King Davy

Gambler I know you are a lakers guy....and for where ever we don't see eye to eye, I know you are a diverse angler. I'll never bad mouth lake trout, as they had saved my a$$ on many occasions with a Charter party. To lighten the mood....I once took out a group of old...and I mean guys in their late 70's early 80's. Four guys who only fished the Finger lakes pulling copper. None of these guys had ever caught a lake trout on a fishing rod. EVER! And while we caught some nice kings that day, they wanted to experience lakers on a fishing rod. So in I went to our favorite shoal. Dropped my flashers and peanuts...and couldn't keep four rods in the water, and we had many fish over 10 pounds. Most of the fish these guys caught on a daily basis were on avg. much smaller. Throughout this slugfest with LO lakers, all they discussed while reeling in these fish were what rigs they were going to use the next day pulling copper. When we got back to the dock...I said WELL??? how was that catching all these wonderful fish on fishing rods....to a man....Ahh...it was OK, but I'd rather pull them in by hand. It was Classic.! OK enough of my rants.....appreciate your patience....I assure you My interest lies with a healthy fishery for all our species. I love to fish for King Salmon in open water....hence the moniker I received back in the 80's when I put 22 kings over the side on day two of a tournament ..to leap from from 44th place to 1st .in keeping our 10 best....and won $5K. However now I like chasing some other fish in a different manner....Things change....and I'm OK with that. Tight Lines boyz.

Back about 10 years ago now we the Lake Ontario Steelheaders group, and CRAA held a joint meeting and all day seminar of Stakeholders from both shores, and the perspective Fisheries management groups. DEC, and MNR. Both sides made many presentations, on projects, programs and scientific data driven findings and we asked questions from both sides. Nothing at that time had more juice to evaporate rumors and agenda's then this event. Now I realize this was a trib focused seminar, but we had difficulties understanding the directions our shores were headed in. It was one of the most valuable events I've ever attended. The state of the lake meetings ...lets be honest, there is much mistrust in the room. The tension for the stakehoders to the management officials can be cut with a chain saw. In the event of which I speak, we checked the egos and the special interest agendas at the front door, and got down to facts. Some were debated, some were not accepted by both parties but in the name of science and "politics" we spelled out as far as an agenda was on the table for all to see and understand. BTW Native species was then and always will be a huge topic for the north shore. So folks if you really want to get something done...get off the computer, and get a joint meeting of all parties involved. It can be done, and quite possibly welcomed by both managment and stakeholders IF....BIG IF, you check all the egos at the door and we act like concerned yet fair stakeholders, and LISTEN!!! ask intelligent questions without malice and mistrust and I think you'll get honest answers. Not saying you'll like them...but now the true playing field is clearly in front of you. And maybe after having written this....this has actually happened....if so share what you've learned.

Gambler Canada has been trying to revitalize Native Species way longer then just now. And honestly if you had to depend on Canada for our sport fishery would you? I understand that all fish to the system is good, but I have to tell you I believe there's no turning this horse around. Unless they are going to stop the flows in Duffin's, Little Shelter Valley, The Ganny, Wilmont, etc....they can't stop it. Yes they can stop raising fish in a hatchery (I think it will be hard to win that one...IMHO) , but take a ride in Sept to Wilmont and Duffins....you won't get your feet wet walking across those rivers cause you'll be on the backs of thousands of sucessfuly spawning King salmon. Just like our Salmon river. As long as that treaty is in place we will always have king salmon even if every hatchery in the state fell over. I get it that it won't be what we have at the moment, but we won't be starting from scratch . I also get it that one must study and follow the goings on of their favorite fisheries, and all isn't good news all the time...... . Not trying to put you off Atlantic Salmon but truly there is a lot more REAL effort with stocking in our lake of Lake trout, and if you folllow the GLFC....you'll understand that Lake trout are a bigger target for them (since they now have a history of success in the upper lakes) . And we all know that lake trout live dozens of years and eat lots of bait fish. The chances of them impacting this fishery is far greater at the moment. YET....(and I say this becaue I'm a diverse angler) hook one of those 20 pound plus lake trout on a jigging rod, and I think you might have a different perspective. There is no denying that a 20 pound sport fish in the GL isn't a special fish. Things change, and evolve.....by all mans fight for what your interests are, but in reality there are others that have different interests. Hence the reason we should ALL try and get on the same page. I still believe this fishery can be enjoyed by a wide varity of interest if managed as a whole diverse fishery, not just from special interest, that includes native species study. Banding together of stakeholders interests for both the open waters of the lake and the tribs would have a much bigger impact of urging Environmental agencies to find the right balances for this diversity. That's the only point I'm trying to drive home.

