# first river salmon fishing memories.



## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

anyone care to share? 

mine is being 5 years old. sleeping in the back of the truck with my dad thinking about how a fish was going to pull me in. my first morning we floated the 14 ft v bottom down to what are still my favorite holes. i casted no less than 2 ping a ts into the brush and a couple spinners. my dad decided plunking spawn was more my style while he bottom bounced. yeah his best friend is still old school like that. anyway, i got bored and put my rod down and started playing with lures. i remember my dad shouting "alex!!" as my rod was being pulled into the river. he got a hold of it before it made it into the hole. he helped me fight it. i finally landed it and wad so proud. i didnt hook another fish, but had such a good time with the crew which made the annual trips. i was hooked for life. to this day i still visit those holes every year though they have changed dramatically. i thank my father for turning me into a fishing nut. little did i know that my fathers time would be cut short, he passed when i was 12. i had to relearn everything from then on and picked up a few tricks of my own. 
now im a father i cant wait, just a few more years and i will get to take my son on his first salmon adventure. hard to believe how vividly i can remember that experience. good luck to all.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## tannhd (Dec 3, 2010)

Standing on the bank of the Betsie. Having my friend show me how to put on the fattest glob of skein I had ever seen. Thinking to myself: I wish I could just use sacks. I caught a near 20 lber that took me on a ride probably 30 yards up the river, and then back down 30 yards below where I started. It was the only fish I caught all weekend, but was worth the trip.


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## fish_AK (Nov 10, 2009)

Fishing the rivers of western washington, then the rivers of northern ca. Move to mi and started fishing the bear and boardman rivers. Joined the army and was stationed in anchorage ak. Ak is the meca of salmon fishing... I miss it.

Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


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## -Axiom- (Jul 24, 2010)

Snagging them @ the Ottawa st bridge along with everyone else, it was a blast.


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## itchn2fish (Dec 15, 2005)

Trolling near Ludington for Cohos around 1966 or 1967 with dad and one of my brothers (Trowoot) in a small Pere Marquette ski-boat. No downriggers, no rod-holders and no dipsies, all high lines with each of us holding a rod, so you felt it when they hit. Ran lures such as Flatfish, Tadpollys, Doctor Spoons, etc. The Cohos seemed much bigger then.
One of my most vivid memories was when a huge storm that blew in and caught many unaware of it approaching. That was before most carried radios on-board. The storm blew in, the waves kicked-up, bow into the waves, we pulled lines, and dad put the boat in gear only to have the 65 hp Merc ob stall!!! Dad couldn't get it started. Wave after wave crashing over the transome. I thought for sure we were going down. I remember thinking, well, we are all great swimmers, we have all swam over two miles many times before, and even thought we were about 3 miles out, I felt that we could all make it. The motor then finally started and we were headed to shore. Boats were swamped everywhere. Other people were running there boats right up onto the beach full speed to get them off of the water before swamping. What a storm, maybe someone here remembers what year that was, it was an historically bad storm, and I believe that some lost thier lives in that storm.
Oops, sorry Alex, this was supposed to be about river fishing. Then it would have to be snagging nookies in The Muskegon. Burned up many a cheap reel doing that. Man, did we have a blast, though


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## LushLife (Mar 3, 2008)

watching one hilljack pull a gun on another hilljack at berrien


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## jatc (Oct 24, 2008)

Manistee's North Wall in September 1982. I was seven and had spent all summer trying to prove to my Dad that I was "big enough" and could cast without crossing over everybody by casting a 3/4 oz. sinker over a small piece of plywood in the backyard with my 6' Wonder Rod and Zebco 202. I bet you I put that sinker over that wood 10,000 times that summer!

Once Dad realized I could cast straighter than he could, he had to let me go on his yearly Labor Day salmon trip. I was PUMPED!

I caught a 6 pound steelie Monday afternoon on a green/silver Kastmaster and I haven't been the same since. Of the literally thousands of salmon and trout I've put in the net in the last thirty years (some Master Angler fish), that one little steelhead is still the one I remember the most.


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## toto (Feb 16, 2000)

If its the storm I'm thinking of, wasn't that like 1966? Not sure as I didn't fish salmon back then. Could of been 67, but it was right in that time frame.

