Many people don't like this time of year. The coho are all gone, the steelhead haven't really shown up yet, and its cold outside.

Many facets of these complaints are not only wrong, but sadly uninformed. This time of year brings wonderful tidings of all sorts, both associated with the holiday season and also the river systems in our backyard. Sometimes it just takes a little digging to acquire success on the water.

Date: November 25th, 2015
Time: 6:30AM-2:00PM
Location: One to be protected from the masses
TFO BVK 5wt

Crystal clear waters are often something absent from this time of year. Luckily there are some gin clear gems out there right now that harbor the most perfect of aquatic predators and a worthwhile adversary that I share a deep rooted connection with. This is why I leave this location a secret; the protection of this indicator species on my favorite waters is something I strive for.

I'm talking about the notorious Bull Trout here. Some people hate this fish for reasons that escape me, and others see past the ignorant views of others and share the appreciation for this fish that I have. Bull Trout, or "Bulldogs" as I affectionately call them, are eating machines. Given this reputation for eating salmon and steelhead fry and eggs, they are a native fish and have done the same thing for thousands of years, long before humans came in and nearly destroyed the wild salmon runs of the Pac Northwest.

Before calling a native char a destructive species, consider thinking about what we've done to salmon in the past. We now need hatcheries to produce salmon and steelhead runs that meet recreational and commercial quotas because there are too few wild salmon left. The char aren't the problem here.

I appreciate Bull Trout because of their awesome predatory nature. They are a beautifully colored fish and fight like mad on light gear. However, they grow to sizes such that many people that target them with 7 or 8wt rods. Never knowing when a 30+ inch Bull Trout lurks beneath the surface makes every encounter with their species a rewarding one.

The particular river I fished held some great bulldogs and a couple surprises too. I hooked five Bulldogs, none of which were under 20 inches. Also, a little coho couldn't refuse my streamer pattern either and clamped on with a lovely tenacity. The coho was actually smaller than many of the Bulldogs I caught.

It was my first time giving any river a serious go with a fly rod and I was blessed to have landed my first salmon on the fly and my first river trout on the fly in the same day. Both were great fish and I am very happy to have them as my "firsts." All fish were released.

So maybe this time of year isn't such a bad time to be on the water. I for one love it and am very thankful for the opportunity to pursue amazing fish on amazing water.

Happy Thanksgiving all, and tight lines!

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