No, the title of this post is not a reference to our toothless Tigers, who once again wasted a pitching gem, in this case from Justin Verlander, just a few moments ago. Nor is it to announce that I had two Bostonians, who just happen to be Red Sox fans, in my boat for the last two days. Nor is it a reference to the fact that Peter’s company supplies all the hotdogs, sausages, and other sundry meats to the Boston Bruins, the Boston Celtics, and, yes, the Boston Red Sox, as well as shipping meat products up and down the eastern seaboard. Rather, the reference is to son Arioch’s protracted battle with a 25 lb. plus buck Chinook, mouth-hooked. Fighting like the Chinooks of two or three weeks ago, this guy gave Arioch all he wanted and more for well over an half an hour. Shouldn’t happen with lip-hooked kings this late in the season, but this one was the exception to the rule. Very fast and very strong, he was truly a “Tiger by the Tail….er Mouth.”
This was my second day with Arioch and his dad Peter. We targeted steelhead all day both days, hooking salmon only incidentally and fighting only those in good shape and hooked in the mouth. The payoff: two more silver bullets brought to net: one for dad and one for son. So, just a delightful two days on the Muskegon River with two wonderful guys. Thanks much, Arioch and Peter. Enjoyed our time together a ton.
Captain Tom Kuieck
