Prepping For The First Day On The River

As the first day for river fishing approaches for drift fishing for chinooks and cohos, I systematically lay out everything that's going into my vest out and make sure everything I need from tackle, food, water, camera, rope, sunglasses and plastic bags is in my fishing vest. Why the rope? If there are bears in the area then the rope is tied to the wading staff that is pushed into the river bottom holding the salmon away from shore. This allows the salmon to keep cool and bleed out. If there are no bears then the salmon is tied to a log that allows the salmon to remain in the cool river. Next step I remove all worn out studs in my wading boots and replace those that are missing. Check my waders, wading belt and wading staff. Then replace the fishing line on my reels from last year and set up my rods. Make sure all reels are working fine and have been re-lubricated. This season I will be using three methods of angling reels. For drift fishing the level wind reel, then center pin reel and the Spey reel for fly-fishing. All my leaders with Steelybeads are pre-set up as its very difficult and a waste of time when you have to return back to the other side of the river to gear up. One of the most important tools to obtain organization and simplicity and that comes by using the Rigrap yellow and orange storage. I will have the Rigrap traveling storage loaded with various size leaders and Steelybeads so I can cover any river conditions. The main backbone is the Amundson Kudos Strategy casting rod ksc110mh-2, wt. 15-25 pound. Well, balanced and can handle the Chinooks and Coho salmon. Last but not least is the Lucky Strike Bait landing net. The net has a retracted handle for easy storage and transport. Its net is deep and rubber that allows safe capture without damaging the salmon scales and/or removing its protective slime.