I don't really remember the first salmon, but I certainly remember the first steelie though. Was fishing on the Betsie in either late October, or early November and it was raining cats and dogs. We were fishing this one hole and I tried spawn and just about everything else we had. As a last resort, I pulled out a hot n tot and got above the hole and just drifted it back in there, not really knowing what I was doing. All of a sudden the rod just about broke my wrist as a 12# steelie decided that plug didn't need to be there. Man I remember that well, and that had to be close to 30 years ago.


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## jrv (Nov 11, 2008)

2003, last weekend of August fishing in Irons. One of my roommates told me his grandpa was killing the salmon up there; I was so naive that I didn't even know salmon ran the rivers. I had no idea it was flies only water either! Glad I didn't get in trouble. My buddy and I must have thrown at a group of a dozen fish for 3 hours without even a bump. Slept right off the river that night and thought we were hearing deer run through the water; turned out to be salmon swimming up a shallow spot. The rain came down like crazy the next night and our spot was pretty blown out. We decided to get in truck and make our way to the weir, had no idea what a weir was and couldn't believe the amount of fish that were stacked below it. Went down river a few bends and caught my first two kings. That weekend in 2003 was the most fish I've ever seen in the river in the 9 years I've been fishing for salmon.


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## Multispeciestamer (Jan 27, 2010)

My dad is a deer hunting freak so I never got taught how to catch kings. I learned what I could from watching In-fisherman. In 2007, I was 15. I headed up to the Betsie river in Sept. with my mom, sister, aunt and cuz. I had no waders, the water was very cold every morning when I hit it. We were there only for the weekend. I came up with an assortment of cranks. I seen a few fish caught, and watched some guys with bobbers and spawn tear them up. I was casting a MR09, firetiger (first year the minnow raps came out I think). When a good sized king just straight killed the thing in a deep pool. I lost the fish and the lure I think. But I was hooked.

Next year I hit up Berrien springs after a 6 in rain flooded the river. Armed with only a bass rod and 20 pound braid I was ready to land a king. Easyer said then done. The spot I was fishing was bellow the flood gates where a giant eddie had formed. The current was very strong had a entire tree floated right in the center of the eddie for days. Armed with cranks and spoons. I fished it almost everyday. I was 0 for 20 the first few days. I lost more lures then I care to share. Most fish busting me off in the tree floating in the eddie. Mepps Syclopse spoons were hot. My grandpa came down to fish with me the one day, on that day I landed my first king. An 18 pound hen on the orange syclopse. A few days later I landed my first river coho on a firetiger mepps spinner that hit at my feet. After that epic fishing I had my expectations up for the next season. But they were stomped down quick. I doubt ill ever see the Joe salmon fishing that good again ever. In fact I doubt ill ever see it half that good.


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## redpath (Jul 18, 2009)

LushLife said:


> watching one hilljack pull a gun on another hilljack at berrien


Ha! I was snagging at the allegan dam back in the day and had a similar experience. There was a protocol back then, that you got two good yanks and then you would reel in. Well, there was a guy on my right who kept yanking 3 or 4 times and his snaggin' hook would smash into the wall..bad idea right? Well we kept telling the guy....two pulls then reel it in...and he kept yanking 3 or 4 times, smashing his hook into the wall..you see where this is going? Sure enough, he yanked it hard, the hook came out of the water and buried itself in the forehead of the wife of the guy to my left. She was sitting behind us. Upon seeing this, out comes his pistol waving in front of my face at the guy on my right...long story short..the guy on my right decided it was time to go, now. Funny part is, after he left everybody just went back to fishing, including the pistolero. His wife needed a stitch or two, but she figured it would wait until they got there limit . Gotta love a woman like that....


