# Northwest rivers Labor Day salmon report - New report added from 9/10-9/11 trip including 2 surprise catches



## jmaddog8807 (Oct 6, 2009)

PunyTrout said:


> The specific river in the report has been the subject of _a lot_ of angry complaints and debates on Michigan-Sportsman over the years. It was unmentionable and then it became mentionable a couple years back. Looks like popular demand has made it an unmentionable river again. It's certainly a very well known spot and is featured in just about every Michigan trout stream book I've ever read.
> 
> I think it's better off not being named directly in threads. There's plenty of other water on the Big Man to fish anyway.


Can you edit this post for yourself?


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## Martin Looker (Jul 16, 2015)

We have had good streams ruined by too many people talking about them. One in the UP was a great brookies stream until the word got spread then it had a path full-length. We gave it a shot this summer and no path and great fishing. The last time I fished it was about 30 years ago.


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## Macs13 (Apr 24, 2019)

Martin Looker said:


> We have had good streams ruined by too many people talking about them. One in the UP was a great brookies stream until the word got spread then it had a path full-length. We gave it a shot this summer and no path and great fishing. The last time I fished it was about 30 years ago.


It's all good. I don't want to ruin anybody else's spots any more than I want to see mine full of dudes. 

I want to see some more pics. Anybody get up there midweek? 

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## Erik (Jan 17, 2000)

Your not so secret spot is safe from the likes of me. I'm not into the whole lining fish that are trapped in a tiny slot with no other place to go thing. Even if it means hooking a hundred fish. Or is it 10 fish hooked 100 times? 
No offense. Just doesn't bring me any sense of enjoyment or accomplishment in any way shape or form.


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## Slimshady (Apr 4, 2002)

Speaking of protecting "secret spots" and not telling anyone....funny story. My love of fishing comes from my Grandpa Jim and he passed it down to my dad, etc. Way back in the day, my Grandpa Jim worked nights at the railroad and went fishing most days right after his shift (from shore). He had stumbled upon an amazing catfish bite in the mornings where they were corralling shad up against the spillway at his local lake (in South Dakota). He and his best buddy didn't tell anyone about it. He was on a mission to get a 30 lb'er and had fallen short of that a few times over the past few weeks. 

One morning his buddy couldn't make it out, so my grandpa was out there by himself and had just landed the biggest Catfish of his life. He thinks it was well over 30 lbs. As he was about to weigh it and get some measurements, he heard a car coming up the path. He panicked and quickly tossed the fish into the water to get rid of the "evidence". Turns out that it was just his fishing buddy with really bad timing. Nowadays, he would have texted him to let him know he was coming, but back then, there was no way to communicate something like that. On the flip side, someone would probably be filming it and posting it to YouTube, only to have 50 cars out there the next day. 

There's a big difference between posting videos or reports of Lake Erie or the Detroit River vs small rivers or streams, etc. Those smaller areas just can't handle the volume that the internet brings with it.


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## sureshot006 (Sep 8, 2010)

Slimshady said:


> Speaking of protecting "secret spots" and not telling anyone....funny story. My love of fishing comes from my Grandpa Jim and he passed it down to my dad, etc. Way back in the day, my Grandpa Jim worked nights at the railroad and went fishing most days right after his shift (from shore). He had stumbled upon an amazing catfish bite in the mornings where they were corralling shad up against the spillway at his local lake (in South Dakota). He and his best buddy didn't tell anyone about it. He was on a mission to get a 30 lb'er and had fallen short of that a few times over the past few weeks.
> 
> One morning his buddy couldn't make it out, so my grandpa was out there by himself and had just landed the biggest Catfish of his life. He thinks it was well over 30 lbs. As he was about to weigh it and get some measurements, he heard a car coming up the path. He panicked and quickly tossed the fish into the water to get rid of the "evidence". Turns out that it was just his fishing buddy with really bad timing. Nowadays, he would have texted him to let him know he was coming, but back then, there was no way to communicate something like that. On the flip side, someone would probably be filming it and posting it to YouTube, only to have 50 cars out there the next day.
> 
> There's a big difference between posting videos or reports of Lake Erie or the Detroit River vs small rivers or streams, etc. Those smaller areas just can't handle the volume that the internet brings with it.