Vince, While I retired my Charter business in 1999 after 20 years to chase my very gifted Athlete daughter around the US playing on elite basketball and soccer teams (my choice and a very good one) , I spent from 1972 until now chasing fish on all the great lakes and rivers, and of course especially LO. Am the past president of what once was the Western Lake Ontario Charter Boat Assoc. and a board member of the NYS Sports Fishing Council. I was a staff writer on the original "Great Lakes Fisherman magazine, and for nine years the LO Editor for NY Sportman Magazine. AND I love lake caught King Salmon and also hope the program stays stable as it is today. Yesterday's Fishing boat census reports for the first part of this year continues to show the interest and success of fishing for all species in the lake and especially King Salmon. I'm not chest pounding boyz...just letting you know I've also been around....I've been involved in the politics, as well as the volunteer programs, as well as the professional business that operate on the lake and rivers. The Great Lakes Fishery Commission which has an important play in management of all the lakes is the main arm of native species "STUDY". Lake Trout and Atlantic Salmon studies have been going on folks since 1956 when this commisison was started mainly to work on the management of Sea Lampreys that invaded the lakes after the opening of the sea way. My personal view on fishery's today after all my experiences is #1 take care of the environment , which is essentially the food web and water quality for which all of these great games species require, and they will take care of you. My comments on Atlantic Salmon is to dispell the notion that there is some agenda to replace our current lineup of sport fish in LO for Lake Trout and Atlantic Salmon. And I realize just cause I say that many think I'm speaking out the side of my mouth. Understand that since 1956 the study of these species has been taking place. Both in the US and Canada. We are doing it differntly here then in Canada. Canada because it's lucky to have true natel environments is trying to put fry in a river that has capabilities for natural reproduction. For the record NYS tried at different times in it's king salmon fishery history to stock fry, and the results were not successful either. But we don't have the same water qualities. I've been fortunate to have spent time with some brilliant scientists. It's a shame that so many are suspicious of these folks who have no agenda other then to unlock the puzzles of science in trying to figure out if LO and the upper lakes has the capability to sustain native species. Most of these guys don't even fish. They are fish nerds if you will that are driven by what all scientists are driven by....finding answers to probelms that haven't been solved. Dr Johnson who leads the A Salmon effort for USGS was once one of the DEC's most gifted biologists who did the studies of our river systems back in the late 70's and declared back then that only a hatchery fishery could continue to sutain sport fishery's in NYS, and his findings were a driving factor of the building of the very Altmar hatchery where our salmon are raised today. He's not a guy with any agenda to undo what he helped start. While I also have good friends working on the Canada effort that also includes many Rec and volunteer groups like CRAA who are not Govt' funded....let me stick to NYS. Johnson is growing fish to larger sizes just like Roger Griel does at LSSU in Huron....and is trying to spawn returning adult to the salmon river which he has. This effort is not taking up NYS hatchery space from other species and has NO FUNDS for the LO program invested in it. It's pure scientific study. Three years ago for the first time in 150 years Johnson and his crew found 100's of naturally spawned wild Atlantic Salmon in the river. I don't know how anybody who loves sport fish and understands that this means we are making some strides in bettering the environment in which these fish live can't get behind this even with positive interest. LOTAC today has now planted nearly 40,000 tress for bank improvement that keeps spawning gravel in tack that our King Salmon are thriving in obviously, and the past three years the spring seining events have yeilded YOY Coho salmon for the first time ever. Is this going to sustain a sport fishery No. (although it has probably helped the King salmon fishing in both the open waters and rivers) But it proves that habitat involvement by Humans can make a difference. I know there is some hard feelings in Canada between sport fishing groups but a group of volunteers who have planted close to 100,000 trees and diverted rain water from storm drains to stop the silting of spawning gravel in the upper Credit have lowered the temps of this Metro Toronto river by a full 7 degrees in the summer and now have very successful wild repo of steelehad. Steelhead that you are all catching. They are seeing returns of spawning fish in the 10's of thousands....where once they were lucky to retun 3000 adult fish. Is there really anything wrong with trying to improve the habitat for which our very diverse population of sport fish require? After I stopped spending 150 days a season on the Lake, I started spending that same amount of time on the rivers. My eyes were opened wide to the connection of the entire fishery not just the lake or just the tribs. Can you imagine if we all got on the same page? If we all had interest in managing the entire fishery environment and not be split ...and has been for decades? Yeah, I'm just not a one species of fish type of guy. I love them all, they all have their place, and for that I'm interested in supporting them all....including the efforts on native species. Lastly I'm more then anything a realist. I might have another 20 years on this earth to enjoy this fishery. From what I've seen, I think I have a realistic view of two things. Since LO sits at the bototm of the chain of lakes, I believe we will always have alwifes, because all the fertil water runs down to us. Populations will flux, but they won't go away in my lifetime. And two, I highly doubt from what I've seen that we'll have a very large naturally sustainable A salmon fishery in NYS. We'd have to plant millions of trees, take out dozens of barriers, and shut down factories and farms all along the South shore waterways.....and that's not realistic. BUT having said that, those A salmon that I do catch, and they are fantastic fish (in a river) , will forever more have my interest to study them, and help where ever I can. I do wish in my lifetime Fishermen could see the big picture. Let's face it both lake and trib anglers are special interest groups. We fight hard for our fisheries. We should all be fighting hard for the entire fishery. One last thing....let's stop the sensless name calling. I'm as passionate as you are about these fish, my 40 plus years of volunterring, working in, going to Albany to fight for, and years spent writing about this...wasn't just done for my enjoyment. Let's start acting like adults, businessmen and women, and concerned stakeholders of this wonderful natural resource.