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## riverbob (Jan 11, 2011)

the storm that itchn2fish is talking about I beleive was sept. of 67 I was in it on platt bay (mouth of platt river) when the storm hit I just landed my 1st. coho. that store hit fast n hard. I made it to the beach my staying between 2 waves ( the valley) I remember looking down the funnel n seeing big boats over turned people n debre in the water. I never saw shore till I hit it. (boat flipped end over end). I almost gave up the ghost that day. that also was the day some guy named Blackmeer (sp.) died. I think he had something to do with trying to selling our salmon. to the public. my frist good memory of salmon was getting fish poisoning. (because I was in to big of a hurry to handle the fish properly n let their teeth cut my hands up so bad that I weeped puss out of them till icefishing started. oh well live n learn.ps. I was in a 12 foot boat


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## troutguy26 (Apr 28, 2011)

Me and a buddy used to peddle our bikes to a local creek and rip and pull all day. Even noodled a couple by hand after chasing them around in the water. Ahh the good ole days of being a kid lol. Now ive grown up and realized they are great for the garden if i happen to catch one and take it home for eggs. By accident of course id never think to target them nasty waste of a fish that flood the rivers here soon.


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## flyrodder46 (Dec 31, 2011)

Below Tippy in the late 60's, with my dad and his friend. Fished from shore the first time, remember being almost shoulder to shoulder and being cut off a couple of times before landing our first fish. The second time we took my dad's 12 foot Sea nymph, it wasn't much better, still got tangled and cut off a couple of times. What a Zoo, it was a couple of the worst fishing experiences I have ever encountered. Never fished for salmon again until the mid 90's, and by then I had started to use fly rods, and really enjoying my time on the rivers.

D


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## tsr770 (Mar 3, 2010)

My first memories of river fishing salmon were snagging trips to the Foote with my dad and uncles in the early 1980's. Three memories stand out more than anything, one was burning my hand on the lantern and them wrapping it in a t shirt and having me dip it in the river now and then, second would be dad letting me drag a fish up on the bank (I thought that 20lb fish was just shy of being a whale), and the last which I will never forget... watching a fish be suspended in the air by 2 guys on opposite sides of the river right at the dam.... 

The first salmon I ever landed all by myself was on the Ocqueoc, probably 1993ish a probably 15" buck pink that I had no idea what the hell that deformed looking thing was. First king was also on that little river, and I remember thinking that there is no way I could ever land that fish.. but somehow did.


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## diztortion (Sep 6, 2009)

My first experience was the last year of the salmon snagging season.

I went up with my Dad and most of his family to the Pere Marquette. We arrived on Friday night, just before dark. I was 11 or 12 years old, and excited to spend the weekend fishing. We spent a weekend camping on the beautiful river. 

The launch was packed with people, getting ready for their weekend trips also. Most were folks from out of state. As we were packing up our gear, a boat was headed downstream. They were packed to the brim with all their camping gear. They made it to the first bend and dumped the boat. I remember seeing all their gear floating down the river. Nobody was hurt or injured, other than an ego or two.

The banks were lined with people camping. Both sides of the bank were lined with lanterns and campfires as far as the eye could see. There wasn't hardly an open spot to camp any where along the banks. After we found a spot and set up camp, we started fishing just after dark. Before we left the launch, my uncle stocked up on some the tackle required. My cousin and I stuck a dozen lead torpedo's to the bottom of the river, after that he made us use the old rusty stuff from years past.

Within a couple of minutes of changing to an old rusty treble, I hooked my first fish. I remember trying to reel, but I couldn't. I was in disbelief as this fish was thrashing around so violently, that I hadn't noticed that it started pulling me in, thankfully my uncle stepped in to grab the rod because I was heading to the river. Everyone kept telling me to reel, but I couldn't. After a couple minute battle, the hooks finally broke.

Those old rods and reels were so heavy. Being young, my cousin and I could only take so much yanking before our arms got sore. We spent a good amount of time catching suckers in the river. I remember someone in our party catching a pike on one of the lead torpedo's.

I never ended up catching a salmon that weekend, but that was all it took. We did end up with a couple of fish. I remember going to the cleaning station and paying someone to clean the fish. My dad asked if I could have the eggs, but the guy almost refused. He did finally give up the goods with a little persistence. In hindsight, I wish I would have fished those more.

It's funny how certain smells and sounds can bring ya back to a moment in your life. Every time I smell a campfire along the river, I think about that weekend. 

We still fish that spot, and it's always produced fish since. I usually go there once or twice a year and fish. I hope in the coming years, I'll be able to share with my son a similar experience.