With the DR you can certainly ruin it. Maybe not long term but if I posted some locations I'd certainly have company where currently I have next to none.


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## Erik (Jan 17, 2000)

It's not fair that the powers that be allow reports about places they deem as un important. But as soon as a report comes in about some specific place THEY care about its suddenly "oh that spot is too sensitive to put on the internet".
Most of these unmentionables most people dont even have good access too. But the spots we do have good access to are all deemed un important so send as many people there as you want.

Maybe spreading it out might help? Maybe some reports from places other than the Ausable, BM, and PM might actually give guys more places to check out and make the fishing better for all.
I mean either its ok to make reports or its not. Period!

Heres something to consider, why is it that only rivers in the upper lower and UP are on the unmentionable list?


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## PunyTrout (Mar 23, 2007)

Some are conflating the term 'secret' with _unadvertised. There's a difference. _There used to be well written stories on here by aspiring writers. Shared as 'fishing reports' . The river names were dropped all together or changed to protect the resource.

Now we just post pictures instead of stories leading to the inevitable question of _where did the successful angler catch the fish? _ People don't want to put the time in to go around the next bend to see what's there for themselves. They're literally only interested in learning the information *right now,* without having to do any actual research, travel or adventure. Guaranteed, instant results are all that will satisfy and that satisfaction doesn't last very long because it was so _easily gained._

Get out and fish. Find a new spot. Learning is the real fun in fishing.


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## Shoeman (Aug 26, 2000)

It's not about "THEY", it's about exposing smaller waters that can't handle internet traffic. I personally have very small areas on LSC that I don't want to blow up. Therefore I generalize by using "North End", the "Moot" "Fisher".... None are a secret and widely used. Only a fool would post specifics.


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## deagansdad1 (Jan 27, 2021)

I noticed an uptick of people from 20 years ago.

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## Jerry Lamb (Aug 3, 2015)

Shoeman said:


> It's not about "THEY", it's about exposing smaller waters that can't handle internet traffic. I personally have very small areas on LSC that I don't want to blow up. Therefore I generalize by using "North End", the "Moot" "Fisher".... None are a secret and widely used. Only a fool would post specifics.


That's assuming the fish will be biting. You know its rare when its hot.
Like duck hunting lurkers, they see a pile of birds and think that's the spot, only to go there and not shoot much because they don't know how to hunt it.
So, they go somewhere else. Generalities are great. The smart fishers and hunters will be able to figure things out, the majority won't and lose interest.


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## Erik (Jan 17, 2000)

Shoeman said:


> It's not about "THEY", it's about exposing smaller waters that can't handle internet traffic. I personally have very small areas on LSC that I don't want to blow up. Therefore I generalize by using "North End", the "Moot" "Fisher".... None are a secret and widely used. Only a fool would post specifics.


Understood.
But, how does it make you feel when someone else posts the exact locations of these spots you like? After all they aren't considered unmentionables. I'm pretty sure theres even some who might say they aren't sensitive at all. 
Whats more there may be others who would prefer to send people to the spots you like just so there's less people at the spots that they like. 
They probably dont like it when reports come in for the spots they like and would just as soon their spots were unmentionable. Enter the owner of this site, fishing guides, and the moderators. How come they get to decide? 

Puny trout said there was a consensus about which rivers should be unmentionables. I know no one here ever asked me. Pretty sure no one here ever asked anyone outside a specific group of aforementioned individuals. 

Years ago I didn't like it when people posted reports for spots I liked to fish. I had to just suck it up. My spots were considered "it dont matter" spots. Well they mattered to me! But oh well. 

As I said before I am over it. Yeah I know it doesn't sound like I'm over it, but I am. I know its never going to change and I accept that. But it isn't fair. Never was and never will be. Not until there are either no unmentionables or they are all unmentionable. 

Sorry, just the way I feel about it.


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## PunyTrout (Mar 23, 2007)

Erik said:


> Puny trout said there was a consensus about which rivers should be unmentionables.



