The wind howled and there was no escaping it. I stepped out into one of my favorite Spring Salmon holes and it seemed less than promising. I had to time my casts in between wind gusts. The waves crashed on the shoreline and I was the only flyfisherman for miles. Just me, lots of water, tough elements, my fly box and fly rod. I tied on a huge Gray Ghost and laid out a long cast. The fly hit the water. I stripped once, twice and on the third strip I was a happy camper. This beautiful Landlocked Salmon took my fly without hesitation. I set the hook and he jumped straight out of the water. He ran and jumped again. What a blast. I put in my time. Hard time. I traveled from one hole to the next, from one river to another and I finally found the Salmon. Just as I had expected, they were right where the smelt were. The smelt are thick in certain spots and that is the key. You gotta find the smelt and that can be a tough chore. There is something so rewarding about chasing the Salmon. They are not only elusive but also very selective. I was tempted to call it quits and head for a trout run where I knew there were loads of stocked trout. I was glad I did not do that because this fish was far more rewarding. Fly fishing specifically for the larger Salmon in Maine is not for the faint of heart. They are tough to find, tough to fool and they usually dwell in bigger waters. So, that’s that. I have been chasing this fish for a long time and it felt good to finally catch him and release him.