First salmon

Maja Butler grew up in Ballard WA which is right on the edge of Puget sound Her family was in the marine construction business, so it isn’t surprising that she like to fish. Here she is:

That was my very first salmon I ever caught, was a twenty two pound silver. It was magnificent and quite large for silver. I was up at the Canadian Stewart Island at Big Bay. I was fishing with a guide and hooked into it and it took me an hour and a half to bring that fish. And it ran seven times on me, took me about a mile and a half away from Big Bay. It was jumping and there were logs coming down. It was exciting. Used twenty five pound test on it. So I was kind of scared with it running and jumping as much as it was. But I didn't lose it and I finally brought it in. It was absolutely magnificent. The guy that I was with kept on telling me he'd take my pole if he wanted because he knew it was the first time I'd ever gotten salmon fishing. And I just finally told him, if you touch my pole, I will kill you. Don't ever touch my pole. But that one was just so memorable because of the challenge. It was, I think, probably my best fishing experience ever. So first salmon, best fishing trip ever.