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Welcome back to the 2021 kayak fishing season recap.  It's now the waning of summer and Mark and I focused our efforts on the Columbia as the Fall King season gets underway. We are still close enough to home that I have time to fish a couple hours before work, keeping our carbon footprint low and putting extra hours on the water. Salmon No. 5 - After July, the action moved from the Willamette River to the Columbia River. I caught a nice jack king during an early trip and tagged No. 5 on a trip before work on August 23. We were still using spinners and Pro Trolls but we can only fish one rod in the Columbia. The video features a look at the jack first and finishes with the big fall king.  Salmon No. 6 - Number 6 was caught on another trip before work and it was the biggest of the season at that point. My trips before work start in the dark and last about 2 hours before I need to be at the shop by 9 a.m. I have a little wiggle room with the 9 a.m. start, but this year I ma...

Welcome back to the 2021 kayak fishing season recap.  Summer was in its glory and Mark and I took taking advantage of the waning Willamette River Springer season by fishing less than 30 minutes from home.  Salmon No. 3 - The third salmon was caught the day after my halibut trip with Don. Halibut, as well as tuna trips, are often 18 to 24 hour days that begin at 1 or 2 a.m. to drive to the coast and launch the boat before daybreak head 20 to 40 or more miles offshore, and then fish hard until, hopefully, everyone limits out. Then it’s back to the launch to clean the fish before driving back. For this king, I was able to get a few hours of sleep before heading to the Willamette River. I am currently working on the halibut video.  Salmon No. 4 - Number four was another trip after work. This one was caught about two miles from the launch, which was located under the St. John's Bridge. The trip back was a slog since it was against the current, but the sunset, and the king, ma...

Welcome to the 2021 kayak fishing season recap. Last season was exceptional with lots of salmon on the kayak, a few trout on the fly rod, and a nice halibut on the boat.  I spent most of my time fishing the Willamette and Columbia rivers with my friend Mark. Fishing less than 30 minutes from home in a kayak also reduced my carbon footprint, especially when transporting the kayak on my 16-year-old Ford Escape hybrid.  Fishing close to home also allowed fishing trips before and after work, which were key to my success in 2021. The season highlights included fishing in five different Hobie kayaks and catching salmon in four of them and hooking salmon in all five. This season also included two friends and my brother catching their first salmon in the kayak, fishing a new area with new techniques, and earning a limit of a king and a coho before noon.  Although I would hook more than 30 fish this season, I only landed 24 and tagged 19, falling just one short of filling my sa...