Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum
Fishing in British Columbia => Fishing Reports => Members' Fishing Reports => Topic started by: chris gadsden on December 21, 2012, 08:26:17 PM
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With only one steelhead fishing trip under my belt for the new season it was defiantly time to get out there to seek an early Iron Head. Besides I had entered the Wally Hall Junior Memorial steelhead derby yesterday so hopefully I could be the sixth fish to hit the scales.
A frosty morning kept me under the sheets until 8, boy one gets lazy in ones later years. As I look back I thought of when I would get out before work for a few casts and now I can go any time I want. Of course the pins are not like they once were because of age I guess but 60 years of badminton, 20 years of hockey and pitching fastball along with many years of umpiring all took their toll.
The first order of business was to meet Nick and Murdena at dear friend Gwyn Joiner’s Memorial Bench on The Rotary Trail, it’s by Lickman Road. They had kindly made a Christmas wreath to put on the bench so I went there to take some pictures. You can see them if you wish at the Fraser Valley Salmon Societies FB page.
As we placed the wreath we thought of Gwyn and all the good times we had together be it fishing, hunting, and serving on many committees together over many years. It makes one realize how fleeting life is.
After spending some time there it was time to meet Lew for coffee as he had phoned while we were at the memorial bench. He was eager to fish as was I as the river was looking prime. My hopes also grew as an angler came by with a good sized buck that was so fresh it had sea lice on his 13 pound body.
Another local angler and I arrived for coffee at the same time. He had no fish or seen any today. Lew arrives soon after and as we sip our beverage of coffee we talk about fishing days past. I tell them I feel good about finding a fish today, trying not to sound too cocky but over the years when Lew and I fish together we have a high percentage of one of us hooking a steelhead.
With coffee completed we head to the river, with Lew going to another area than I. Before I trek to the area I have chosen to fish I tie up 5 roe bags using skeins of chum roe. As I had no thread I have to use dental floss to tie them up, well that’s a first. ??? As I start towards the river Lew arrives and says “too many people fishing where I wanted to fish”.
As we near the area we are to fish we see the area empty. Lew slips down to a run below while I wade a side stream. When I reach the island I see what I think is a Maple Leaf Drennan on the side I just waded so I wade back and get it. It is not a Drennan but a Clear Drift, that's OK as they are good floats too.
I slip on one of the dime sized dental floss tied roe bags and move to a great looking spot that I had found on my first trip to the river over a week ago.
I make my first cast...... back shortly with part 2.
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waiting in anticipation....
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I also made the trip out today after making Rodney a little mad on the forums last night by asking you Chris what you thought todays conditions might look like :P i have a feeling you probably do not mind but its Rodneys forum and rules. That being said the water was in prime shape in the upper where i decide to start the day. To my surprise the river was in the best condition i had seen all year. Water not too high and a heavy green tint to it :) i put in about a 3k hike in, fishing every hole, run and pocket water i saw . After about one hour of fishing i had my first legitimate strike. I decided to change up the shredded prawn and make another drift. BANG another hard tug on the line, i felt the weight of something behind the strike, but nothing :( I decided to cut the prawn in half and add a little white wool to change up the presentation. Second cast float down! i truly believed i had my first steelhead EVER! but i knew that it felt to small. It was a nice pound and a half resident rainbow. The rest of the day was very slow i covered a lot of water moving my way down to the mid portion. Day light was at a premium now and i had only an hour or so to fish. I came to a run i like to call 2012 "Due to the end of the world" i make a drift close to the log jam and my float dips down slow i hardly set the hook as i assume its a rock. The line pulls hard and i know i have something bigger on this time the fish makes a brief aerial appearance and i see now have hooked my first ever steelhead i would say it was in the mid teens easy. I was shocked by how strong a fish this size can be. It made a power run directly under the log jam and the line goes slack :'( I bite my lip as hard as i can to prevent a few french words from slipping out! i let the run calm down for five minutes then chuck every lure and bait i have on me with no results. It was sadly time to leave as the moon could be seen in the sky but i leave a satisfied angler knowing i have done something many wish for but only a few achieve. Lets hope this is a sign of a strong return in the 2013 season!
Good luck to everyone this Boxing day Derby!
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I also made the trip out today after making Rodney a little mad on the forums last night by asking you Chris what you thought todays conditions might look like :P i have a feeling you probably do not mind but its Rodneys forum and rules.
Yep, follow the rules or the wrath of Rod shall be unleashed....
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I also made the trip out today after making Rodney a little mad on the forums last night by asking you Chris what you thought todays conditions might look like :P i have a feeling you probably do not mind but its Rodneys forum and rules. That being said the water was in prime shape in the upper where i decide to start the day. To my surprise the river was in the best condition i had seen all year. Water not too high and a heavy green tint to it :) i put in about a 3k hike in, fishing every hole, run and pocket water i saw . After about one hour of fishing i had my first legitimate strike. I decided to change up the shredded prawn and make another drift. BANG another hard tug on the line, i felt the weight of something behind the strike, but nothing :( I decided to cut the prawn in half and add a little white wool to change up the presentation. Second cast float down! i truly believed i had my first steelhead EVER! but i knew that it felt to small. It was a nice pound and a half resident rainbow. The rest of the day was very slow i covered a lot of water moving my way down to the mid portion. Day light was at a premium now and i had only an hour or so to fish. I came to a run i like to call 2012 "Due to the end of the world" i make a drift close to the log jam and my float dips down slow i hardly set the hook as i assume its a rock. The line pulls hard and i know i have something bigger on this time the fish makes a brief aerial appearance and i see now have hooked my first ever steelhead i would say it was in the mid teens easy. I was shocked by how strong a fish this size can be. It made a power run directly under the log jam and the line goes slack :'( I bite my lip as hard as i can to prevent a few french words from slipping out! i let the run calm down for five minutes then chuck every lure and bait i have on me with no results. It was sadly time to leave as the moon could be seen in the sky but i leave a satisfied angler knowing i have done something many wish for but only a few achieve. Lets hope this is a sign of a strong return in the 2013 season!