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## Tron322 (Oct 29, 2011)

a small kent county trib, first salmon i saw was swimmin up to me, i got in and tried to noodle it but it was too strong for my 12 year old hands, came back a lot and finnally hooked a big king, entered it in a contest with Al and Bobs and LAV and won a reel I still use today ice fishing lik 15 years later.


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## msujohn1501 (Aug 6, 2005)

I was out fishing with my buddies on the PM and caught my first salmon after a night of boozing and smoking cigars. I felt like total crap and almost didn't make it out to the river that morning. We ended up having to hike for what felt like 10 miles in 75 degree weather. I walked down, found my spot and tossing my egg fly right to left. On my third cast, I felt a whomp and my line started going. My buddies were down river and couldn't help me net it and a guy fishing 50 yards upriver came down to help me net him. When I pulled him in, I realized that I never actually hooked him, but caught a spiders web of line and a weighted treble hooked in his side. Beautiful fish that provided a hell of a lot of fun. Only fish caught all weekend, but had some fun.


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## itchn2fish (Dec 15, 2005)

troutguy26 said:


> Me and a buddy used to peddle our bikes to a local creek and rip and pull all day. Even noodled a couple by hand after chasing them around in the water. Ahh the good ole days of being a kid lol. Now ive grown up and realized they are great for the garden if i happen to catch one and take it home for eggs. By accident of course id never think to target them nasty waste of a fish that flood the rivers here soon.


 Cool beans, brother Bozz (Trowoot) and I used to noodle salmon/steelies too, we called it salmon tackling. We'd slowly saunter up by the fish, ease a hand near the tail and one hand near the head/gills, clamp a death grip on and hold on!!!


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## METTLEFISH (Jan 31, 2009)

Banks of the mighty Au Gres 1975.... tight lining spawn and tossin Devle Dogs... fish were big then 20 to 30 LBs was common. Coho Bob taught me about bobber fishin spawn there..... Always had a case of "Salmon Fever" as we drove to the river. One night after Dad got spooled I was sent to the car for line... met friendly lil Skunk on the way!... didn't leave the car for hours


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## Whitetail_hunter (Mar 14, 2012)

Good thread and a good time of year for a bump.

My first experience was the north Frankfort pier me and my dad spent an hour or so out there without a hit on spoons, before it got real hairy. Waves crashing over the pier we made a mad dash for the truck. Even forgot a rod out there, not a chance we where going back for it.

Next day we where on the betsie didn't have a clue what we where doing, we actually thought they would bite the yarn fly. That's what everyone told us at least, never hooked a fish. I was hooked for life though, became obsessed with catching one of those Kings.


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

Throwing flat warts with my back to the dam at the Rabbit River in Hamilton. Hooked up a king, not sure how big or where it was hooked, but it turned and spooled me somewhere between the bridge and the big bend down from it. Never stopped that fish. Didn't even slow it down...


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## Jimbos (Nov 21, 2000)

It was the mouth of the Tawas river with my wife and I pulling an all nighter with me casting glow little Cleo's and her sleeping in a window frosted over Escort wagon.
The width of the river made it nothing more then a wrist flick cast, but I limited on fresh slobs as they hung around the mouth.
Then taking the fish to Ruthie's to get cleaned and actually getting cash back after selling the eggs.
I was hooked on salmon fishing for many many years after that until I finally admitted that I really just do not like to eat Michigan salmon.


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## Whitetail_hunter (Mar 14, 2012)

Almost forgot watching thousands of coho go up the Platte and I didn't have a clue how to catch them. I had bought some spawn in the small glass jars down the road at this point, they didn't seem interested in that either.


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## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

Whitetail_hunter said:


> Almost forgot watching thousands of coho go up the Platte and I didn't have a clue how to catch them. I had bought some spawn in the small glass jars down the road at this point, they didn't seem interested in that either.


Cohos, my favorite of the Michigan salmon these days. They can be finicky or they can be overly aggressive. Still haven't figured them out and probably never will.


