A Miracle on the Penebscot with Mr. Gonya

Where: The Penebscot River, Maine
Who: Master Guide John Gonya, Anglers Chris Nash, Patrick Nash, Jeff Stammen
When: August 25th, 2010

Here's how it went down:

JS: Fish on!
PN: Whoa!
(lure flies back at us)
JS: That was a salmon!
JG: No way.
JS: I think it was. That was no bass. I saw it.
JG: It was probably a pickerel.
PN: I think it might have been a salmon.
JG: No way.
JS: It had a big silver side flash then a big dark pointy tail fin with spots. It had to be a salmon.
JG. I've been guiding on this river for 16 years and I've never seen anyone catch a salmon. They're in here but they're not feeding. Guys fly fish for weeks trying to get one bite. There's no way a salmon is going to hit a bass lure. It was probably a pike.
JS: It was a salmon.
JG: Twenty bucks to anyone who catches a salmon. Heh heh heh.

After that we drifted down the river. John continued to rib me about the salmon. His disbelief was obvious. Later we decided to move back up the river to the spot where the "Salmon Incident" took place. We caught several nice bass there earlier.

PN: Fish on!
JS: It's a salmon!
JG: No way!
PN: Get the net!
(John nets the fish)
JG: Holy ****. It's an Atlantic Salmon. I can't believe it.
(great jubilation ensues)

Five minutes later...

CN: Fish on!...It's another salmon!!!
(more jubilation)

21 1/2 inches and 23 inches. Two landed Atlantic Salmon and many nice Smallmouth. Yet another great day on the river with Master Maine Guide, John Gonya.