Kiss the Kelp and Tickle The Rocks and You’ll Nail Braggin’ Salmon Others Miss
Story and Photos by Terry W. Sheely
This time I’ve got it dialed in, the push from roller waves surging up and folding back off the bald black boulder, the slight drift of a near-slack tide, gentle side breeze, heaving kelp fronds, the angle of the underwater rock slab dropping into the hole, herring freefall and a righteous spin – all coming together precisely in the spot where every bit of salmon sense in my body says a big king is holding.
I aim the bow of the kicker boat at the shoreline, bearing directly at a truck-size boulder and ease forward, rod rigged on the port side, the inside, plug-cut spinning and sliding crescent sinker flashing just under the surface, not yet fishing but ready. I’m glued to the depth sounder, watching it sketch the bottom, mark the depths, reveal the rocks, ping on bait and outline the drops.
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