You guys are just too observant!

Although a lot of my pics are highly suggestive that the fish were caught from the bank, the vast majority of our Kenai kings are caught from a boat. Sorry to burst your bubble, but I have no secret rigging for fishing Jet Divers from shore.

I've found over the years that it's damn near impossible to get a good C&R pic from your own boat, especially of big fish. The very best boat shots are the ones taken from another vessel.





Unless you happen to be fishing with a buddy in another boat who wants to forgo his own fishing time to shadow you for what could be a LONG fight, those shots just don't happen very often.

So we choose to pull ashore for our C&R pics. I'm usually able to compose a much nicer shot with greenery and water... not to mention you don't have to worry about your boat drifting into the pack below you!

If you elect to do the shore-side pic thing, you'll need to pull over onto a gently sloping beach/bar. Unless you are in very calm frogwater, do not net the fish prior to pulling ashore. Dragging a fish... curled in the bag... under power... in full current... is VERY stressful on big fish (as well as the guy trying to hang on to the net!). Not only does that literally crush a fish tight against the mesh, but it also greatly reduces your ability to maneuver your boat.

I recommend giving the fish plenty of leash during the final moments of the battle, allowing it to strip line against the reel drag as you motor directly to your nearby landing site. If the landing site is some distance downriver, simply free-drift with the fish on tether with just enough tension to keep the hook buried. Once the boat is beached, have the angler jump out, finish the fight, and slide the fish ashore.