# Analyze This....trout edition.....



## DocEsox (May 12, 2008)

After last weeks productive trip down the Kenai River I had to go again this past weekend with my buddy Corby (he's a psychologist so there is a lot of free analysis involved with the drive 2 ½ hours each way). When I got up too early Saturday morning my boys were very disappointed they weren't going with me&#8230;&#8230;



Had time to make a hardy breakfast or a reasonable facsimile thereof&#8230;..started with basic ingredients eggs, sausage, green onions and cheese. Before going down the hatch they appeared in a slightly different form&#8230;..yummy and with jalapeno ketchup.



My wife says it looks like the dogs just barfed it up&#8230;..what does she know about fine gourmet breakfast dining before fishing??? Of course, I had the favoured coke beverage as my cold caffeine. Headed over to pick up Corby who was still in the sack&#8230;..what a poop. We headed to the river and for the next 2 ½ hours we discussed the nature of deity&#8230;&#8230;.no absolute conclusions arrived at.

We hit the boat and Corby got up on me a few dollies at the landing&#8230;..but I tagged the first behemoth on the boat about a 100 yards from launching&#8230;&#8230;prepare yourself to behold this massive sculpin (better yet, get a magnifying glass)&#8230;&#8230;.



Yes, Corby was suffused with a green, envious inner light after that fish. A few casts latter the first "decent" rainbow fell to my bead&#8230;.



We were doing some mighty fast floating as the river current (normally about 4,500cfs was screaming at 10,200cfs)&#8230;..many of the usual places just weren't fishable with a flyrod. As we cruised with moderate success the rainbows started getting a bit larger&#8230;&#8230;



Corby even stumbled into one&#8230;&#8230;.



The biggest fish was increased a bit about 4 hours into the trip but not by much&#8230;.this trout looked like it had been beat up in a back alley&#8230;.



We fished the 3rd gate (last one before the river flattens out) without much of anything but as I trailed my bead behind the boat at the back end of a big hole a monster bow just about ripped the rod out of my hands&#8230;..yeehaw!! There was no mystery about the size of this fish as it cleared the water 4 times in the first two minutes of the battle&#8230;..this is where my adrenalin started flowing and even I get nervous after 5+ decades of fishing. Corby didn't get the jumps and first 3 or 4 minutes when the fish was going berserk and got into my backing but was able to film the last 6 or so minutes of me going toe-to-toe with the big bow (I am soooo poetic&#8230;;-))&#8230;&#8230;.



You could tell I was getting a bit excited but fortunately didn't do anything stupid enough to lose this beautiful rainbow. It was absolutely unmarked from previous hooking (rare for big ones in this water) and was just a handsome fish&#8230;&#8230;





Naturally I had the fine shakes afterwards as the adrenalin cleared my system&#8230;.the day was made with that one. We picked up a few here and there but no great numbers. Stopped for a lunch of fresh coho and steelhead (caught the day before) in a great spot but just managed 5 or 6 fish through lunch time. May I pause and give my friend/guide Dennis a big hooray for his effort. The week before he had a muscle tear in his thigh and it had gotten infected from his hip to his shin&#8230;..he had to cancel the 2 trips before this one and probably should have cancelled this one as he was in big pain but refused to show it&#8230;..very stoic, Alaskan man. I appreciated his answer above and beyond the call of work duty. As we closed on the last 1 ½ miles of the float we were divided whether to float the main channel or hit a smaller braid off the main river&#8230;..we decided on the later&#8230;..thank goodness. We beached the boat at an area we had done fairly well last week. This 20 yard stretch of water was just on fire for the next 3 hours. Corby and I counted 11 double hook-ups&#8230;..maybe more. It was just one dolly after another and they were all coming in at 2 to 6 lbs&#8230;..maybe a handful under. I lost my entire leader to a monster that ran me downstream wrapping the line around himself, as dollies are want to do, then dragged me through a tree&#8230;..twerp, I had just put that new leader on last night&#8230;.ahhhh. We didn't take too many pictures during this stretch as we were both hooked up nearly all the time and Dennis was trying to rest his inflamed leg.

Dennis brought his lab Chip who always attempts to help with the fish landing&#8230;.the pest. Here's a brief video of his helpfulness&#8230;&#8230;fortunately we keep most the trout out of his reach&#8230;&#8230;.yes, I understand this is not phi beta kappa treatment of the fish but it was kind of funny&#8230;&#8230;.



Here's Chip with his evil eye on another colored up dolly&#8230;..it was a very nice fish&#8230;.





A little medley of some of the fish taken during the fishfest&#8230;..







