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Anglers can't resist allure of chinook
Thom Gabrukiewicz, Redding Record Searchlight
July 17, 2003
LOS MOLINOS — It's early.
As a reference of time, it's 4:40 a.m., and that's just nuts. As most of the north state slumbers, a waning full moon makes quicksilver patterns across the rippled surface of the Sacramento River.
The only thing that drowns out the sound of the current is the rumble of jet boats.
At this hour, about eight river miles south of the Los Molinos Park public launch, there are 14 boats lined up across this wide spot on the Sacramento.
In relation to a season, early is what July 16 represents — the opening of chinook salmon season on the Sacramento, from the Bend Bridge south to the San Francisco Bay.
"Ahhhh, a new season, I've missed this," guide Ken Hoffman said as he turned his jet boat, the Vicki Ann, into the current. "Six more glorious months of this.
"Let's get the stink on this boat, let's get some fish."
Yes, king, or chinook salmon, lesser known as Oncorhynchus tshawytscha; or hens, hogs and chromers.
And best known as barbecue fodder.
"This is the first time I've been on the Sacramento," said Barry Hagedon of Mount Shasta. "I didn't even start fishing for salmon until a year ago. I've lived in Mount Shasta most all my life and never have done it.
"I never ate salmon, for that matter, until last year. Now, I'm hooked."
The Sacramento River Watershed, which includes the Feather, McCloud, Pit, American and Yuba rivers, and north state spawning creeks such as Battle, Mill, Antelope and Clear, flows 384 miles and drains a third of all the water that falls on California. In all, the drainage encompasses 21,250square miles.
And the annual return of fall-run salmon represents a rite of passage for some, a must-do tradition for others.
To the early angler go the spoils of victory. Fishermen camped on sandbars and in their boats, got up at 2 a.m. to make appointments with guides and generally have been waiting since the middle of January to chase the fall-run on the Sacramento again, where the California record for the species was caught in 1979 — an 88-pound hog taken from these very waters near Los Molinos.
"When I say a day of fishing, I mean the entire day," said Hoffman, who has been a guide on the river for 30 years. "And I don't fish the Barge Hole (the infamous deep-water section of the river at the mouth of Battle Creek that can attract more than 30 boats a morning during the season). I mean, I've fished it, but fishing is supposed to be enjoyable.
"The Barge Hole, man, that's combat fishing."
Early in the season — the river will open to salmon anglers from the Bend Bridge north to the Deschutes Bridge on Aug. 1 — Hoffman said he likes to fish from Los Molinos south to Corning.
"I've got some secret places, places where a lot of guides overlook," he said while wrapping a sardine filet around the back treble hook of a K-16 Kwikfish lure. "But for the first 10 to 15 days, it's pretty blah. I've been marking a lot of fish in here, but we're going to have to work for them."
This is a true statement. Four hours and not even a bite on any of the four rods that dangle from the back of the Vicki Ann.
"I don't get to eat or drink anything until we catch a fish," he said.
"You're going to be one thirsty guy," Hagedon said.
"Well, it's salmon season, that's the way it's got to be," Hoffman said.
And he decides to go drastic.
"It's time to get out the go-to plug," he said. "I've never not caught fish on this — and I haven't lost it yet, which is the surprising thing."
This is one ugly Kwikfish (think of it like a palm-long-sized piece of pipe with both ends flattened, from which two very sharp treble hooks are hung from the belly). From the factory a couple of seasons ago, it came painted silver with blaze green heads. Hoffman has added azure blue tiger stripes.
And after five minutes, Hagedon begins to haul up his first Sacramento River fall-run chinook, a 26-pound female ripe with eggs. To land the fish, he pulls up on the rod and reels down, while Hoffman backs the boat down to the fish to add slack to the line — and close the distance Hagedon will have to fight not only the fish, but the current.
After 20 minutes, the fish is finally to the boat.
"I've been bass fishing 20 years and never have caught a 26-pound fish," Hagedon said. "Not only that, I've never had a bass fight like that and just start stripping line and going down.
"She had some shoulders on her, I mean she just stayed down."
"Well, at least the stink is on the boat," Hoffman said. "Get those lines in the water, we've got seven more fish to catch."
Salmon season on the Sacramento lasts until Jan. 14; the bag limit is two fish a day per angler. For information on a guided fishing trip with Hoffman, visit www.riverpirate.com, or call 365-5833.
Reporter can be reached at 225-8230 or by e-mail at tgabrukiewicz@redding.com.
