Big Fish

The river our dogs love so much has been invaded.

Taken over by men with poles and an obsession.

Men who drag their families behind them...in pursuit of the biggest fish.

Driven by a need to conquer nature, wrangle sustenance from from the icy waters, meat rich in Omega 3 fatty acids.

Me man, me hunt, me kill...beat my chest, throw woman on ground, make babies. An urge as old as dirt.

I fish, therefore I am.


It is a sickness that sucked the brain right out of my husband's head many years ago.

My name is Carolynn, I am married to a Fishing Addict.


He lies awake at night anticipating his hour of glory, fighting the big fish.


Wielding his mighty pole...


Balancing on the treacherous rocks...


Skillfully anticipating where the next big one will be hiding...


Narrowly missing his wife with the last cast...


Braving the freezing waters as carcass's and guts from dead and/or spawning salmon dance at his feet.

(Another reason why the river is not safe at this time of year for our dogs - if they eat this it can give them salmon poisoning...not good. Not to mention it freaking STINKS!).


All of this effort to catch this Pink Salmon....err, well this one was thrown back, he was too small. Besides, why add to the already 43 bazillion salmon we have in the freezer already. Let this one live to spawn and then die.


This morning the call of the Big Fish lured my husband out of his warm bed at the butt crack of dawn.

I woke to my husband bellowing "CAROLYNN BRING THE CAMERA"

We need photographic evidence of this 25 lb King. Still pink, not spawned out and a fair catch...right in the mouth. The culmination of 3 hours of early morning fishing where he landed 15 salmon (catch and release), until the big one.

I can hear it now, this is one of those stories that will get bigger and bigger as the years pass. He will tell it at every holiday get together until we die, his eyes glazing over with that far away slightly insane expression - kind of like the one you see here.


The 25 lb King will grow larger and larger as the years pass. I will have to hear this story until I want to gouge my ears out with the nearest ice pick.

Meet Dinner


Of course I have to cook it. Man hunts, woman cooks. Besides he filleted it so nicely. 1/2 of the salmon makes a nice meal for our family. The other half goes in the freezer with the rest of the salmon he caught so far this month. We will not go hungry this winter.

As salmon travel up the rivers to spawn their internal organs begin to shut down. They stop eating. All their energy is dedicated to the long journey to spawn...then die. It is a challenge to hook a large salmon that is not spawned out and dying. As they near the end of their journey or after they have spawned their meat turns white, they get a hump on their back and they taste like, well, crap.

This boy is still nice and pink....yummy. Think about the salmon you see in the supermarket. It is artificially colored pink - this guy isn't. That is all natural.


Add some veggies from our garden. Marinated tomatoes, fresh cucumbers, steamed asparagus with butter and lemon.


Barbecue the salmon with lemon slices and some seasoning.


Serve it up with some bread and you have the makings of a healthy, rewarding meal.


He should be savoring every bite. The food you grow or catch yourself tastes better than what you can buy at the store.

There is something incredibly yummy about a man who can bring home dinner. Those strong hands caught our dinner and they will do the dishes too. What more can you ask for?


Ranger is asking for a taste...


Ranger doesn't actually beg. He just hovers and stares at your plate like it is going to launch into outer space.


Too bad Ranger...maybe next time.