The day started off as my alarm woke me from my sleep at 5:30am. I quickly got up, read the forums and put all my gear in the car. I was on the road by 6. The drive out was easy with hardly any traffic.
Wasn't too sure what the river conditions were going to be like and was doubting myself even going. (Glad I did)
Arrived at the parking lot of the area I wanted to fish just before 7am. Was allready 4 cars in the lot so I quickly put on my waders and headed to the water. Visibility was limited to say the least with a silty tinge to it but as the day progressed it cleared up considerably. I set my No.4 Drennan piker to the right depth so I was roughly a foot off the bottom of the run and slipped a roe bag onto my hook that I tied up last night. By the way, watch for a instructional video on tying roe bags on the forum pretty soon as made a movie on it last night.
I flogged the first run hard and didnt see a sign of any fish. The orange top on my drennan was wanting to stay dry. So I decided to walk downriver and noticed a tonne of people out filling almost every good looking piece of water. Except for a couple of course.
Walked about 30 minutes and finally decided to try a new piece I've never fished before. Slipped on a new peach coloured orange roe bag and nothing was interested. I then noticed a rod bent down river and a fellow had a 6 or 7lbs wild doe on. It barely fought and he released it quickly. I then decided to head back up river to where I started. Tried the piece again but still nothing in it. Funny how Steelhead are, last week I hooked 3 in this run and ever since I havent touched a fish in it.
I then saw a nice piece of water I wouldnt mind fishing but it was unfortunately filled with 3 other fisherman not wanting to move. I walked back down river and noticed no more signs of any fish despite seeing so many floats in the water.
So I decided to turn around and head back yet again. Talk about good exercise.
Walking along the trail the 3 fellows who were fenceposting the run I wanted to fish walked by and reported of nothing. I slipped into their spot and put on another new roe bag for good luck. Re adjusted my float for the depth and was ready to
roll. I casted into the channel about 20 feet from me and my float doesnt drift 5 feet before it is buried.
Soon a bar of chrome explodes from the water and the fight is on.
The fish peels line into the deeper water and way downstream. I apply good amount of pressure and hold the fish in the current to tire itself out a bit then it slowly started to swim towards me. In this spot I had no beach to land the fish at and the water was about 2 feet deep with a steep bank and lots of trees. My lucky day a fellow is walking by and I ask for assistance in landing the fish once I get it closer to shore and he offers. I slowly move the fish to the surface and to the fellows direction, he reaches for the tail and misses it as the fish goes crazy when it sees him and head back down river. I then attempt to do it again and the same happens and the fish doesnt want any buisness being touched. I notice it is a large female of about 9 or 10 lbs and hatchery. This time I turn my rod the opposite direction and the fish slides to the shore and into the helpers hands.
"Do you want it?" he asks I said you bet I do. And he tosses the fish onto the trail
I then shake his hand for the help and he congratulates me on my first hatchery fish of the season.
Was definetaly by best fight with a Steelhead to date and it really gave a good scrap for about 15 minutes. It is only about 11:30 and for the first time on the Vedder this season I am home early afternoon.
I didn't have a camera so bled the fish out then called my buddy Doug to meet at his house for a picture.(See below) But before heading to Doug's house I agree to show IH8XC my co-worker the fish at our work as he was stuck working. We weight the fish and it is sitting at 10.5lbs on the scale.
An absolute beauty.
What a great day to be out and a good sign of whats to come in the week ahead with the nice weather as I continue
rolling rolling rolling right along like the Canucks out of a playoff spot.
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Topic: First Hatch of Year, Vedder, February 5th (Read 8920 times)