Fall Kayak King Salmon: Columbia River 2023

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I had big plans to target fall Kings from the kayak this year at Buoy 10 but decided against it. As a backup I returned to my home waters near the Warrior Rock and mouth of the Lewis River. While still early in the season I was hopeful that I might find my first lower Columbia kayak King Salmon of 2023.
Tackle featured in this video:
- Brad's Superbait Original "Hot Tamale": amzn.to/47kTlrf
- Medium Float Stops (Rubber beads): amzn.to/3QFOWJc
- Pro-troll Flasher Chrome: amzn.to/3YrTNQ8
- Shimano Trevala 7' L: amzn.to/2UY80IB
- Shimano Tekota 500 LC Reel (old model): amzn.to/3Yte5sx
- Frabill Scoop Net: amzn.to/3Q0GKPZ
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[@ChipDarby13]

I love that you’re so helpful to other fisherman going by…that’s what it’s all about!🎣

[@MarkoAbo]

Thanks for the tip on the Original Superbait hot tamale Tyler! I rigged mine with 6 8mm red beads with 2 3/0 hooks off the end and hooked a nice 15 pound Chinook this morning on the Columbia. Thanks much! Be well, fish on! Mark A.

[@spiltmilt]

Great to hear. That’s always been my most productive color on the lower river. Congrats on your fish!

[@PhattyBarnett]

Glad you got that beautiful fish man. You’ve put in the hard work over the years. You deserve a quick limit!

[@jerryberg6244]

Great conservation message to have less impact on sensitive stocks. Glad you caught a nice king, and quickly.

[@boise2Talay7886]

Hope catching that beautiful Salmon helps with your stress relief. Don't need any details from your personal life but for me if I was feeling stressed going fishing was always the best medicine. Getting outdoors and clearing your mind and then focusing on doing something that you love is always a great way to keep my general attitude more positive. I think it helps when you have a successful harvest like you just did, thanks for sharing another awesome video!

[@kyle4883]

Dude I love your videos. You're so cool calm and collected, it's so peaceful watching your videos. You are eager to share knowledge. Thanks for not screaming through the screen, thank you for not playing obnoxious music, thanks for bringing your videos to the world.

[@danm1319]

My sister painted that mural on the lighthouse for my mom that passed..

[@davepelletier9671]

God bless our Mothers. She is missed daily

[@johnboyle2453]

Milt this is a great video good luck the rest of the year a lot of those wild fish at 10 will die because of hook sets ban fishing at 10😊

[@thomassteele8150]

Thanks!

[@spiltmilt]

Thank you Tom!

[@nwpete]

That's awesome. I like how you rigged your superbait with the stopper. That way you don't have to add a whole bunch of beads adding weight to the superbait.

[@samsmith7150]

I feel same way! Hooking wild a releasing a tired fish will let the seals eat down there if they don't get them off the line. I was there last year and lost 2 to seals in a boat with 5 guys.

[@ratta_tat]

My friend and I always call our fishing days, "good medicine." Nice fish! Love the thoughts on the ethics of handling fish. We're having lots of discussions these days about "volume" and quality efforts. I'm afraid that drastic measures may be coming soon. Either way, it's great to see the thoughtfulness and the results!

[@barbkoos2629]

So cool - SO HAPPY FOR YOU!! Nice reel in, great netting, generous and kind of you sharing your catch info!!! 🙏🏼🍻🙌🥳💯🎣

[@matttaylor9385]

Those rubber stops sure do some in handy! I've actually had some luck using them with kokanee hardbaits like pro-trolls or flutter bugs. If I add an inch or so between the hooks+beads and the lure it frees up the action even if both hooks have corn or maggots. YMMV of course, since most of my "flutter bugs" are home made.

[@MrAcuta73]

Hot fish! And good size, too! Well done!

[@stevenbond8168]

The best Salmon fishing trips I have ever had are right at the mouth of the Columbia River. Great job.

[@L3Dhelpguide]

We agree one and done is less harmful to the overall runs.

[@estric3246]

A quick limit is always the dream! Congrats, looks like a beautiful fish!

[@patriciaward3207]

Congratulations Tyler, so appreciate your ethics and dedication to help educate to insure fish and habitat for future generations. Fyi I’ve been fishing Puget sound, having a blast catching pinks! And using your brining and smoking tips !,

[@WillyFish]

Gotta love learning that drag sound!! You know it’s a good one!!