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## ChromeDome69 (Oct 25, 2018)

My first solo salmon (besides trolling) was off the Whitehall pier, a friend of mine asked me to tag along. I was not set up for it at all. I hit meijer the night before and picked up a few random casting spoons, dusted off an old 10ft noodle rod with a junk reel. Hit the pier at 2am because we were young and didn't have any thing else to do. After launching a few casts I hooked into my first salmon at lets say 2:05 am. From there on it was lights out until 9am. We hooked into 18 kings throughout the night and both went home with a limit. After the night my rod and reel was completely trashed, all the glue holding the handle together had come loose and the handle moved freely around the blank. I remember carrying the fish of the pier was quite a choor and we resorted to just dragging them. From then on I was hooked on kings, they pulled like no other and getting one in the net was so much more rewarding than any other specie I had fished for prior. I definitely caught the bug that night and it has consumed my fall ever since.


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## OldBuck (Jan 10, 2011)

This isn't my _first_ salmon fishing memory but it certainly is the best: Watching (member) Riverbob swimming through the fish ladder in GR and shouting out "I'm spawning, I'm spawning!".


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## FISHMANMARK (Jun 11, 2007)

Trout King said:


> Cohos, my favorite of the Michigan salmon these days. They can be finicky or they can be overly aggressive. Still haven't figured them out and probably never will.



It was steelhead... but this was @HUBBHUNTER first trip.


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## HUBBHUNTER (Aug 8, 2007)

Ah yes, I remember that fondly. That was back in the snaggin days. That rod I'm holding may look plastic in the picture but it was in fact made from steel tube and that line was 60# test. As you can tell I was a little frazzled from pulling in so many fish that morning.


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## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

FISHMANMARK said:


> It was steelhead... but this was @HUBBHUNTER first trip.


Boardman?


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## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

HUBBHUNTER said:


> Ah yes, I remember that fondly. That was back in the snaggin days. That rod I'm holding may look plastic in the picture but it was in fact made from steel tube and that line was 60# test. As you can tell I was a little frazzled from pulling in so many fish that morning.


Was it legal to snag steelhead?


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## HUBBHUNTER (Aug 8, 2007)

Trout King said:


> Was it legal to snag steelhead?


I don't think so but can't say for sure. I was joking, I've never snagged anything in my life.

Yes it was the boardman river.


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## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

HUBBHUNTER said:


> I don't think so but can't say for sure. I was joking, I've never snagged anything in my life.
> 
> Yes it was the boardman river.


I can't say the same, not joking lol


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## HUBBHUNTER (Aug 8, 2007)

Trout King said:


> I can't say the same, not joking lol


No worries. I have a couple buddies who still wish it was legal. 

I was brought into fishing by my step dad who was a flies only, C&R guy probably the last 30 years of his life so snagging was never on the radar. That pic was in 1987 when he lived in Traverse.


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## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

HUBBHUNTER said:


> No worries. I have a couple buddies who still wish it was legal.
> 
> I was brought into fishing by my step dad who was a flies only, C&R guy probably the last 30 years of his life so snagging was never on the radar. That pic was in 1987 when he lived in Traverse.


In HS we used to drive up north to the rivers with early runs. If they didn't cooperate yarn was the ticket. Sometimes got a little "jerky" at the end of drifts. We graduated to flossing soon after landing ratios increased, then maturity took over and biters only for me. Now kings are all but a novelty that I do for nostalgia once or twice a year. I still love the Betsie which I think is in my blood, but finding time and other priorities have taken over the last few years. I am proud to this day that I have never acted in a inapropriate way on my favorite salmon river other than having a few too many and getting loud from time to time Lol.


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## riverbob (Jan 11, 2011)

OldBuck said:


> This isn't my _first_ salmon fishing memory but it certainly is the best: Watching (member) Riverbob swimming through the fish ladder in GR and shouting out "I'm spawning, I'm spawning!".


 The whole story, it musta been early 80's, it was during one of the salmon/trout contests downtown, my women wanted to go, so I picked up a car seat from a guy named Cadillac Ray, I jammed the seat in front of my 12' smokercraft, got my lady in the seat, then threw a keg of beer (on ice ) in the back, i pulled my boat out between the ice breaker n the ladder n set up shop, it was the worst contest ever, warm n no fish, n a way, one of my many co drinkers, said "hey bob, where's the fish?" I said, I don't know, but i'll take a look, n dove in, I swam across the face of the dam (waving at my fellow fishermen) I proceeded to swim up through the ladder, n across the top of the dam, to a spot just above my boat, stood on the dam n gave my report , I see no fish n I don't think any r coming, then dove off, swam to the boat, n my old lady handed me a sandwich, n said how's the water, fine I said,,,,,don't do dumb things like me, unless u swam in the east side cannel at 7 n slid down the dam n looked for treasure in the quarry hole at 9, 6th st, is my childhood play ground n i'll miss it when it's gone,,,,ps BUCK don't tell people I was spawning, it's bad enough that sense my trech operation n I told people I could here fish talking, what r people going to think???


