Mission accomplished on Day One.

Hooked my first tidewater HAWG on my first pass thru the first bar that guide Jim Palmersheim planted me on.

After a 6-7 minute battle, it came unpinned as I repositioned the rod from LOW and LEFT to LOW and RIGHT. No slime brought to hand, but nice to break the ice on my first Spey king!

Guide planted me on the next bar, and I struggled like hell to launch a Snap -T off my upstream shoulder in a STIFF upriver wind. Casting the new (to me) Skagit line didn't look pretty with a left handed delivery or a "cacked" right handed delivery. In between gusts, I cheated with the occasional standard Double Spey to launch some bonafide bombs into the travel lane. PAY DIRT!

Beautiful 20# platinum hen kicked my a$$ way worse than my birthday fish in the bay last fall! But come to hand she did. Would upload a pic, but I was advised against doing so as it might bring the whole camp computer system down.... so y'all will have to wait.

Tally for day one (or is that half day one?) hooked three kings, landed one. Hooked and landed two platinum buck chums the likes of which I've never seen.... FRESH beyond comprehension.

Hope the casting shoulder will last the rest of the week. Where's that Advil?