Today's plan was to fish the Clearwater in Idaho, the Clearwater/Snake Steelhead Derby starts on the 5th which is this saturday, and we wanted to get in some pre-fishing. The weather report did not sound good when we got up, and the wind was starting to pick up, so we decided to cancel today, and go tomorrow.

Around noon the wind died down and the river looked very inviting, so I asked Barb if she would like to go out for couple of passes on one of our favorite drifts, she said "yes", I headed for the shop to get the gear ready.

It was a little after 3:00pm when we got the boat launched, and headed for the drift we had chosen. The river is totally deserted as far as we can see, except for three Spey Flyfishes trying to get a hookup.

We bring the boat off plane, point it upriver on the Idaho side, add scent to the plugs, and start a slow backtroll. In not more than five minutes Barb's rod goes down, she picks it out of the holder, then tells me it feels like a really big fish, the fish is staying deep, giving big head shakes, and going wherever it wants. It takes us to the Wash. side of the river, then back to the Idaho side, I tell Barb she may have a big Chinook on.

After about 25 minutes, trying to manouver the boat away from the fish, it surfaced about twenty feet from the boat. We could not believe our eyes, it was a huge Buck Steelhead, it was tired but was so big and heavy that just a twich of his tail stripped line out. Well Barb did a great job playing this fish to the boat, after about ten minutes I netted the fish, we just stood there in awe. Unbelievable, what a awesome Steelhead.

We beach the boat on a sandbar, I weigh the fish with a Berkly digital scale, 18.5# the largest Steelhead Barb has ever caught. We admire the beautiful fish, take a couple of pictues. The Steelhead is 37" long, with 18" girth. We make another pass without a takedown, then head for home.

It was another beautiful evening in Hell's Canyon, Fall colors very brillant, river crystal clear, 51* temp. very calm. Saw Mule Deer, Bighorn Sheep, and had about 30 Deer in our yard when we pulled in the driveway.

I still can't believe Barb caught that Steelhead, sure glad we did not fish the Clearwater today.

---