Yep I expect I could catch Godzilla in my net any day now.
that head would feed the whole village

It is more likely the age of the reds. Believe it or not different age classes return each year, some years there are more older fish and in some river systems the fish return at an older age than others as well. So if there is a strong return of fish 5 yr old fish vs 3 or 4 yr old fish you will see more large fish especially if they are 1.4 fish which are those that spent only 1 yr in fresh water and 4 in the salt vs 2.2 fish and are those that spent 2 yrs in fresh water and 2 in the salt.

It seems that the second run kenai reds are always bigger. And of those big ones they look different. People call them bluebacks. They have larger scales and they are darker blue then the typical light green.

I have been told those "bluebacks" are thought to spawn and rear in Skilak lake, not Russian river lake or the kenai lake.

Was always told the first run were mostly Russian River reds that due to the river tend to run smaller so they can breed. The bigger fish and most of the second run are Kenai reds that spawn and rear in Kenai Lake, then also spend time in Skilak Lake before heading out. They are bigger when they leave the river to the salt water, and so get bigger in the ocean and have a better survival rate.

Otterman is also right. Most of the biggest fish are 5 year olds. Seems to be a big year for 5 year olds as well as my son just got back from SE and they were seeing much larger reds there than in the past. I am curious how they are looking in the bay, but haven't talked to my brother-in-law yet.

Could be this is a bad year for Kings returning, but could be a great year for reds.

-TJ

Just think how big those 7,8,9,10 year old Kings are going to be when they finally show up. If I remember right the majority of our reds are 2.2. They run kind of small.

Interesting to hear the reds in the Kenia run small and the lake bound fish run big here it is the opposite for the most part the bigger fish are found in the Nushagak/ Koktuli/ Mulchatna and spawn there and the smaller ones in the Wood River spawn in the lower Tikchik lake system.

Here is a 8 lb whitefish...going to be Agutuq soon

The skilak reds are the hogs. Cook Inlet drifters had the biggest day drifting ever two days ago. I guess. Dipnetters are open 24 hours a day. They are trying to hold back the numbers getting up the river. Not a good thing to have over escapement.
With the setnetters being down so much there is a good possibility that it will happen. The best dipping is yet to come.

These are fall chums they are nicer bigger fish and more oil than the regular summer chums,they run all the way to Canada we caught 520 lbs tonight on a 6 hr comercial opener, some guys caught a few Cohoe's

A buddy with a 311 pounder landed on the charter boat he works on (caught yesterday). Another friend landed a 435 on his boat yesterday. Still waiting to see the pic of that one. 95 1/2 inches long!

Nice! thats a barn door for sure.

Well the king strips are done...your all invited over... bring some beer.

Now that does look good!!!

YJ:
Curious how you prepare your strips? No Kings for us this year but made our strips from Sockeye.

Those looks good! We made 90 percent of our strips from Red's also.

Real simple recipe..just dipped in a salt brine and cold smoked with dry alder and dry cottonwood.
I get more fancy with my hot smoked stuff, like maple syrup and brown suger with other spices.

Gonna be busy come fall! Mt. Goat permit, a fly in deer hunt in Oct. and an AZ Mule deer tag for Nov. Gonna do some coyote calling in AZ while there too. I'll miss the first couple of days of trapping season but I plan to hit it hard when I get back. Life is good!

What do you folks have cooking?

Moose season opens Tuesday... I might wait a bit and let em fatten up yet.

The geese will be flying here soon..so will work on some of them.

And let their red blood cell count come up! I don't like to hunt the early deer here because of the dang bugs. I would imagine they are ferocious up there in August!

Yea they realy put on the fat in August and we have a long season so no real hurry....the bugs do get bad but its been cool this summer so that keeps them down, but it only takes a warm afternoon and they will be out in full force!