The first opener of the season is always a slow one. So slow, in fact, that many boats come to the dock empty handed at the end of the day. Today I tried my luck on the west side of Cook Inlet at the Big River terminal. It required me to put in some extra hours driving, but it ended up being worth it! The west side is marked by shallow waters and mud flats, but I had my secret weapon in tow: my 16' skiff, Smalls, allowed me to nuzzle up close to the shore and find the fish!