About 7 years ago me, my younger brother and father went fishing for kings off of Biz point in Area 7. Since that day there has yet to be a fishing trip, a family get to gether or anything of the sort without mentioning this story.
The day was fairly rough and only 4 boats toughed out the 3 foot chop and swells to try and get something - up until 10:00 nobody had even a bite to show for it. At that time my fathers rod pops loose from the downrigger and line screems off the real. We kill the kicker, put the 90 horse in gear and I'm put in charge of staying with the fish and keeping the nose into the approaching waves.My younger brother who's 13 at the time but already well experienced grabs the net and patiently waits.
An hour or more later the fish surfaces and is brought to the side of the boat and ready to be netted. I'm expecting one quick move, a fish on deck and that's that. Instead I hear a 13 year old screaming "It won't fit in the net" (we have a particullarly large salmon net). For the next minute or so my father yells at him to find a way to make it fit. He tries head first but not enough of the fish will make it in, then he tries side ways but still nothing.
That's when the worst mistake in the history of fishing took place: My dad grabs hold of his flasher and tries to gill the fish. With one quick flick of the tail it snaps the 30lb line and swims into darkness. During the battle all 4 boats stopped, brought in their lines and watched what happened, all of them shook their heads in discust and slowly drove away.
I've seen alot of big salmon in my days (former commercial salmon fisherman in AK) and in all honesty that fish went 65 pounds or more and stretched from the motor mount past the downriggers - 4 feet.