I never said that. In fact, I've pretty much said the *opposite. *I've said that I understand the _need _for unmentionables.


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## 6Speed (Mar 8, 2013)

Here is the Sticky on the subject. Hope this helps!









To all members who give a report on fishing adventures...


The owner, administrators, and moderators of Michigan-Sportsman.com welcome and encourage you to give reports of your river fishing adventures Photos of your catch and/or the scenery only enhance a report. Tackle, techniques used, and other pertinent information are also an attractive feature of...




www.michigan-sportsman.com


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## jmaddog8807 (Oct 6, 2009)

Personally, I don't know why anyone would post reports naming any river. Everyone pretty much knows the general rivers that hold fish at any given time, and if they don't, PMs are welcomed. I understand some drive 2/3/4 hours away to fish once or twice a year, so they may not care as much and drop names and what not, but for the people that live up and around these rivers, it gets old quick. A simple report with how ya caught something and some pics is fine. ****, most people can probably tell what river you're on just by the pic. That's just my .02 cents, I know it don't mean much. 

Back to fishin..taking my gf out for a raft float. Looking forward to spending some time on the water. Looks like it may be too hot, but at least it'll be a nice day. Good luck to everyone this weekend.


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## Macs13 (Apr 24, 2019)

Dang. This turned into a crybaby fest. Y'all are worried that people might find out that the Betsie holds salmon or something?  

I also just love the continual "my spot" BS. It's public land, ladies. It's no different than if I show up with 5 buddies to go squirrel hunting while you showed up to sit for a deer. You don't have your own spots on public land. 

Another irony is that if it's walleye or perch on Erie, everybody here is specific af including locations, depths, best lures, even where to get the best bait on any given day. This is just a salmon report on a sportsman's website. I'm not giving anything away. Anybody reading my report still has to find the holes and find the fish and if you read my report, you'll see that I basically just said there's fish in many holes right now on all of the rivers, so go out and find one. 

Everybody professes how we need more anglers and hunters in order to allow these dying pastimes to survive but giving a little bit of guidance while telling a story gets y'all all weepy. SMDH

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## cowboy48098 (Aug 20, 2015)

Macs13 said:


> Dang. This turned into a crybaby fest. Y'all are worried that people might find out that the Betsie holds salmon or something?
> 
> I also just love the continual "my spot" BS. It's public land, ladies. It's no different than if I show up with 5 buddies to go squirrel hunting while you showed up to sit for a deer. You don't have your own spots on public land.
> 
> ...


I'm with you there. I had to deal with that a few times in my life. A couple times on the Ausable and two years ago with a guide on the Big M.
The guide on the Big M literally just pulled his boat up in front of me and anchored it. Then they all got mad because I kept casting over his two fat customers lines.

All he had to do was be considerate and move up river 30 ft and I would have repositioned myself, but nope he expected me to move.
That didn't happen so we just kept getting tangled up until he moved.
Best $20 bucks I ever spent.


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## Shoeman (Aug 26, 2000)

FTG


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## Jerry Lamb (Aug 3, 2015)

Fat guys hiring guides instead of doing the work themselves.
What Shoe abbreviated.


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## cowboy48098 (Aug 20, 2015)

Jerry Lamb said:


> Fat guys hiring guides instead of doing the work themselves.
> What Shoe abbreviated.


What the heck does F.T.G. mean?


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## nighttime (Nov 25, 2007)

I fished three different rivers between Monday and Thursday. Boat and shore fished. Really I hiked more miles and crazier terrain then I have in long time. That started with painful scouting missions earlier on in august. From high banks to swamp and steep ridge lines, I just hiked where no one wants to type thing and few craft can float through. Few failed areas but eventually found a few good looking spots and couple were holding fish.

