Having fly fished with me for over 20 years, my dear friend and former colleague, Tom, had long hoped to get his son Trevor, who works in Washington DC for a local congressman, into my boat to chase Chinook salmon with a fly rod. Today, his dream came true as we spent the day seeking those very fish.
The fall salmon run is in full swing on the Muskegon River, and Trevor, who was totally new to it all, hooked and landed the salmon he poses with his Dad. These salmon are some of the largest we’ve had for a decade, and they are very challenging to land on fly tackle and small flies resulting in fishermen struggling to bring them to net for ten minutes to nearly an hour. The smile on Tom’s face said it all; for him, Trevor’s success and loving the entire experience spelled “Mission Accomplished!”
But, wait! Dad still had to show his son that he hadn’t lost his touch in fighting and landing salmon, and he did so in grand style with the buck he and Trevor held together since it was so large—30 lbs., the largest Chinook I’ve netted in some 19 years of commercial guiding. Total elapsed time from hookup to netting? 53 minutes. Tom was thrilled; Trevor duly impressed; and I was gassed! What a fish; what a battle!
Thanks, Tom and Trevor, for a most memorable day for me, and having witnessed the fun you two had together, I have no doubt for you both, too!
Captain Tom Kuieck
