Wak's big catch

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KEITH ROBBINS / A TAIL SPOT SALMON GUIDE SERVICE


Wak landed a a 17.2 lb king salmon in Puget Sound last Monday...

"I caught a flounder and a bullhead," said Wakamatsu, who was using a light six weight rod. "A half an hour later, I was casting, and ended up catching that king on a red-and-white clouser fly.

"It pulled a lot harder than that bullhead. To hook that thing and watch it come out of the water. This [fish] was taking my line out, and it took me almost to the end of the backing. One more run and it would have taken my fly line with him.

"I have been fishing a lot in the Sound, and didn't know that [catching a king this summer] was such a rarity at the time."

It took him 15 minutes to land the hatchery king that weighed 17.2 pounds.

"That was the biggest king I've heard of caught off the beach in Puget Sound on a fly," Robbins said. "It was just unbelievable to catch a king that big. He [Wakamatsu] was totally stoked.