserved its own.. Awesomee week up there, weather was perfect.. Fished about an hr and a half or so each night at dusk, went 2/5 with the takers being 2 browns and 3 kings.. landed 1 of each.. No pic of the brown as I didnt have my phone or go pro on me.. All fish hit bright plugs.. First king hit my plug screamed drag for 3 seconds then was gone... Second one I fought for about 20 minutes as it tried to melt my gear... After multiple runs and stops it took off down stream got into a current just ahead of a log jam and then took my line below the jam while I was still top side with no way to get it out.. my cousin / net man went down below the jam and tried to get her out but it came un hooked and swam free... Im pretty sure that fish I lost last night was larger and more fresh then the master angler I landed today... Pics below of the 42.5" long 24.5" girth black bulldozer.. Does the Weight (lbs.) = length (in.) x girth (in.) x girth (in.) / 740 formula hold pretty true for these lake MI kings? If so that put this fish at roughly 34.47 Lbs... ?? 42.5x24.5x24.5 / 740 = 34.4738 ... Fish swam free after about 10 minutes of resuscitation.. 7'2" medium heavy very fast action Shimano crucial with a Stradic CI4+ 4000 series, 20lb sufix main line with a 17# Seaguar Abrazx floro leader.
> View attachment 330226
> View attachment 330227
> View attachment 330228


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## Waif (Oct 27, 2013)

BOILERTROUBLE said:


> I would like to give his name, but I'm going to be selfish and not give it out, its hard enough to get a fishing date with him because of the short season and his present clientele, I filled a cancilation. There are many good guides up and down the river, you just need to pay the price $ and if the timing is right for the fish you can have a great day of fishing.


Are you castin .....or trollin up business?


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## PunyTrout (Mar 23, 2007)

Waif said:


> Are you castin .....or trollin up business?


Waif, You could ask yourself the same question, about your question.

We could start a new thread dedicated to Salmon fishing in rivers during the spawning run. Guiding, techniques, *ethics* and places to go.

Should be interesting... But it's all been done before and rarely has it ended well...


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## Waif (Oct 27, 2013)

PunyTrout said:


> Waif, You could ask yourself the same question, about your question.
> 
> We could start a new thread dedicated to Salmon fishing in rivers during the spawning run. Guiding, techniques, *ethics* and places to go.
> 
> Should be interesting... But it's all been done before and rarely has it ended well...


Should I for some reason hire a guide ...Why advertise it if I don't want to advertise it?
From what I understand , a good guide should be both acknowledged and promoted. They can teach a novice location and presentation after taking them to a site , and then steer/babysit.

Maybe salmon changed since I plied the rivers and hiring the same guide over and over is how you catch salmon.

Most folks learn enough on one trip to be able to fish themselves....But I'm not a guide, have never used a guide... so maybe going with one over and over and keeping the guides name a secret after mentioning using a guide with great results (without proof) is how it's done?

Whatever. Delete my posts if you don't like them. 
It's been done before.
Always new water elsewhere.


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## nighttime (Nov 25, 2007)

When using proper techniques that are not associated with fishing illegally or unethical guides can curve learning almost 10 fold if your a novice. I started at the bottom of barrel with no one to teach, so everything was trial and error except for all the research I did on the web. Information on web was very helpful but not fool proof. An apprentice is only as good as his or her teacher. So if you have been in situations you might face it’s hard to know. Everybody has different learning curves


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## TroutSniffa (Jul 14, 2012)

just got home... the river was on fire this weekend (thurs-sun)... Fish on gravel doing the dance everywhere.. still some freshish takers in some of the deeper holes.. landed 4 kings lost quite a few.. largest landed was a 39" post spawn hen.. again all fish on plugs all fish put back.. 1 18" brown .. Also saw a few steel in with mouths tightt to the egg wagons... hit the deep bends near where you see fish on gravel... good luck all...


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## TroutSniffa (Jul 14, 2012)

a few pics...


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## TroutSniffa (Jul 14, 2012)

The zombie.. Yuck maguck.. 39" tho .. Was a monster at one point lol..


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## detroithardcore (Jun 7, 2010)

Here's a giant...not sure on weight but big fish either way...What was more fun was chasing the Brown's behind the Redds trying to desperately to not get eaten by the very aggressive Bucks...
Lost a two footer that still is haunting me...