All rivers were really low one ok but dropped fast in a couple days. Each day I hooked 4 to 6 fish all on bob and skein. I did see fish in all rivers but most have moved out from last weeks push. Some guys that got a head of some of them and probably did ok but most were struggling, like bite wise, not ripping but them too. Some reports of tail end fish in pods that ran across a good bite one day then gone next kinda thing.
Just not many fish were on the low end mid week but found some Monday and Tuesday then those few were pretty much gone Wednesday. A guide I talked to had 3 clients fished 9 hours and had 4 hook ups, that was Wednesday, pretty tough day. Most fish were in groups staged up and moved at night, except a few spots a few stayed locked in cold water spots.
Morning to 1ish was best bite and evenings are mostly struggling till last light bite, but we did have good evening bite yesterday. It made the trip a memorable experience for friend and I. Actually he didn’t want to go back but made him anyways.
The evening earlier we struggled to get a bite but hooked 4 right at last light. 
I knew the day earlier I had close to 20 bites and 6-8 good drops and that eventually fish would bite, hopefully lol.

Got down their around 5 and fished a few hours and had 7 hook ups and 4 landed between us. Really fish would grab and let go so quickly line and bobbers would just fly in brush and trees setting hooks. It made for active evening of fun. The huge battles around timber and such and big bobber drops you could feel them in rod handle, and somehow still swing and miss. Totally king fishing and what we hoped for!
One of the coolest experiences this week I had is when I was solo. Remote mid week so quite I hear like a almost weird wind noice almost drone like. When I look up it’s two falcons dive bombing each other playing and such. They would be like hundreds of feet up and fly down to like 50’ off ground and turn. The noise of wind pushing off their wings was amazing. After 10 minutes eagles moved in and they left.
Definitely not a numbers trip but when things work out it surely puts the icing on the cake!


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## stickbow shooter (Dec 19, 2010)

cowboy48098 said:


> I'm with you there. I had to deal with that a few times in my life. A couple times on the Ausable and two years ago with a guide on the Big M.
> The guide on the Big M literally just pulled his boat up in front of me and anchored it. Then they all got mad because I kept casting over his two fat customers lines.
> 
> All he had to do was be considerate and move up river 30 ft and I would have repositioned myself, but nope he expected me to move.
> ...


Have had that happen to me on the Big river a couple times. Once was below the coffer ( Wellston side). Guy just pulls up drops anchor and thinks he will be fine. SMH. Several of us reeled up and retied and started pelting his boat with heavy shot. He didn't stick around long.
Another time I was fishing suicide bend area. This Dude pulls up drops anchor and starts telling his clients where to cast. F that I started deliberately casting and getting tangled with them. Guy asked me to move lol. I told he has the dam river to fish why anchor directly in front of someone on the bank.Well a few choice words were exchanged and finally he moved. As he was about 75 yards away "Fish on !" The look on his face said it all lol.
I've had it happen across from the rock pile and down by Pine creek hole. I've basically given up combat fishing because it isn't any fun anymore. I'll stick to winter fishing when there are no crowds.
Along time ago there was a guide that got into it with guys fishing from the bank. He got so pissed he pulls out his handgun and started shooting at there bobbers. Crazy stuff happens over fish.


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## PunyTrout (Mar 23, 2007)

cowboy48098 said:


> What the heck does F.T.G. mean?



Pretty sure it stands for *F*orget *T*hat *G*uy or something similar.


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## cowboy48098 (Aug 20, 2015)

stickbow shooter said:


> Have had that happen to me on the Big river a couple times. Once was below the coffer ( Wellston side). Guy just pulls up drops anchor and thinks he will be fine. SMH. Several of us reeled up and retied and started pelting his boat with heavy shot. He didn't stick around long.
> Another time I was fishing suicide bend area. This Dude pulls up drops anchor and starts telling his clients where to cast. F that I started deliberately casting and getting tangled with them. Guy asked me to move lol. I told he has the dam river to fish why anchor directly in front of someone on the bank.Well a few choice words were exchanged and finally he moved. As he was about 75 yards away "Fish on !" The look on his face said it all lol.
> I've had it happen across from the rock pile and down by Pine creek hole. I've basically given up combat fishing because it isn't any fun anymore. I'll stick to winter fishing when there are no crowds.
> Along time ago there was a guide that got into it with guys fishing from the bank. He got so pissed he pulls out his handgun and started shooting at there bobbers. Crazy stuff happens over fish.


The "Pine Creek hole." That's exactly where it happened too. Great spot.
No bottom bouncing there though. You lose everything almost everytime.
Good dark water though.