[@danielcole8609]

I have been skipping bouy 10 for the last couple of years and fishing that same area earlier also ive done pretty well

[@kickinatthedarkness]

Love your excitement over the home turf. I get that way as well on Lake Michigan on a beach launch that was my first.

[@robertromaine6225]

Absolutely epic runs. This is quintessential kayak fishing IMO!

[@stevepreston7030]

That's great! I haven't been to that area in 4 years. Since before covid. I was thinking of trying it again this year. We'll see, busy, busy, busy!. Nice fish!

[@NghiaPham-xi5so]

Can you do a video on how you did that rig on your super bait? Thanks

[@todgarred1450]

Shhhh! Don't tell anybody. Lol. Glad you got one. Think there was a little pilot run that came through cause it's been dead last few days.

[@danm1319]

Good for you!

[@ag8782]

Great catch and awesome net job!

[@spiltmilt]

For once being Mr Stabby actually paid off 😂

[@Newtrous]

Wow gorgeous fish!

[@colbysteffenhagen1703]

Congrats, awesome catch!

[@pdxfisher1]

Really awesome!

[@scottkennedy1089]

Looks like a great day!

[@fishwhistle9666]

Nicely done! 👌

[@roberthyatt342]

I can’t believe you lived in Ridgefield. My whole family is from there. Small world 😮

[@ShenpaiWasTaken]

Super nice fish!

[@deitrickorullian505]

Congrats, lucky man! I recently moved to Ridgefield, the launch downtown is super close so it's easy for me to come out here, I still haven't gotten any luck but hopefully in the coming weeks I can bag my first Chinook out here 🤞

[@spiltmilt]

Good luck! You'll get one.

[@jessetharp6319]

I live near the puget sound, and folks are constantly saying they had to go through 6 or 8 or 10 fish to find their one hatchery. Wouldn’t it be less impactful to the wild fish if they just required you to keep the first thing you catch?

[@ChiCityYaker]

helleva job! Nice to see its not as chaotic like it was when I fished it.

[@spiltmilt]

Early in the season so I beat the crowds!

[@Antsniper27]

Nice. I tried this last weekend and the wind was so bad I didn't feel safe in my boat.

[@pancakeface5717]

Great video Tyler. Been wondering about the red part of your flasher in prior videos. That one seems to work well for you. Think I'll try it. Don't know if you've had a chance to look around Ridgefield lately but man has it changed in the last few years. Small town no more.

[@spiltmilt]

Yeah its insane the amount of development around Ridgefield. I wouldn't want to live there anymore.

[@dognzo893]

Kinda wild seeing you reel that fast. Complete opposite of the Kokes 😎

[@joey1629]

Thank you for sharing a tac tip & the river a lot OR & WA love to post the video but do not want to share the river more likely being a tree huger they wanted you to subscribe with a thumb up.

[@jondavis2197]

Beautiful fish. We’re you even using any scent with the superbait? It looked empty. Also, looking forward to the Merwin video.

[@spiltmilt]

Tuna with crawfish/anise

[@mikhailpalchey848]

Could you please make a video of how to troll for salmon, and when trolling how would you know how deep you lure is.

[@NorthwestOpenSeason]

Nice fish. I never understood why they don’t implement a “first fish” limit more often. It’s ridiculous to hook and release that many wild fish, especially coho, looking for that endangered hatchery fish.

[@jonferguson7555]

What bumper and leader length were you using? Beautiful fish!

[@spiltmilt]

30" leader, 28" bumper

[@bertalter5811]

I like your hook setup, what pound leader are you using?

[@spiltmilt]

40 lb

[@bankerliu1366]

what a beauty!

[@thomasstarr9142]

Looked like a way easier net job than in the past vids down there; did you shorten stuff up to make that easier? Or longer handled net? I've only caught salmon on plugs from my yak, so been able to get em real close. Just a little worried about effin up the net job with a more line and gear out to get in the way, you know?

[@spiltmilt]

No changes. Just easier because the current was pushing me towards the fish.

[@chubbrock659]

You must eat so much salmon

[@spiltmilt]

3 to 4 days a week

[@anonymousanonymous8306]

exactly why buoy 10 should be 1 and done, club the first fish you catch, clipped or not

[@chrisnoble8740]

Great video, beautiful fish! Quick question.. should I fight the current for a chance at the morning bite or wait til low tide even if it's in the afternoon?