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## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

riverbob said:


> The whole story, it musta been early 80's, it was during one of the salmon/trout contests downtown, my women wanted to go, so I picked up a car seat from a guy named Cadillac Ray, I jammed the seat in front of my 12' smokercraft, got my lady in the seat, then threw a keg of beer (on ice ) in the back, i pulled my boat out between the ice breaker n the ladder n set up shop, it was the worst contest ever, warm n no fish, n a way, one of my many co drinkers, said "hey bob, where's the fish?" I said, I don't know, but i'll take a look, n dove in, I swam across the face of the dam (waving at my fellow fishermen) I proceeded to swim up through the ladder, n across the top of the dam, to a spot just above my boat, stood on the dam n gave my report , I see no fish n I don't think any r coming, then dove off, swam to the boat, n my old lady handed me a sandwich, n said how's the water, fine I said,,,,,don't do dumb things like me, unless u swam in the east side cannel at 7 n slid down the dam n looked for treasure in the quarry hole at 9, 6th st, is my childhood play ground n i'll miss it when it's gone,,,,ps BUCK don't tell people I was spawning, it's bad enough that sense my trech operation n I told people I could here fish talking, what r people going to think???


Thanks for the story, gave me a big chuckle. I have seen some crazy sheet downtown, but that would have been up there (Saw a guy try to walk across the the top of the dam, fell.in and got beat up pretty bad and was pulled out by the guys as he washed up on the rocks, luckily he didn't get churned up too bad in the boils). The keg of beer goes hand in hand with salami season. 

I would love to spend a day listening to your takes in your boat. I would bring the beer. 6th Street also holds a special place for me as it was a place that gave me a lot of confidence when it came to catching steelhead, I even managed to catch the tail end of the good king runs there, but unfortunately was a couple years late for the LRB and Laker runs. That place truly was awesome for a GVSU student just finding his own way in figuring out adranomous fishing in Michigan. Learned all about how much salmon "loved" cig butts, menthol only, lol, in reality it was flossing.


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## jmaddog8807 (Oct 6, 2009)

I was reading the story on this topic about the guy who was floating down the PM and he said there were people camping and lanterns lined up and down the river as far as you could see. That's crazy and paints such a picture in my head. I can't imagine that, but would have loved to see it then. 

My first salmon memories were actually, now that I think about it, not good ones. I remember walking around as a youngster at Foote Dam having to step over and around so many dead salmon carcasses. Getting snagged in fishing line and having lead torpedoes sticking to my shoes. My dad would barely let me wander because he was afraid someone would hook me with a snagging lure. I could remember the smell of the shoreline as the rotten salmon were decaying. 

My more recent memories are much better now, but that probably has a lot to do with the fact I don't fish around dams anymore. Floating down the river to get away from the crowds, watching that bobber shoot under the water, sharing some beer and a good shore lunch, and still being able to land some giant kings....these are the memories I look forward to making this Fall. 

Sure I would have loved to see the salmon run at the peak, and just marvel at all the big fish in one little river. But I don't hate on what we have now. Could it be better? I'm sure, but I still find time to enjoy it and have a ball out there.


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## Benz (Sep 25, 2010)

My first river salmon trip was on the Big Sauble. My family would take a week vacation every year to our cottage on lower Hamlin. One of the many yearly activities was a float down the river. You knew it was float day when you heard air compressors running at 7am. We floated down the river and when we got to the end, the salmon were so thick at the outlet that they'd constantly be bumping the tubes and rafts. Not a single person was fishing for them. The DNR said they must have just swam in that afternoon. My buddy and I went back the evening and proceeded to catch countless fish in the pool under the bridge, with no other anglers around. By the end we were "bill dancing" them, which was hooking and landing while sitting in the sand. I haven't fished there in a couple years. The fishing has been terrible there and they show up late and usually aren't interested in anything. I've caught some good ones floating skein there but it's a great place for younger anglers to get excited about seeing big fish kickin around.

