As Big As They Get!!!

[Big Sky]

For those of you that are familiar with kokanee salmon this is about as big as they get. It is illegal to keep kokanee this time of year in Utah, but in several lakes you can still catch them as long as you let them go. The state record for Utah is 6.5 pounds. This one has to be knocking on the door of that.

 

[JLS]

Daaayuummmm…

 

[Big Sky]

Daaayuummmm…

I know, right. I was pretty shocked when it got close enough to see. Then it was panic time with the net hoping I wouldn't screw anything up.

 

[Hem]

Looks like a fly rod was involved.
Hero status.

 

[44hunter45]

Amazing! You are the master!

This is my personal best. I hooked it chasing Dolly Varden in Alaska. It started an obsession for me. It hit the purple egg sucking leech you can see in the photo. Once I caught one, I gave up on the Dollys and spent the day sight casting to them in the stream. Didn't keep any. What a blast!

Saw them in the North Fork of the Clearwater yesterday, but they wouldn't take anything I tried.

 

[JCS]

Awesome

 

[JohnBud]

Congrats on a fantastic catch! Glad that you had someone with you to take that picture.

 

[bennirio]

Headed to that body of water this weekend. I was hoping to see some salmon. Beautiful area, even better with some nice looking salmon. Thanks for sharing.

 

[TheTone]

Oh my!

 

[Big Sky]

Headed to that body of water this weekend. I was hoping to see some salmon. Beautiful area, even better with some nice looking salmon. Thanks for sharing.

I wish you the best of luck. I imagine it will be pretty crowded down there. Word has got out and weekends are a little crazy there.

 

[tkhuntsman]

This is a June Koke that tipped the scales at 4.8 lbs by late August he will be close to 6 once he starts to morph.

 

[rogerthat]

So do those things keel over after they spawn?

 

[madtom]

So do those things keel over after they spawn?

Yes

 

[JohnnyDee]

Unreal fish.. looks ready to spawn

 

[fallfreak]

Beautiful fish! Congrats.