[@spiltmilt]

I always fish the tides if I can but the afternoon gets super windy out there.

[@chrisnoble8740]

Thanks for replying 👍

[@L-ct3wo]

Awesome work dude after a day of fishing its always nice to knock back a cold one watching Milt tear em up on the kayak. Any kokanee filled lake recommendations for central wa?

[@spiltmilt]

Depends on what you mean by central

[@fishingpacificnorthwest509]

Yakima area?

[@spiltmilt]

No decent Kokanee fisheries in that area

[@johnfisher5184]

Great video as always. Way to outsmart the Buoy 10 fishery. I'm not comfortable on my kayak yet for the Columbia, but I admire your skills. Do you think plunking off Warrior Rock/Sauvie would be productive or is the Oregon side not as productive near the mouth of the Lewis?

[@spiltmilt]

Not this time of year. Those fish hold tight to that cold water plume coming out of the Lewis

[@johnfisher5184]

That makes sense. Thanks for the quick reply.

[@coolifadventures608]

Nice fish! Do you put anything inside of the superbait?

[@spiltmilt]

tuna

[@CalicoDogSalmon]

What do you think of creating a first fish limit sorta like clam digging? First fish and you’re done.

[@spiltmilt]

As long as the harvest stays within the allowable "take" that won't cause harm to ESA species I'm fine with it.

[@jamesblakely6279]

Nice one for the day. Have you seen the E-PDL from old town

[@spiltmilt]

Yup. Have you seen the price tag? LOL

[@jamesblakely6279]

@@spiltmilt not going to lie I seen it laughed so hard I was crying. Going to just keep peddling

[@jameslee-gq2eo]

Do you ever fish the nehlam and what set up would you use?

[@spiltmilt]

No never fished it

[@bertalter5811]

Does the back bead rest on the eye of the hook?

[@spiltmilt]

Yes. A little hot spot for the fish to target

[@WilldaBeast999909]

I see you are on the Washington side. Is there a rule that you can't go fishing on the Oregon side at that point? I figured you would need to pay all of the tags and additional endorsements though. It seems like Oregon allows 2, but I may be mistaken.

[@spiltmilt]

There is a compact agreement among states. You can launch from either state and fish the Columbia with either license.

[@daltonstetz6809]

Do you bleed them? Also, second question, where do you recommend for west side Kokanee this time of year?

[@spiltmilt]

Of course I bleed them. Merwin is fishing well right now

[@daltonstetz6809]

@@spiltmilt Thank you so much!

[@coolifadventures608]

Are you still able to drive into the beach and launch right now? It seems like you parked there but in the video you said they won’t let you. Just want to be clear since I’m thinking of going down there sometime this fall

[@spiltmilt]

I did park there, illegally. I was told afterwards not to. You should launch and park above

[@coolifadventures608]

@@spiltmilt gotcha! Thanks for the info!

[@vanyoook3838]

Hello what location on Columbia?Woodland?

[@FamilyNick]

How did you have your weight attached? Was it on a slider? Didn't look like a clip. Thanks!!!

[@spiltmilt]

Yes sliders. I use sliders in combat fishery so I can keep the weight tight to the gear and minimize line out to reduce tangles with other anglers

[@FamilyNick]

Thank you!

[@somewherefishing382]

Do you put canned tuna in the spinners ? And congratulations on the fish!

[@spiltmilt]

Yes with some anise and crawfish oil

[@somewherefishing382]

@@spiltmilt thanks man I appreciate it!

[@somewherefishing382]

@@spiltmilt got one more question how do you run two trolling lines behind your kayak without them tangling? I keep running into tangles ! And it’s eating into my fishing. Also which down rigger clip are you using ? Because my Scotty keeps detaching. Could you make a video perhaps?

[@christianishima7098]

So bummed cali’s salmon run was shut down and possibly 2024 as well

[@andyrobinson3812]

Rumor has it this was the last fish was caught out there, probably not true but it’s been just dead during this hot spell the last week

[@spiltmilt]

I know several people who caught fish later that day and the next.

[@andyrobinson3812]

@@spiltmilt yeah that was before the hot spell I mentioned…my comment was hyperbole

[@thomassteele8150]

Thanks!

[@spiltmilt]

Thank you Tom!