The action was nonstop for these 3 hours with many of the fish sitting in just 12-18 inches of water. I would pay a fortune to have had the video when I heard Corby yell, "Chip&#8230;LET THAT GO!!" As I turned around there was Corby headed into the grass with his rod bent and 50 feet in front of him Chip was high stepping inland with a dolly in his mouth taking drag&#8230;..lol. Finally we decided to move despite the ongoing bite so we could do some fishing in the hour and a half we had left. Having lost a specific count we figured about 50-60 dollies were caught in this small stretch. We stopped briefly at a spectacular hole downriver that has produced some great rainbows. Alas, there were no bows there but I almost immediately hooked this beautiful spawning hen&#8230;&#8230;



About as big as the southern subspecies of dollies get&#8230;&#8230;we both caught a couple of more and Dennis was pushing us to move on. Yes I asked for the proverbial, "one more cast" into the head of the hole and nearly through the drift my strike indicator headed for the bottom&#8230;..I set the hook and could tell I was onto another beast. Corby had tagged a nice rainbow that he and Dennis were trying to land and release while I battled the monster. Just after Dennis released the bow he looked up and said, "Oh, you got one too?" Yep&#8230;.he wandered with his hemostats out toward where the line was still dug deep&#8230;..I told him ,"No&#8230;..get the net this is a picture fish" He was tired and a bit annoyed but got the net. As I finally wrestled the charr up from the depths Dennis's eyes got big. We slid it the net and Dennis whooped that this was the biggest dolly he had seen in a long time&#8230;..biggest I have ever caught and strikingly beautiful too&#8230;&#8230;



We were in the shadows but this last picture was more in the light and you can see the true vivid color of orange on this fishes belly&#8230;&#8230;



The fish taped out at nearly 28 inches with girth a bit over 17 inches&#8230;&#8230;right up in the 10 lbs class&#8230;&#8230;I may have a replica of this one done&#8230;..large and such fantastic color. As we released him I was ready to head home&#8230;..I believe my adrenal glands had been bled dry.



Finally the sun was coming out at the end of the day&#8230;..pretty pictures everywhere.

After all his fish chasing Chipper was in deep sleep on the boat ride back.



As the lake settled the just turning colors were great&#8230;.





The boat was hauled in, car loaded and Dennis drove Corby and I back to my car. As we were heading out of Jim's Landing we caught an obviously not shy eagle posing for us&#8230;.



Fitting end to another great, Alaskan day&#8230;&#8230;.

Brian


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## dmaestas (Jun 29, 2013)

Im unhealthily jealous of this!! Looks like a great day. I like your hat too by the way! haha


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## tye dye twins (Mar 8, 2011)

You are the "master-beader" my friend!:mrgreen: I am sure your wife would agree. So to catch labs you need a big trout pattern right? BTW that fish hat might make a bear hungry when it takes a look at you!

That doll was outstanding too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Love all the photos. They all look out of this world


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## LOAH (Sep 29, 2007)

Holy crap! Great dollies!


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## 30-06-hunter (Sep 22, 2013)

Nothing gets me excited like seeing coloring so bright. Some of my friends think I'm crazy because I would rather catch a colorful 15 inch brookie in the Fall than go after a 30+ inch mac. Watching those colors wave just under the surface with the sunlight bouncing off is simply spectacular.


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## DocEsox (May 12, 2008)

Amen 30-06-hunter......


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## EvilTyeDyeTwin (Aug 9, 2011)

Simply amazing doc........always a visual treat to see your pictures. You certainly live the AK life well....no doubt about that. Like the MFC hat, although I thought your "Team Viagra, we fish hard" hat was so much more creative.

That dolly you caught was a TANK! That smile you have while holding it was likely the same smile you had on christmas morning when you were 5 years old. Just can't fake something like that!

Keep on keepin on DOC.....something tells me you will!


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## WeaselBrandGameCalls (Aug 16, 2010)

Love'n the photos!


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## scott_rn (Sep 11, 2007)

Brian,

There are days I wish I didn't spend all of september chasing big, hair four legged mammals. This is one of those days. Hopefully I'll make it to the kenai before the dolly spawn is over.


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## americanforkdude (Sep 13, 2007)

Great pics, those are some awesome fish. Do you live up there as well as guide? I'de rather fish the rivers up there then do the deep sea fishing / halibut run. One of these days I will get there.


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## DocEsox (May 12, 2008)

AFD......yes I have lived in Alaska for 16 of the past 22 years (currently on a 12 year run). Although I don't guide my wife has told me I should take it up....not sure if doing everyday like that would decrease the thrill...probably not.


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