For PA.....Linds and I fished a different section of a special little stream of the Catt watershed, all wild rainbows and browns. Lots of fish looking up, stellar day, wet wading, and some really nice fish...lots of little guys. Sulfers, and swinging a little wet fly. A blast on the spongy glass 3 wt.

I'd like anybody to copy and paste my words that state I wish there were no King Salmon in the lake. In fact my first post was to ask if anybody has ever tried catching these fish including kings jigging. Next last I knew this is a free country, if I prefer to fish for other species instead of kings that is purely my choice. The question was what would you do if they were gone. I think I made it clear I'd fish for other species as I do today. Would I miss them out in the lake....sure. Would I miss them in a River...no way. They are not the same fish folks. All the things you love about them in the lake is not the way they fish unless fresh in from the lake in Aug or Sept. I think maybe what bothers me most about kings in a river is they are disrespected so much. I've fished Alaska for nearly 20 years....I know Alaskan kings very well. They aren't the same animals as we have in our lakes. Kings in Alaska are in serious trouble ...are regulated heavily. If you know anything about Alaska you'd realize no fish is more protected throughout the State and watersheds then the Rainbow trout. Most places they can't be harvested...because they draw anglers before, during, and after all the salmon runs. t Atlantic Salmon are a wonderful sport fish. For me as fresh water salmonids go, they are the fish I most enjoy fishing for. I could truly care less how you feel about that. But in toting MY favorite fish, I've never said we should replace King Salmon with millions of stocked atlantics. So get over yourselves. One last thing....No Salmon fishery in NA and Europe creates more capital then Atlantic Salmon.

Baitrigger....we have a breakthrough we both have a special respect and enjoy the Delaware. So good for you fishing with your kids. I get the teenage thing, but they may come around as they get a little older. We have four girls all at one time were great little fishermen...all fished the boat and salmon, one was an exceptional fly angler, and then they turned back into Young women and it's just Linds and I. Gambler.....I no longer have much to offer on open water fishing...as I don't get to fish out there often. I did take a lady friend out in her little boat and show her how to catch fish this spring out of my old Port of Sandy.....and yes we caught our 40 fish, just don't think we need another report that somebody caught 40 cookie cutter browns and cohos. Yeah love Atlantic salmon...I did try and provide some perspective on what the A Salmon study is all about at the moment. Take or leave it...it's what's going on. It's factual, as far as what the "Scope" is from a scientific study perspective. The Scope is key....the effort at the moment is not gong to create a world class sport fishery. Someday....maybe maybe not. But trying to figure it out truly isn't ruining our open water fishery....so why not try. People showing up to troll for A salmon. I wouldn't think we'd ever see that. Those that know A Salmon, and have experience with them, world never want to target them from a trolling boat. I do follow your posts out of Sandy as I've fished that wonderful shoal just east of the port for many many years and caught boat loads of fish. I enjoy all fish, and why I travel to fish for so many species. Love my home fish, and have a special place n my heat for Steelhead and A salmon. Always have. If some of you ever have the experiences I've had with these fish and a two handed rod in big roaring rivers where before you can count to four , you are through a 100 foot of fly line and 100 yards of backing looking only skyward because this 20 pound dime bright beast is 8 feet in the air not once but EIGHT TIMES......you might still like your kings better, but maybe get from where I'm coming.