After many years of salmon fishing, by buddy convinced me that there were steelhead that would run later in the year on the PM and we had to give it a try. We figured we'd give it a shot one year and headed up to the cottage with no plan. The next morning we load up some kayaks in the back of the truck and head down 10. We're jamming out and drinking coffees when a car pulls up next to us waving us down. We open the window as we're driving and they yelled to us that our paddles flew out of the truck a ways back. We turn around and go back, and walked up and down the road. A guy comes out of the taco bell and asks what we're doing, we explain and he said another car stopped and grabbed them a few minutes before we got there. 
Strapped for cash, we went to Dunhams and looked around. We couldn't afford to buy two kayak paddles but they had the screw together ones for inflatable rafts that fit our budget. We bought two and continued to the river. We got to the flies only part, as we assumed this must be the best water because of the rules. We had no idea how we were going to spot a car, and while we were sitting there a guy pulled up with his wife and we started talking. Ended up trading him a nug to follow my buddy in the truck to the next ramp and give him a lift back. After an hour or so, he gets dropped off. It's late November and ice has formed on the branches sticking out of the water. My buddy had never kayaked before and was in the 325+lb range, and equipped with a flimsy screw together paddle. We get in the water and make it about a 1/4 mile. I'm in the lead and hear a splash behind me and assume my buddy hooked a fish or tipped. I heard a few yells but assumed he'd be fine and was just overreacting. I wait at the next hole for an hour or so and he still doesn't appear. I had no cell service and it was getting late and I knew I had a couple hours at least to the ramp with the truck. I take off and make it to the ramp as it was getting dark. Walk up a hill to get service and have a few nasty voicemails. Luckily some other anglers were nearby when he tipped and helped him out and got him some dry clothes and a blanket, and even started a fire for him. When I finally found him, he was swinging mad. We didn't talk much the rest of the weekend. We're still best buds and fish together as much as we can.


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## BMARKS (Nov 6, 2017)

my dad has always been a fish fiend. he was a guide for 15 years or so. we always did a lot of plugging. still my favorite way to get em. anyways i just always remember when my brother an i were youngsters going in the old drifter and having the claybank customs tied to the rod holders with 3 ft of rope so we didnt loose his rods. one particular king i remember, i had to of been only 5, was in the 20 lb range. anyways we were playing in the bottom of the boat and dad yells fish on! back then we would fight over who got the first one, as we were bickering i let the rod go, luckily the rope saved it, and before we were done arguing that sucker had jumped in the boat over the side and pops said well i guess that on was teamwork. cracked us up.
as the years have passed a lot of things have changed in this world, but the one steady thing in my life has always been that old clackacraft and the claybank customs. every fall through the winter the plugs come out and i forget about all else. cant wait for the cool autumn days. havent went after kings in a long time tho. maybe i will this year. was a good part of growing up. that and explaing to my friends and teachers what that banana shaped boat in the pictures is for and what the heck a steelhead is.


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## riverbob (Jan 11, 2011)

Trout King said:


> Thanks for the story, gave me a big chuckle. I have seen some crazy sheet downtown, but that would have been up there (Saw a guy try to walk across the the top of the dam, fell.in and got beat up pretty bad and was pulled out by the guys as he washed up on the rocks, luckily he didn't get churned up too bad in the boils). The keg of beer goes hand in hand with salami season.
> 
> I would love to spend a day listening to your takes in your boat. I would bring the beer. 6th Street also holds a special place for me as it was a place that gave me a lot of confidence when it came to catching steelhead, I even managed to catch the tail end of the good king runs there, but unfortunately was a couple years late for the LRB and Laker runs. That place truly was awesome for a GVSU student just finding his own way in figuring out adranomous fishing in Michigan. Learned all about how much salmon "loved" cig butts, menthol only, lol, in reality it was flossing.


