Other boaters were yelling for me to reel the fish in, and I am yelling back, "I only have 15lb test on the line!" A chorus of ohs came back. Everyone around didn't think I would land him. He fought for a good twenty minutes, while I hooted and hollered with my excitement. Everyone on the river that day knew I had a fish on.
I finally got the salmon close to the boat and dad tried to net him a couple of times before succeeding to get him in the net. It took two of us to lift the net in the boat, and in my excitement I almost knocked my dad in the river.
After landing him, I looked down on the floor of the boat. There was my lure with about 3 inches of line above it where it had broken and the treble hook lying next to it with one hook straightened almost completely out! I couldn't believe it! All the odds were against me and I brought him in any way! I had to be the luckiest woman alive that day.
A big thanks to my dad for taking me fishing and for teaching to fish long ago when I was just a little girl.
This probably sounds pretty incredible, but it is a true story.
Attached is the picture of my first salmon. He weighed 33.5lbs! I still can't believe it.
Debi Joranco-Arellano