Not sure Baitrigger....I'm pretty sure I may have a few years on you playing the trolling game. I started in 1972. So for sure the hunt on open water to where many variables such as wind and current reposition the food web, and thus the fish, is for sure a lot of fun and a challenge. From your statements you've either never fly fished...or haven't been very successful at it. Do you fly fish? If your from NJ ...hopefully you've tagged a few of your bass and Albies off the sound on a fly. I don't get the Major League.gig....Once you locate Salmon they aren't all that hard to catch. A fish that grows from six inches at stocking to on Avg. 16 to 20 pounds as a spawning adult in three short years...is mostly doing one thing "EATING". Are they active certain times of the day for sure.....but have you not actualy caught them just about any time from Sunup to say 2 PM....and then in the evening? I don't know but all this major league stuff still sounds like chest pounding. And this is the "OPEN Discussion Forum" if I'm not mistaken not the LO reports thread. And if you've ever slid past the lake reports there is tons of other threads that include WARM Water species ....how terrible is that?

My statement wasn't that fish haven't been moved around, but rather entirely replaced....just because of the Atlantic Salmon. If you work for MNR and state that moving fish from three hours away is much harder, then I won't challenge it. I happen to help float stock and bucket stock brown trout all over the state of NY and many times the fish are more then 3 hours from home, and we've never had an issue. Guys it's easy to check the stocking records on both shores from it's inception. Atlantics have been stocked by both countries for ever. People who've been in this game as long as I, know that the turning down of Coho and Chinook stocking from our Northern brothers started way before the ramp up of Atlantic Salmon stocking. I sat in meetings with reps from both MNR and NY 20 years ago listening to reasons for stocking cuts on these species from the North Shore. Through all the belly aching on the advent of trying to figure out the A salmon puzzle....I've yet to read a single post that an angler doesn't catch King salmon any more. and it has to be because of this program. The reports thread as the fish come back off their wayward travel offshore following the migration of the thermal bars are going to be like the neon lights of vegas...right through till you boys put your boats to bed. I know...I know....you hate to hear this...I'm truly sorry for having said this...and I probably deserve the spanking you are going to bring....BUT THIS FISHERY JUST ISN'T ONLY ALL ABOUT THE KING SALMON. Hence Gill's question. What you'd do without them?

To Dave's point is it really a shock that not everybody that fishes this watershed doesn't hold the King salmon close to their heart? If your wife or best friend would rather eat a Chillian Sea Bass, rather then your all time got to die for favorite Prime Rib are they now an idiot? We haven't disagreed that they aren't a fun fish to catch, at least he and I and probably some others have other favorites. I think that's a good thing. I can be just as entertained sneaking up on a trickle in a PA mountain stream, with a size 16 sulfer I tied at breakfast, with hardly any clearance from the forrest canopy make a perfect 30 foot cast into a tight spot of less then six inches to catch the current perfectly (which means I "Read" the flow to perfection), and have an inches fish (not in pounds) come up with the same reckless abandon as a 30 pound salmon attacks a fly or spoon and eat that bug.....and have the fish bend my 3 weight cane rod to the handle. I like trolling, but I love hunting fish in difficult places and conditions....and there are no numbers that I derive as a successful day ...except the number 1. I'm an old old cat doing this for nearly 50 years...and all fish make me happy. Gill started an interesting thread, I like it...cause, nothing lasts for ever folks. From 1970 until what the early 2000's?? I could go out anywhere on our South shore and catch tons of black bass. I mean it was insane...100 fish days if you wanted to spend the time was doable. How about now? Was good for 30 ...off the hook good...now GONE! Just got back from the 1000 Islands ....never saw ONE boat fishing the St Louie from the cape to the lake on a perfect day. It's all good....cause at the end of the day....with jobs, health issues, worriying about your kids if you have them, friends and family....It's just fishing folks. Let's hope we can keep it all in perspective. Cheers.