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## bjm989 (Oct 7, 2017)

Nice boat! Is it all wood? Where built?


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## Slimits (Jun 30, 2014)

TroutSniffa said:


> The zombie.. Yuck maguck.. 39" tho .. Was a monster at one point lol..
> View attachment 332402


Look at the teeth and tail on that thing!


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## TroutSniffa (Jul 14, 2012)

Far Beyond Driven said:


> A few years back someone posted on here they fished an unmentionable and landed countless coho from 9-14#. I was at the egg take at the Platte a week later and the coho were running 3-5#, with only one (1) over 7# being processed out of 1000's of fish. Interesting.


14.5# PM Coho on digi... I thought the the scale was broken when it didnt weight 20+ lol ..


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## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

TroutSniffa said:


> 14.5# PM Coho on digi... I thought the the scale was broken when it didnt weight 20+ lol ..


Awesome fish!


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

The mouth on that thing is crazy. Color too.

I think it was 1999 was a year of stupid coho. One charter had four 12#+ master anglers in one trip.


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## jmaddog8807 (Oct 6, 2009)

After buying a scale this year to weigh my kings, I'll be the first to admit, I was off by a few pounds every time I guessed the weight. Caught some real nice males this past Friday that my buddy swore would go 20 or bigger only to have them come in at 16-18 lbs. Once you get a scale though, you get pretty good at guessing the weight. 

Biggest one I weighed this year was 26.7 and she didn't even look that big to me.


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## PunyTrout (Mar 23, 2007)

jmaddog8807 said:


> Biggest one I weighed this year was 26.7 and *she* didn't even look that big to me.


Beer goggles will have that effect after the bar... 

I figured 26.7 was an _age_ rather than a weight.


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

I saw a fish whose length I estimated at 30# last weekend. I was spot-on with that, but my guess of 25# was heavy. The guy who caught it, weighed it @ digital at 20.0#. It was big, and it was fat, but it wasn't 25#.


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

Even digital scales can be inaccurate. But they are far more reliable than spring scales.

One of my most accurate scales is a cheap Boga grip knock off that I got on e-bay, mostly to safely handle fish I plan on releasing. In tournaments I've never been off by more than a pound with that scale, considering that includes weighing five fish and adding up the weights.


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## AdamBradley (Mar 13, 2008)

Weights can trick us all! I have twice in the past couple years joked and guessed some fish to the tenth of a pound and got it right somehow when checked on a certified scale! No joke - shocked myself! Annnnnnd last year I told a buddy to prepare for a taxi bill for his 30lb king, we weighed it and it was just over 24 haha!!!!! This spring we all in the boat swore we had an upper teen/approaching 20 buck.... he was just over 14 haha!!!!! Certain fish can fool us all!

As for an accurate digital I swear up and down by my electrosamson. Each time I verify it with laboratory calibration weights, it is either dead on, or teetering on .05lb off. Can’t ask for much better in my book! A good digital load cell will stay accurate until it is loaded over capacity based on my experience. Hard drops can also mess them up. Some digitals I have seen vary by a pound or more based on temperature.


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## Abel (Feb 14, 2003)

I've boated a lot of 30+lb kings....That's a nice fish in the OP pic....Nice fish man, congrats, glad to see those fish coming back. Hope to get back to MI one day, loved fishing and living in the NW MI area.


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## TroutSniffa (Jul 14, 2012)

submitted master angler paperwork today... If it ends up top five for the "yearly record" ill likely have a replica made for the cabin wall... any recommendations for guys doing great work on replicas?


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## Abel (Feb 14, 2003)

Not su


TroutSniffa said:


> submitted master angler paperwork today... If it ends up top five for the "yearly record" ill likely have a replica made for the cabin wall... any recommendations for guys doing great work on replicas?


Not sure about the guys in MI, but I send all my stuff from up here to a buddy in OH, Jeff Jones, Jeff's Taxidermy, here's near Lorain.


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## riverman (Jan 9, 2002)

Know a man not far from you that has done my last three fish. Here is a coho he did for me as an example. When you find out if the fish makes the top five message me.


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## hungryhollow (Jan 16, 2013)

Lone Leaf Taxidermy in Mt Gilead, Ohio. The man is an artist.


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