Homeward Bound Salmon ><,> Pic Heavy

[Chinook SSSF]

I want to share these pics from a day of fishing this Fall that I found myself putting the fly rod down alot to capture this stunning low water salmon movement. This occurs during conditions that only mother nature can control or predict but when it does happen, the sights we see can be jaw dropping. I jumped on an opportunity to capture this with my camera and for once, not my fishing pole, not knowing if they would come out or not. My trusty camera came through! Covering this event really made me think about the life and cycles of a salmon and how the last part of it's life journey may be the most dramatic of all their cycles in life.

Our story begins there, near the end of the salmons life journey

Imagine if you will that you are a salmon heading home through a large deep river bound only to the end of your journey, born in some small stream that drains into this great imaginary super salmon highway. Arriving closer to your home stream you pull into tide water and see the tails of thousands of your brothers and sisters waiting in a large pool somewhere near the tides head. The smells of home have become strong for you now. You rest for a few peaceful days having already come a long ways from the deep blue oceans now far away. Strange feelings and instincts mucking about, you feel changes taking place as natures anxiety builds.

http://www.smallstreamsalmonfishing.com/sssfimages/fishing09photos/homebound/tuleart7sm.jpg

At the top of a morning tide several days later an anxious brother from the front of the pack circles the riffle at the head of the pool to scout for confidence and then commits. Blasting with all the determination in life straight out of the hole, leaving all others behind with the feeling that it must be time.

http://www.smallstreamsalmonfishing.com/sssfimages/fishing09photos/homebound/tuleart0.jpg

Brother works his way up through the shallows carefully. Not fear but purpose and instinct, to complete your lifes journey at all cost and in all condition. All the fish around you begin to mill around in circles to wake and ready themselves for the last big push. Not long after brothers departure others begin to leave in pairs and in small groups, fully commited.

http://www.smallstreamsalmonfishing.com/sssfimages/fishing09photos/homebound/tuleart4sm.jpg

Both Pressure and confidence to move onward is building inside of you, is this your tide? It is very shallow but the others, they are going! Forces of nature over take your sense and you will go...........

http://www.smallstreamsalmonfishing.com/sssfimages/fishing09photos/homebound/tuleart6sm.jpg

There is no stopping now. there is no turning back, only the last push to the final destination....Home. You will now work again for days making your way through your home stream, picking your tail through the rocks like a chain gang worker. Swimming through tiny side channels and under logs that lay across the stream. A gaunlet of hungry human anglers also await your arrival.

http://www.smallstreamsalmonfishing.com/sssfimages/fishing09photos/homebound/tuleart2sm.jpg

http://www.smallstreamsalmonfishing.com/sssfimages/fishing09photos/homebound/tuleart5sm.jpg

The big push is in full swing now and you are simply another pea in the pod. You are no longer yourself. Nature has put you on an instinctual auto pilot, no GPS necessary. Some struggle, some will make it while others lacking natures drive will turn back for another wait in tidewater.

http://www.smallstreamsalmonfishing.com/sssfimages/fishing09photos/homebound/tuleart1sm.jpg

Not you though, you made your commitment and your going the distance with brother and the others. Although your strength wavering slightly you continue onward with no cognition. Only the hydrodynamic world you live in to guide you now, you must follow the waters strongest flow or you might beach!

http://www.smallstreamsalmonfishing.com/sssfimages/fishing09photos/homebound/tuleart8sm.jpg

http://www.smallstreamsalmonfishing.com/sssfimages/fishing09photos/homebound/tuleart9sm.jpg

After several days of travel you and the others reach the top. A sense of slowing takes over when you smell natures next cycle in the water flowing through your gills. Now stacking numbers of developing salmon again fill the small pools in this little stream, to wait yet again. Pairing will now take place over the next few days. Your journey was long and tiresome. You made it through all of lifes cycles and stages and all of its dangers for this time in your life. Time to continue the cycle again for future generations of salmon. It is your turn to find a mate as well but for now, a little rest........

http://www.smallstreamsalmonfishing.com/sssfimages/fishing09photos/homebound/tuleart13sm.jpg


Photos & Story by Matthew Clark


Copyright Small Stream Salmon Fishing ©2009

[spactrukn]

Another excellent post Matt. Great action shots. Iv'e tried for hours to get a picture of a fish in the center of the frame. You do great work.

[todd_brooks555]

In my book your a rock star Matthew C. Keep up the great work and thanks for sharing your fun artistic eye with the rest of us and the continued education.

[RollinontheRvr]

You tell an awesome story accompanied by some fantastic photographs. Thank you Matthew, you give insight to all that can see it.

[Sling Blade]

Those are all great captures. Nicely done.

[Twise95]

Matt, what a masterful combination of eye-widening, jaw dropping photos and a story that should be instilled into the heart of every Salmon and Steelhead angler. It is important to understand the journey - the trials and tribulations - of these fish before one can seriously understand and truly "catch" one. To know what it feels like. To have battled such a magnificent creature that has traveled and endured for so long. To know what it feels like to have all of that, in your hands, after you've battled it for several minutes and have landed it...

That's what fishing is all about.

Wonderful post. :)

[uofodux]

That is some very impressive food for the soul. Not just the pictures but the words as well. Have you ever entertained the notion of putting together some sort of documentary/short story on this subject?

It is truly remarkable when you think about these aquatic creatures. To take a journey that daunting and so far, to make it back through all of the obstacles, human and otherwisw, to return to the very same spot that they were created...its unreal!

And I can't remember where my keys are half the time:)

Thanks for the views and the read.

[coho crazy]

my dad takes allot of photos when we go places. especially bonni. those are great looking pics matt

[worm slayer]

I got the chills while reading this. You have definately captured the majesty of these fish.

[wfocharlie]

I always feel a little guilty when I pull one of these creatures out of the water knowing how far they have come and how hard they have worked and then not quite make it because of me. I don't think it will stomp me from fishing however:D. Thanks for posting your thought provoking composition.

[Chinook SSSF]

Have you ever entertained the notion of putting together some sort of documentary/short story on this subject?
.

I always have ideas, putting them together are often to big....A few years ago I did this short film called "Rivers of Life (http://www.smallstreamsalmonfishing.com/ccount/click.php?id=24)" that is a sort of collection of salmon running and spawning video set to great new age music from the Orient. it has 3 parts, the 1st part sucks so sit through that but the second and third song/parts have some cool footage of their cycles....it is an art film so dont expect much, and please remember I made this around 2006 when I first started editing video alot.

Rivers of Life (http://www.smallstreamsalmonfishing.com/ccount/click.php?id=24)

Thanks for the kind comments on the post, I had a feeling you all might enjoy these photos since most of what we see is ourselves holding the salmon.

I would also like to note that the day I shot these photos, Nick Braun was my shooting partner and he did a fine job of getting some of these types of photos. He has a great camera as well and managed to pull of some amazing shots. ......I will see if I can talk him into showing a few of them...

[spactrukn]

Rivers of life. Really great footage and really well put together. Man, I can't get enough of this. I recently aquired a nikon 5700 it's a couple years old and I have a lot to learn. Iv'e been taking it out. I have a few really great photos that will fit really well into the " Almost a pic " post. hee hee Your artwork and stories are tremendous Matt. Please keep em coming.

[Ed Fast]

I still need that "freakin' awesome!" button.

Ed

[Chinook SSSF]

I still need that "freakin' awesome!" button.

Ed


Would you settle for the "Now that was easy" button from staples?

http://www.smallstreamsalmonfishing.com/sssfimages/hostedimages08/staples.jpg