One of the other reasons Canada has wanted for many years to get out of the Coho game??? They didn't return to their rivers well. Heck they might give up on Atlantics and go to Sockeye next, but forget about trolling for them unless you can pull lettuce behind you rotators.

And has been heavily funded by private money, and not all federal money. Gambler....they started cutting King and Coho stocking way before this all started. Coho are stocked as survivable fish that are nearly a year and a half old.....not fry that are an inch at length. To where a blue gill could eat it. You can believe it or not but with the majority of all fish swimming from rivers on the North Shore being naturally reproduced including millions of king salmon smolts, the Canadian's have been reducing hatchery stocking for a decade.

SY2....where has it been written that the Atlantic salmon study is to replace the other species? That's totally unfounded, but rather assumed I guess by suspicious thoughts of others? I've never understood this. While it wasn't popular in 1993 to cut King stocking simply from a science perspective to protect the food web and feed the fish we had until the forage base rebounded and stocking increases for salmon resumed..(which obviously it has and continues 21 years later) people have been crying about some under the covers covert operation to get rid of King salmon. Native species studies have been going on in this lake and the GL since Seth Green started playing around the Genny 130 years ago. I stand corrected if there is great effort on the NS open water, but you and I both know that more effort happens on your tributaries from Sept to May. Now I'm being a smart a$$ but I'm starting to worry about some of you folks...you must be losing sleep at night worrying about all the secrete meetings going on at the USGS, MNR and DEC to end the dreaded King stocking. REALLY???

Folks everybody has to seriously get updated on your facts for the Atlantic Salmon study. No hatcery space that would be produicing other fish in Canada or the US are being pushed aside for this study. The key word is a study. The current work is looking at results of strains, and more importantly how it relates to habitat. I fish with, and hang out with several biologists with MNR that have worked on this study. The 600,000, and soon 200,000 that will go in on the NYS side is still a lab experiment, that isn't focused on creating a sport fishery (YET!) It's to try and find a starin that marries to a habitat that encourages their return to spawn....and successfuly spawns. And yes the results haven't been stellar. My Biologist friends have been diving in open water off the study streams and have witnessed 100's sometimes 1000's of newly smolted Atlantic's that have done what they are supposed to do, from the fry state. Smolt and head to open water. BUT they haven't retuned as adults successfully in measurable numbers. WHY????? that's the $64 Million question isn't it. It's science, and no matter what you want to belive science runs the entire show including the Pacific species. Let me ask you this. Would any of you be happy if we were only loading 600K kings in this fishery with what has historically been a survival rate to adult returns of hatchery fish of less then 7%? The King Salmon fishery we have today has since day one for the past 40 years been a stocking number ALWAYS in the Multi millions. What happen in the mid 90's when it got cut? Everybody moaned and the salmon fishing was tough. But there in lies the key. You can't create even a hatchery sport fishery with less then millions of fish in a watershed this size. Not hundreds of thousands. So stop expecting this to be a boom for sport fishing just yet. Also the target isn't to create a "put and Take" fishery. It's to create a fully natural fishery. Not the same thing. If you think Canada would be spendng money on King salmon if they weren't spending it on this native species you aren't paying attention. If not this then Coastal Brook Trout, or other native species. Go read the reports section for the past three weeks everybody belly aching and getting nervous about where are our kings. They've always been there, beside the 3 million that are stocked there are millions more naturally reproduced, yet at times you guys think they disappeared cause you can't catch them. And like Steelhead ...Atlantic Salmon are not a top contender as a trolled for fish. They aren't anywhere in the world. They are a river fish, and Canada happens to have more natural reprodcing streams then any place in North America. Especially on the North Shore of LO. A Dozen tribs on the North shore produce nothing but wild steelhead. One would think that they might also handle Mr. Salar. HENCE the effort folks. And like it or not....it's just not all about open water fishing. And the effort numbers don't lie...especially in Canada. The trib game IS THE game. How much is going on on the LO Canada open water reports? I'll end with this....open your eyes....we are the luckiest people on the planet when it comes to trout and salmon fishing. We have something for everybody. I've been fortunate to fish the world, and while I love many species in other places...there is no place like home. Go catch kings and big browns lakers and steelhead, and get off the Atlantic Slamming band wagon. Let the science guys try and figure this out. Look at the fishing reports on creels from the lake the last 10 years it's been through the roof with success. This Study for SURE isn't messing up your lake trolling. So why belly ache about it? You can help them by releasing as best as possible all the adult Atlantics you catch. Be part of the solution. Help us out.

