King size problem
The fish pulled line like a king. It resisted like a king. But the struggle didn’t last and as the fish tired, we knew it wasn’t a big one.
We boated the salmon, measured, and it came up half an inch short of keeping.
We were on our first drag of the morning so we figured it was a good sign, especially now with gas prices being what they are, the common local fisherman can’t afford to be running around all day looking for fish. You fill the tank, choose your spot and hope the kings are there.
We didn’t find the fish. We found a fish. A fish that was too small.
This is a story that’s too common. There have always been king salmon that are just shy of keeper length, but the fact that the average fish is not much larger, is concerning. An experienced captain can find the fish when others can’t. But no matter how much experience one has on the water, he or she cannot make a fish grow.
