Well today was the day I finally got my act together and made my first excursion to the Vedder River in search of my first ironhead for the 2009 - 2010 season.
After a coffee at Tims and tying up some roe bags I was making my first cast, a little after 12 pm. I was remembering as I made the first few casts of last year's first trip when I landed a small hatchery hen, would I be able repeat that feat today? I guess one can can always hope especially with the river in top shape color wise this day. The temperature was around the freezing mark with a bit of cloud cover, perfect conditions all around.
There was quite a few rods out and the first angler I talked to said it also was his first outing of the year. His opening remarks gave me hope as he said he had broken one off and lost another, wow, maybe I have picked a good day to be out. Also I believe I was in an area there was some fish around even though the chap did not tell me where he had hooked them and of course I never ask. Also met up with Pistol Pete who had seen or heard of no fish.
PP works some runs downstream, I head up and work a couple of good looking spots, boy there was a lot of spots that if not today they certainly will hold fish this season, enough runs that one can work as a circuit, for a good part of a day.
As I start working back downstream I find on the gravel bar a nice filleting knife, in a leather case too, if anyone lost one let me please let me know.
I work some more great looking runs with no success and bump into another angler who said he just was in at Fred's and saw a fish being brought in. Apparently there was a couple more also caught today, he added. More hope, but first I take a break for a hamburger before I return to re fish the same runs, for the last hour of light. They look so fishy but they yield me nothing but a blank once again.
Just before I leave I am approached by an angler who remembers me when we were fishing the creek mouths some years back, I did not remember him. He tells me he won the Boxing Day Derby last year and was out sizing up the river for this years event that is 3 more sleeps away. I wonder if he could become one of the few that have won the coveted Ferguson Furnell trophy back to back and the boasting rights that go along with capturing the Kingfish. Just winning it once in our life time would be good enough for most of us that enter it.
As darkness now closes in on the river I leave for home but I think the fish are now in, after the reports I heard on this brief outing. As I type this I wonder if a bit of chrome is now moving into the runs I fished today and I will be able to connect on my second outing of the season, tomorrow, it would certainly make a nice Christmas gift.
Until my next report Merry Christmas to you all from The Journal and may you all enjoy time with friends and families over the holiday season. I hope they will let you out for a few trips over your days off, maybe if you tell them the fish are now in that will help some.
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Topic: Chilliwack River, December 23rd 2009: The First Steelhead Outing Of The Season (Read 1612 times)