Biggen's on Saturday

[Barleydog]

Well I had one of the most productive days out on the lake last Saturday.  Beautiful weather and cooperative fish kept Ron (my nieghbor) and myself busy.  We managed to catch 7 fish that were all really nice.  The smallest was an 11 lb. laker which didn't make it in any of the photos below.  Some of the lakers caught were sows!  Not huge lengthwise, but fat like overfed toads!
The topper to the day was a 18 lb. 1 oz. char (officially wieghed at fish and game office.)  This fish actually was actually 19.5 lbs. on our boat scale, but you know shrinkage and such took a pound off her.    You know my scale wouldn't lie!  Maybe sitting in a cooler full of ice overnight would be my solution to my expanding waist line?  Anyways, this fish is a couple pounds shy of the state record, but the largest freshwater lake fish to date according to fish and game.   If all goes well, this fish should be the largest fish of the year for the state. 
The fish Ron is holding was 32"+  catch and release trophy, (30" and above is C&R trophy status), registered in the state.  The other fish I'm holding is another C&R 32" fish that will be registered.   Ron managed to fight a nice 20 lb. laker in and we both chipped in several nice fish in the teens.  All we could say was WOW!!!   I think the fish gods smiled on us this day. 
All these fish were released except for the big one who's going on the wall.  Hope you all enjoy the photos!  Barleydog



Ron with a 20 lb. laker

15 lb. laker with beautiful colors

BEAUTIFUL 16 lb. fish that took off lot's o line!

32" char that put up a great fight!

32+ " char who stopped long enough for a photo

18.1 lb. char which is a personnal largest to date

[slim slinger]

those are some insane fish...
what lures/bait were you using?
planning a laker trip this weekend and any tips will help...

[big walleye]

Barleydog that is some nice fish. Those pictures are nice and clear. Great work!!!

[grumpymoe]

barleydog...those are truly spectacular photos and fish..congrats to both. those were caught during the MFF tourney? and not entered?  grump

[Thriller]

Wow!  You da man    I gotta get me some action like that someday...

[vancouvercanuck]

Thanks for the post. Those have got to be some of the nicest fish i've seen so far posted.

[Barleydog]

Thanks folks!  If any of you get lost and need a place to fish in Interior Alaska, look me up!

SSlinger,  Where are you fishing?  Clear, deep, or stained water?  The lures I use are mostly spoons trolled behind a downrigger.  I like any flutterspoon that rotates in a erratic pattern (kinda like a figure 8.)   Trolled flies work well too.   Drop the lure at least 40 yards behind the ball and attach.  Clear water lakers tend to spook easier soooo I experimented with a long drop and increased strikes 3 fold.   I mostly fish lakes with a low turbidity level, so keeping the ball away from the fish is a must.  I'll mail you with more info...

Grump,  They were, but seperate from the laker I entered in the MFF tourney.  Can't compete with those beautiful muskies eh!

Jim

[slim slinger]

i usually fish lakes that are clear.
i too like using spoons with erratic action....i'll have to try those flies out tho...sounds intertesting....i also use christmas trees/gang trolls ( whatver ppl call them) with a smelt or larger minnow following......
also i'll keep in mind that 40 yard spread between the ball and lure....
thanks a bunch for the info, i'll definitly be trying it out!
again those are amazing fish!

[Jigwiggler]

Great fish man!!  Awesome color!  Congrats on the big catch.

[wny angler]

nice char,those are some nice looking fish,a 7 fish day aint to bad when there all good ones

[Fat Boy]

Barley, those fish sure are shaweet!  Man I envy you and those char!  Always wanted to catch one and get a nice pic.  Great job!

[trapperdirk]

Man Barley Dog you sure know how to tease a lad with pics of these awesome Arctic Char  . Lakers I have but those Arctic Char are something else . Congrats and I'm almost enroute to get up there to get such a magnificent fish . d**n

[Barleydog]

Trapper,  Come on up!  You can even pack GeRm into your luggage... or not.

[camo_fish]

Man, those are some awesome fish! way to go! 

[Hookset]

Fished the Kenai Peninsula in 2002, actually, it was my Honeymoon, but whatever.  An awesome experience and absolutely beautiful terrain.  If it wasn't 3500 miles away, I'd get there more.  I'll make it back sooner or later, this time, during salmon season.