New World Record King Salmon Caught Today!

This article appeared in the Anchorage Daily News today.



New World Record King Salmon Caught Today.
by KEN GULBRANDSON (AP)
kgulbrandson@adn.com


With warm weather and early break-up this year, Soldotna angler John Ohlin thought it would be a great day to float the Kenai River in search of a king salmon. He was right.


Launching his driftboat at Centennial Park with co-angler Bob Morey, the two set out for a day on the water.


"I know it's April, but I had to give it a try," said Ohlin.


After a couple of hours of enjoying the scenery and watching Morey catch several jack salmon, Ohlin decided to anchor his driftboat in the Big Eddy hole. "I was using a chrome Wiggle Wart and hadn't any luck so when I anchored I switched to a chartreuse Lirpa Sloof. My lure wasn't in the water for more than a minute when the big fish hit."


After more than an hour fight and several drag screaming runs the leviathan finally came to the boat. Said Morey, "the fish was so huge and I'm not the best at netting fish, but after several swipes we finally got him in. I just wish John would have brought a bigger net."


The two immediately left the river and drove to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game in Soldotna to have the giant salmon measured and weighed. Pending certificaton of the scale the salmon measured 59 1/2 inches long, with a girth of 37 inches. The unofficial weight is 99.2 breaking the previous record set in 1985 by nearly two pounds.


"I knew Les Anderson (current record holder) and he told me that it would be a matter of time before it would happen again" said Ohlin. " I know old Les is smiling down at me and telling me job well done."


A job well done indeed.