So once again we had to cancel our steelhead trip to the Queets do to weather as the guide told us the river was running too fast~ so since I had the day off anyway, I was torn between hitting the Skook or getting my boat out for the first time this year to try and get my first koke of the year.

Was waiting to see if the wind was going to blow like forcasted but awoke at 5am to birds chirping which was a good sign so jumped into my truck and ran down to American Lake. Was on the water by 6:30 and it was calm and flat as glass! Started my troll from the launch across and then over the VA hospital and back around Silox island. After about 4 round trips and the wind kicking up a little decided to work the shoreline by the VA and also decided to target a hungry trout so changed out one of my kokanee rigs to a rainbow colored needlefish rubbed with UV and nightcrawler scent. No sooner as I dropped it down ( no downriggers today) using about 2z of lead them my rod buries into the water and starts peeling out line. When I got the rod out of the holder the line went slack and I thought it had broken off but noticed the line was moving toward the boat! It was charging me so caught up with it and after a few more screaming runs was able to land it! 22" and about 4lb's I guess but just a beautiful fish and it is in the oven right now as I write this so will be having fresh trout for dinner!

the only bummer was my fish finder didn't work so will have to figure that out so don't really know how deep or what the water temp was but i can tell you it was COLD! need a few more weeks I think before the Kokanee's start to heat up.

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