Good luck to everyone this Boxing day Derby!
Great story! Gave Chris's story telling a run for the money! ;D
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Great story! Gave Chris's story telling a run for the money! ;D
Yes well done. Part 2 shortly.
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Boy this spot looks good as the Maple Leaf Drennan floats downstream through this good looking slot, mid stream. I laugh to myself thinking of the dental floss tied roe bag, maybe I am now a true flosser.
I think it is maybe my third or fourth cast when all of a sudden the MLD is no longer above water. I instantly strike, wow, I feel that tell tale head shake, followed by the fish breaking water. I shout to Lew there's one.” The fish takes off in a hurry, heading for some over hanging trees slightly in the water, on the other side of the flow. I apply a bit of pressure as I start downstream; ready to cross the side stream, heart pounding more than it should. The fish has now cleared the alder trees and just as I begin ready to do some wading I feel the heart wrenching feeling of slack line. The fish boils soon after and that is the last I will see of this guy as my 12 pound test line has broken above the float. My next thought is, I hope it gets rid of all the rigging.
I dejectedly find a log to sit on and tie up again, using the newly found Clear Drift as I have no MLD’s in my back pack. I have found a fish on my second trip of the new season, was it skill, luck or having Lew nearby. Sure was not skill on having poor mainline.
We fish a bit longer with no more takes and head back for a light lunch, talking of course about a steelhead that nearly was, well if you can call having one on for maybe 15 seconds nearly mine. ???
Lew heads home and I head back out, wondering if another fish was lurking in the same spot but it was to no avail. I try a couple of other runs too before darkness ends trip 2 of the season with no early Christmas package that could have been wrapped in silver.
I trudge a mile or so back to the Leaf Mobile reliving the day thinking of Gwyn as well and I could hear him saying “Gadsden, why are you so cheap not to change your mainline at the start of each steelhead season”?
Oh how I wish he was here to tell me that.
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It seems today's steelies are all experts at escaping man! a gentlemen i talked to had the same story. OH well there is always the next trip!
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Oh how I wish he was here to tell me that.
Good 2nd part and sorry to hear you lost the fish and even more sad about your friend Gwyn. I had a friend like Gwyn that was unlike any other and he's passed on now too and the ache just never go's away, it just subsides. But it's people like them that truly define the word " Friend " and I'm happy he was there for a good long while. We'll meet up again, one day. Thank's for the report Chris !!!
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Great read start to finish. Much appreciated.
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thanks for the report, Chris. Good read...
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Floater and Chris.... Thank you for your reports as I stay cozy near the fire.
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Thanks for the report Chris! Had a great day on the river with a buddy yesterday, only saw a few guys fishing from the top to mid river. No luck for us, so glad to hear of others success...yes, hooking into one would be considered a successful day for me :) Tight lines over the weekend everyone!
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Boy this spot looks good as the Maple Leaf Drennan floats downstream through this good looking slot, mid stream. I laugh to myself thinking of the dental floss tied roe bag, maybe I am now a true flosser.
I think it is maybe my third or fourth cast when all of a sudden the MLD is no longer above water. I instantly strike, wow, I feel that tell tale head shake, followed by the fish breaking water. I shout to Lew there's one.” The fish takes off in a hurry, heading for some over hanging trees slightly in the water, on the other side of the flow. I apply a bit of pressure as I start downstream; ready to cross the side stream, heart pounding more than it should. The fish has now cleared the alder trees and just as I begin ready to do some wading I feel the heart wrenching feeling of slack line. The fish boils soon after and that is the last I will see of this guy as my 12 pound test line has broken above the float. My next thought is, I hope it gets rid of all the rigging.
I dejectedly find a log to sit on and tie up again, using the newly found Clear Drift as I have no MLD’s in my back pack. I have found a fish on my second trip of the new season, was it skill, luck or having Lew nearby. Sure was not skill on having poor mainline.
We fish a bit longer with no more takes and head back for a light lunch, talking of course about a steelhead that nearly was, well if you can call having one on for maybe 15 seconds nearly mine. ???
Lew heads home and I head back out, wondering if another fish was lurking in the same spot but it was to no avail. I try a couple of other runs too before darkness ends trip 2 of the season with no early Christmas package that could have been wrapped in silver.
I trudge a mile or so back to the Leaf Mobile reliving the day thinking of Gwyn as well and I could hear him saying “Gadsden, why are you so cheap not to change your mainline at the start of each steelhead season”?
Oh how I wish he was here to tell me that.
I have been using dental floss for tying sacs and bags for years. Works great.
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Nice read. Do what i did,after a good fishing buddy of mine passed on.I dedicated that steelhead season in his memory.Thought of him every day i stepped on the river that winter.R.I.P Glen.
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Hi Chris i was the one u met at mcdonalds we didnt get any thing the rest of the day and we fished till dark
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Hi Chris i was the one u met at mcdonalds we didnt get any thing the rest of the day and we fished till dark
Good to meet you too, I fished from 3:15 to dark without a bite. Fished some nice water, next time we will get them.
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Yep im headin out tomorw morning aswell i shall see what whe river has instore tomorwo this morning down at the keith willsin wayer was beatiful
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Thanks once again for the great read Chris.
Also,thanks for the reminder to put some new line on the reel. ;)
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Once again a great read Chris.
Just tuned up my gear for hopefully another great steely season.
Getting a real itchy trigger finger!
Merry Christmas to you all, and hope to run into each other on the river :)