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## cowboy48098 (Aug 20, 2015)

PunyTrout said:


> Pretty sure it stands for *F*orget *T*hat *G*uy or something similar.


I'm not good with all these damn acronyms now a days.


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## cowboy48098 (Aug 20, 2015)

nighttime said:


> I fished three different rivers between Monday and Thursday. Boat and shore fished. Really I hiked more miles and crazier terrain then I have in long time. That started with painful scouting missions earlier on in august. From high banks to swamp and steep ridge lines, I just hiked where no one wants to type thing and few craft can float through. Few failed areas but eventually found a few good looking spots and couple were holding fish.
> 
> All rivers were really low one ok but dropped fast in a couple days. Each day I hooked 4 to 6 fish all on bob and skein. I did see fish in all rivers but most have moved out from last weeks push. Some guys that got a head of some of them and probably did ok but most were struggling, like bite wise, not ripping but them too. Some reports of tail end fish in pods that ran across a good bite one day then gone next kinda thing.
> Just not many fish were on the low end mid week but found some Monday and Tuesday then those few were pretty much gone Wednesday. A guide I talked to had 3 clients fished 9 hours and had 4 hook ups, that was Wednesday, pretty tough day. Most fish were in groups staged up and moved at night, except a few spots a few stayed locked in cold water spots.
> ...


Nice fish and great job!
You had to take a pic of the Centerpin rod setup. Ughhhh.

I wish you would have just laid out a spinning rod setup instead.
All the "Espresso" guys would have called you out and said you flossed them.

There is always a next time j/k lol.


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## Macs13 (Apr 24, 2019)

nighttime said:


> I fished three different rivers between Monday and Thursday. Boat and shore fished. Really I hiked more miles and crazier terrain then I have in long time. That started with painful scouting missions earlier on in august. From high banks to swamp and steep ridge lines, I just hiked where no one wants to type thing and few craft can float through. Few failed areas but eventually found a few good looking spots and couple were holding fish.
> 
> All rivers were really low one ok but dropped fast in a couple days. Each day I hooked 4 to 6 fish all on bob and skein. I did see fish in all rivers but most have moved out from last weeks push. Some guys that got a head of some of them and probably did ok but most were struggling, like bite wise, not ripping but them too. Some reports of tail end fish in pods that ran across a good bite one day then gone next kinda thing.
> Just not many fish were on the low end mid week but found some Monday and Tuesday then those few were pretty much gone Wednesday. A guide I talked to had 3 clients fished 9 hours and had 4 hook ups, that was Wednesday, pretty tough day. Most fish were in groups staged up and moved at night, except a few spots a few stayed locked in cold water spots.
> ...


Nice report and great fish pics! 

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## Jerry Lamb (Aug 3, 2015)

PunyTrout said:


> Pretty sure it stands for *F*orget *T*hat *G*uy or something similar.


Fornicate that male person.


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## nighttime (Nov 25, 2007)

cowboy48098 said:


> The "Pine Creek hole." That's exactly where it happened too. Great spot.
> No bottom bouncing there though. You lose everything almost everytime.
> Good dark water though.


You’d be surprised. Learn the water and you can keep a drift in many spots from tippy down to mouth and even the rollaways, now you will pay the prices in tackle and time.


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## B.Jarvinen (Jul 12, 2014)

Basic skills reading multiple maps will always get you further than reading the Internet chatter map.

Great report, thank you.

I would note that one of the forum software upgrades stripped the header list of mentionable streams from the top of the four river forums, at least when seen on mobile phones; might still be there on a PC. When that list was visible, I think people were more used to the concept from seeing it all the time, without having to pro-actively read the ‘stickie’

A modest report I can add is that jigging for dem Kings in my local drowned river-mouth lake has picked up again the last few days, after a dead lull there for a while. I haven’t been out, unfortunately; I just see the boats from the road. I expect it will be a fairly busy weekend everywhere a King has ever been caught, even if the Internet goes dark for the weekend starting in 30 seconds.


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## Erik (Jan 17, 2000)

Never mind me. 