Thom Gabrukiewicz, Redding Record Searchlight
July 17, 2003
LOS MOLINOS — It's early.
As a reference of time, it's 4:40 a.m., and that's just nuts. As most of the north state slumbers, a waning full moon makes quicksilver patterns across the rippled surface of the Sacramento River.
The only thing that drowns out the sound of the current is the rumble of jet boats.
At this hour, about eight river miles south of the Los Molinos Park public launch, there are 14 boats lined up across this wide spot on the Sacramento.
In relation to a season, early is what July 16 represents — the opening of chinook salmon season on the Sacramento, from the Bend Bridge south to the San Francisco Bay.
"Ahhhh, a new season, I've missed this," guide Ken Hoffman said as he turned his jet boat, the Vicki Ann, into the current. "Six more glorious months of this.
"Let's get the stink on this boat, let's get some fish."
Yes, king, or chinook salmon, lesser known as Oncorhynchus tshawytscha; or hens, hogs and chromers.
And best known as barbecue fodder.
"This is the first time I've been on the Sacramento," said Barry Hagedon of Mount Shasta. "I didn't even start fishing for salmon until a year ago. I've lived in Mount Shasta most all my life and never have done it.
"I never ate salmon, for that matter, until last year. Now, I'm hooked."
The Sacramento River Watershed, which includes the Feather, McCloud, Pit, American and Yuba rivers, and north state spawning creeks such as Battle, Mill, Antelope and Clear, flows 384 miles and drains a third of all the water that falls on California. In all, the drainage encompasses 21,250square miles.
And the annual return of fall-run salmon represents a rite of passage for some, a must-do tradition for others.
To the early angler go the spoils of victory. Fishermen camped on sandbars and in their boats, got up at 2 a.m. to make appointments with guides and generally have been waiting since the middle of January to chase the fall-run on the Sacramento again, where the California record for the species was caught in 1979 — an 88-pound hog taken from these very waters near Los Molinos.
"When I say a day of fishing, I mean the entire day," said Hoffman, who has been a guide on the river for 30 years. "And I don't fish the Barge Hole (the infamous deep-water section of the river at the mouth of Battle Creek that can attract more than 30 boats a morning during the season). I mean, I've fished it, but fishing is supposed to be enjoyable.
"The Barge Hole, man, that's combat fishing."
Early in the season — the river will open to salmon anglers from the Bend Bridge north to the Deschutes Bridge on Aug. 1 — Hoffman said he likes to fish from Los Molinos south to Corning.
"I've got some secret places, places where a lot of guides overlook," he said while wrapping a sardine filet around the back treble hook of a K-16 Kwikfish lure. "But for the first 10 to 15 days, it's pretty blah. I've been marking a lot of fish in here, but we're going to have to work for them."
This is a true statement. Four hours and not even a bite on any of the four rods that dangle from the back of the Vicki Ann.
"I don't get to eat or drink anything until we catch a fish," he said.
"You're going to be one thirsty guy," Hagedon said.
"Well, it's salmon season, that's the way it's got to be," Hoffman said.
And he decides to go drastic.
"It's time to get out the go-to plug," he said. "I've never not caught fish on this — and I haven't lost it yet, which is the surprising thing."
This is one ugly Kwikfish (think of it like a palm-long-sized piece of pipe with both ends flattened, from which two very sharp treble hooks are hung from the belly). From the factory a couple of seasons ago, it came painted silver with blaze green heads. Hoffman has added azure blue tiger stripes.
And after five minutes, Hagedon begins to haul up his first Sacramento River fall-run chinook, a 26-pound female ripe with eggs. To land the fish, he pulls up on the rod and reels down, while Hoffman backs the boat down to the fish to add slack to the line — and close the distance Hagedon will have to fight not only the fish, but the current.
After 20 minutes, the fish is finally to the boat.
"I've been bass fishing 20 years and never have caught a 26-pound fish," Hagedon said. "Not only that, I've never had a bass fight like that and just start stripping line and going down.
"She had some shoulders on her, I mean she just stayed down."
"Well, at least the stink is on the boat," Hoffman said. "Get those lines in the water, we've got seven more fish to catch."
Salmon season on the Sacramento lasts until Jan. 14; the bag limit is two fish a day per angler. For information on a guided fishing trip with Hoffman, visit www.riverpirate.com, or call 365-5833.
Reporter can be reached at 225-8230 or by e-mail at tgabrukiewicz@redding.com.
