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Well Christmas is coming, so the deal was if I get the Xmas tree up downstairs this morning, we will be fishing for Steelhead this afternoon. Now this is a easy one, fake tree, already decorated, all I have to do is make space for it in front of the windows, and plug it in, easy bargain to keep. With this task done I go to the shop, and make sure everything is ready with the fishing gear, and the boat.
Today we are going to launch off the gravel about a quarter mile upriver from Buffalo Eddy, don't know if there is even a name for this launch, but there are seven or eight rental cabins above it, easy to find.
It is 1:00pm when we launch the boat, get it up on plane and head upriver several miles past Billy Creek. Arrive at the area we want to fish, and let me tell you, we have not seen a boat on the water, or a fisherman along shore all day, people must not want to catch Steelhead. The stretch of water we are going to fish is about a quarter mile long, depth is from four to twelve feet, have fished here several times with pretty good results, the bottom has excellent structure for holding Steelhead.
Bring the boat off plane and settle down at the start of the run, apply scent to the plugs (Wiggle Warts), let the lines out sixty feet, and start a slow back troll. In not more than ten minutes, Barb says "Ken I've got one on", she pulls the rod out of the holder just as this big beautiful Steelhead burst out of the water about seventy feet behind us, I'm trying to steer the boat away from shore, and pull my line in at the same time, the fish runs straight toward the boat, then comes boiling completly out of the water about thirty feet from us. This is a really nice fish, and what a beautiful sight. That was the last time she jumped, it was then a tug of war until she rolled over on her side and I netted her, we took a picture and released her, revival time was about thirty seconds, she flipped water at me with her tail as she swam away.
We had drifted quite a ways down the river playing the fish, so Barb cranks up the big engine and take us back to the start of the run, then start a repeat of the first pass. A side wind is hitting the boat, so the bow must be pointed about 45* toward the center of the river to keep from getting blown into shore, the wind gusts are pushing the boat around enough to give the lures a little extra action. In about forty five minutes Barb's rod plunges down again, She yells "Fish On", and grabs her rod, the big Steelhead Hen comes out of the water, and what a sight, that bright silver, with pink stripe is something to behold. That is the only jump this one made, but she really put up quite a fight, stripping line out several times trying to go to the opposite shore. When we netted this one it was more perfect than the first one, and a little bigger.
We made one more pass without a hit, then decided to call it a day of good fishing. On our way in Barb says to me "maybe we can go out Wednesday", sounds good to me
It was crisp, cold and refreshing in the canyon today. Water is very clear, ambient temp. 36*, river temp. 41.2*, and it is supposed to be over 40* this Wed. Can hardly wait.
Ken & Barb
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