I don't know ...but Baitrigger did mention a low testorterone issue which could be taken as a manhood slam. It's easy to detect all the chest pounding, and long live the king stuff as postering one's man hood on here which my generation would describe one who must pound their chest may be compensating for other "Short Comings". I never associated catching a fish with having a sexual makeup or being a "Man". I say that as I'm married to a true world class angler who easily can handle everything from Salmon to 100 pound Tarpon. If you've seen Linds fish, you would never mistake her for a man. Gill asked what would you do if there were no King Salmon in the lake. DNR as myself, simply are stating we'd enjoying fishing just as much and in some cases more. Having a Trib devoid of the Salmon rapers sure would be enjoyable. I guess from the majority of the responses many of you would fold up your tents and go home. For us that enjoy all the fish in the lake and the Watershed system.....that's also not bad news. Less pressure more enjoyable experience. While Pacific Salmon anywhere on the globe spawn and die, all the other migrators do not. In fact do the math, a Steelehad typically spends more time in a river then in the lakes. I ran a boat for hire for 22 years on the lake....and caught more King Salmon then many of you might catch in a life time. They are a wonderful fish in open water. IMHO They are not in a river if hooked and fought by legal methods. Also IMHO, a Steelhead hooked in the lake while sporting, in my 44 years of fishing for them in the GL as well as the rest of the planet are much more sporting in a river on light tackle. I've read with interest in the reports section many trollers who have had trouble finding Kings through the transition period which is historically normal, reintroducing themselves both Pro's and Rec's to the other species in the lake, with the revelation that "Hey...these fish are fun as well". I still fish all the Great lakes, and Pacific salmon fishing has diminished in most of them, but Unless all those fishing boats sitting in Marina's I see every year have just become summer cottages, those guys have figured out they still enjoy trolling the lakes. There is a huge faction of people who beat Erie to a froth for a fish that fights like an old shore, and you couldn't get them to leave their game for all the king Salmon in the world. We are lucky to have such a diverse fishery. I'm willing to bet that most of you who have made it sound through your words that you'd be just short of slitting your wrists if no Pacific salmon swam in this lake....might actually change your mind if presented that situation. Stay home and weed the garden or go catch 20 pound lakers and browns on light tackle, or even a FLY ROD...who KNEW???? Some of us already do!

Yes PA, we've jigged up Kings...late July and Aug. Of course it would work for staging fish in Sept.

Gill T for the fun of it I'll toss in another angle. Why always "TROLL"....ever jig kings, bows, lakers ...browns up. Seven foot medium light spinning outfit. I've taken 15 to 20 pound lakers as deep as 180 feet on a jigging outfit, and because I wasn't dragging them to the surface on copper lines and dipsey divers etc the fight was fantastic. I may get back into the game once I retire, and offer Fly fishing charters for these fish. I've mentioned before we used to tether off my big boat in 600 foot of water and catch steelhead on flies, sometimes on dry flies off the surface. We've jigged up staging kings in August. The spring fishery is made for tossing feathers, especially in shallow water. July would be the tough month for fly fishing, but jigging comes into play easily enough. Especially when you locate balls of bait with hooks ideling near by. Rip a jig below that bait and hang on. Works in saltwater....and we've done it in LO. As much as I enjoy the trolling game....I'd easily trade it for feeling the fish hammer my bait. There used to be a bunch of us in the late 70's and 80's who played this game out of the box.....I don't see it mentioned anymore. Catching fish with Rod in hand ....all of the species are fun...not just Salmon.

Collin....nice job on the fishing.....I told your dad he needs to let you set up both sides of the boat since most of the fish are coming off your sets.(ha ha)...Let him relax and drink his "Cold" coffee.... On a persional note from all us Atalntic Salmon river fly fishers...thanks for putting that beautiful fish back for others to enjoy.