Sometimes things bring back old memories and gets me all ired up. Dont know why. Just does. Something about the thread. Just makes me remember reasons I hate Salmon season. 

Sorry. I will stay out of it from here on out.


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## Macs13 (Apr 24, 2019)

I went back up with my fishing buddy yesterday and just made it back home. I can give an updated report. That report is that it was the same as last weekend. The fish are in the holes, they're fresh, and they're line shy. 

We did Big Man, Wellston side, at a hole that I used to fish that's a long hike down from the coffer. I went 1-3 on kings and randomly a 16" walleye! Oh, and I caught a crayfish. Lol. He was released to grow for the next guy (the crayfish, not the walleye) .  

On Sunday, I showed my buddy my favorite spots on the same unmentionable as last week. I went 1-4 and I'm pretty sure this fish is a big coho. It was really quite shiny and has white gums. Opinions? Coho, steelhead, or Chinook? 

Also, we met a guy doing research on the same unmentionable. He was using a shock wand to capture lamprey and taking them for research. He had 50 small lamprey in a bucket. Just a neat thing that we saw.






























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## Macs13 (Apr 24, 2019)

Also, do you see what I see? Lmao. After an evening of hiking, fishing, and fish whistles, I was taking a pic of the moon and I noticed Groot was standing high above the treeline. I found this endlessly humorous. My hole was renamed from 2can bend to the groot hole. 
















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## cruzer (Feb 8, 2012)

Macs13 said:


> I went back up with my fishing buddy yesterday and just made it back home. I can give an updated report. That report is that it was the same as last weekend. The fish are in the holes, they're fresh, and they're line shy.
> 
> We did Big Man, Wellston side, at a hole that I used to fish that's a long hike down from the coffer. I went 1-3 on kings and randomly a 16" walleye! Oh, and I caught a crayfish. Lol. He was released to grow for the next guy.
> 
> ...



YES its a nice HO!!!


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## Macs13 (Apr 24, 2019)

cruzer said:


> YES its a nice HO!!!


Thanks for the ID help. That's what I thought as well. 

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## SkunkCity (May 15, 2019)

Nice Coho!


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## cowboy48098 (Aug 20, 2015)

That's kind of odd to see a Coho in the River this early with this heat. Nice catch though.


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## cowboy48098 (Aug 20, 2015)

Macs13 said:


> I went back up with my fishing buddy yesterday and just made it back home. I can give an updated report. That report is that it was the same as last weekend. The fish are in the holes, they're fresh, and they're line shy.
> 
> We did Big Man, Wellston side, at a hole that I used to fish that's a long hike down from the coffer. I went 1-3 on kings and randomly a 16" walleye! Oh, and I caught a crayfish. Lol. He was released to grow for the next guy (the crayfish, not the walleye) .
> 
> ...


I think I know what hole you're talking about. I don't know if it's a mentionable, but beats trying to drive back in there and down that ridiculous hill. I fished it when I was up there last month and some guy...somehow had a 25-28ft trailer back in there. When I asked him How he got it down here he just replied with "Well, it wasn't easy" LOL.
I would have loved to watch him try to get that thing back up that hill without a spotter.


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## Macs13 (Apr 24, 2019)

cowboy48098 said:


> I think I know what hole you're talking about. I don't know if it's a mentionable, but beats trying to drive back in there and down that ridiculous hill. I fished it when I was up there last month and some guy...somehow had a 25-28ft trailer back in there. When I asked him How he got it down here he just replied with "Well, it wasn't easy" LOL.
> I would have loved to watch him try to get that thing back up that hill without a spotter.


My hole isn't as far down as the one that you're thinking of. It's only accessible by hiking in. I've never seen anybody else at the spot but it's the hole where I was taught how to salmon fish about 18 years ago. 

The hole you're thinking of is a fun drive. I videoed myself driving down to it this past spring when I went up there just to explore the 2 tracks and look for more promising holes.

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## Macs13 (Apr 24, 2019)

This pic is awesome to me. That is a 36" king and a 16" walleye (yes, I did measure it and can post ruler pics if necessary as I realize the salmon makes the eye look like a minnow).









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