 I'll make this quick, I do injoy spending time with different people, that injoy the out doors,( i'm sure I would have a fun day with u TK) but at this time in my life,it ain't going to happen, I can't share a boat with anyone (because of movement, rocking the boat), my back is broken in two places, n no surgeon with 3 stars or more, will touch my back, until i a get this beast (tracheostomy tube) OUT OF MY NECK even after having it in for 3 years,, I won't give up hope,,,, u can bring a boat n fish by me here,(for steel)that would work, u bring the beer n I can tell u what the fish r saying about your offering


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## FishMichv2 (Oct 18, 2004)

Standing at the mouth of a little creek near Forestville while my old man tried to snag kings in the surf with trolling spoons. It's nearly impossible by the way. Watching those fish push upstream with their backs out of the water absolutely hooked me. Later that night we were tight lining in Harbor Beach and finally got one to the net. Got it to shore and unhooked and it started to slide towards the water. Before any of the adults could react I jumped on it and gave it a big bear hug. I wasn't much bigger than the fish. Some of my fondest and earliest memories. Great thread by the way.


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## AdamBradley (Mar 13, 2008)

Fun thread here!

My very first memory was when I was 7... tippy dam, my dad took me there to experience what it was all about, two rows of guys, shoulder to shoulder, all the typical chaos stories you hear, fights, drunks, plenty of snagged fish.

Some of the more fond memories in the next few years were just adventuring, going down two tracks looking for the next “secret spot” and finding one or two along the way and only framing that old blazer once or twice... riding out a tornado that touched down within a mile or so in a tent... making the great camp lunches of fried potatoes, and brats/steaks/burgers/dogs, whatever we found on sale before the trip.... being thought how to drive on those two tracks rather than the conventional parking lots....

one of the funny ones was being caught in an absolute downpour storm in a matsons rental boat, nearly sank the boat bailing it out as we putted back to matsons in the blinding rain turning dark - flooded out the tent and campsite completely, and it just kept pouring - made a quick dash changed into what became wet clothes rather than soaked clothes, and I will never forget just how good dagmar’s chili tasted and warmed the body that evening! I’m pretty sure we ate 3 bowls each haha!

all great memories from the national forest area around Manistee/bear when my dad was still able to get out with me...

Now later on in life still seeing all those same places brings back those memories, and my buddies and I still make some fun or funny memories every trip to the area


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## Waif (Oct 27, 2013)

Ha! Tippy dam boxing arena was an early trip for me as well as a kid.
Snagged a freshly (but why?) dead hen that still "fought" well in the current.
Eggs leaked out when she was hoisted , and a sock was filled with eggs and sold.

Hesperia dam washed out and we were upstream , whatever year that was.
That's when I learned how hard a spooked salmon can bonk a wading kid in the leg....


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## gatorman841 (Mar 4, 2010)

My first salmon memories were on the Huron river in flat rock at the dam. Used to be some pretty decent fishing and some big ones used to make it up. Sad that it hasn’t been that way in pry 30 plus years though. Lots of memories fishing off shore inside the Edison plant at harbor beach to, the fish in there used to be stacked up heavy. Cast spawn out on bottom and just wait for your rod to about get dragged in. All my spots when I was younger no longer have them. Just starting to get back into again, used to have a blast chasing them when I was younger.


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## nighttime (Nov 25, 2007)

Below tippy October 2001, I was 21. Barley ever fished my entire life and a friend from work that recently introduced bass fishing to me, asked if I’d like to go. I thank him every day for bringing me to the river. Totally amazed walking down the south stairs at 3am and hearing the dam, seeing lanterns through the woods. First time I seen a salmon! Lol river fishing has been an addiction ever since, so much so my friend that took me thinks I’m nuts.

He taught me the normal tippy shenanigans, I re fined it through a couple years and ended up bored. Fishing solo and trial and error was hard way to learn. As I started float fishing for steelhead soon realized same technique can apply to kings. Add in some hardware and I became satisfied with the pursuit. 

Kings still draw me every August and September for a few trips at least, something I look forward to every year. I try to plan trips during week to avoid crowds as much as possible, it helps. Interesting year, really hope to break my personal best, 26.2# 40.5” landed 2007. Landed a few just shy of that through the years, ended last year with 23.5# hen. Using a digital last year we weighed 10-12 fish in two days, fish averaged around 17#.


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