Walter Maurer, of Coeur d'Alene, said he always enjoys seeing the big fish people catch that show up in the newspaper, but he had never caught one himself.

This is his week.

Maurer caught a big chinook salmon on May 16 in the Big Eddy near Lenore Rest Area at milepost 28 on U.S. Highway 12 near Orofino.

"Having never fished for salmon before, it took me three trips down to the beautiful Clearwater River near Orofino to accomplish this," Maurer told The Press. "It was a real learning experience in which I met several guys who were very generous in sharing their knowledge with a total newbie."

He saw more than a dozen of the fish caught, he said.

"That alone was worth the trips," he said. "Catching my first was just icing on the cake."

He chose his fishing spot because the Idaho Department of Fish and Game prohibited watercraft fishing in the Big Eddy, which, at least for this season, is open to shore anglers only.

"I don't have a driftboat or the knowledge to boat-fish like the pros," he said.

He said his chinook was a hatchery fish with clipped adipose fin.

"It bit on my bobber-rigged large fluro-green jig tipped with a small bag of tuna," he said. "And because my family bit on grilled chinook steaks and loved every bite, I've been given orders to catch more."

For fishermen who would like to have a picture of themselves with their big catch in The Press they can email the photograph to Reporter David Cole at [email protected].