Yesterday my fishing partner (Barb) was busy with Christmas stuff, she suggested that maybe I should go out for a couple of hours, and try to find a Steelhead, sounded pretty good to me. I have been wanting to fish a stretch of water that starts at the tailout of a rapid, and ends at the head of another rapid. These two rapids are close together with a good drift between them.

Launched the boat at the gravel launch above Buffalo Eddy, no other fisherman around, except for one spey rod fisherman in the distance. Put the boat on plane, then went upriver several miles to the drift I wanted to fish. This drift starts out very shallow for about thirty yards,then a quick drop to deeper water, the current is moving pretty fast, with back eddys near shore, the trick is to stay very near the current line, the inside rod does not get much action, but the outside rod is getting a lot of action, I try to fish the eight foot water when I can.

I have already applied scent to the plugs at the launch, so all I need to do is start the little Honda, engage the TR-1 Autopilot, then let out sixty feet of line, with this done I start a very slow backtroll. I am about half way through the drift when the outside rod makes a violent jerk, line is stripping out as I take it out of the holder and set the hook. I hold the rod with one hand, reach down to the inside rod with the other hand, reel the line in, and tip it up so the fish will not tangle in the line, the boat is in a small back eddy and stable. This Buck Steelhead makes several runs, puts up a great fight, he finally comes to the surface, rolls on his side and I net him, beautiful fish with a lot of color.

I get everything squared away then finish the drift, got one bump near the the tail out, then went back for another pass. At the very start of the second pass the inside rod gets another bump, no hookup though. Then in almost the same spot that the first fish was caught, the outside rod goes down, this is pretty much a repeat of the first one, another Buck with a lot of color, and about the same size.

It has been a great afternoon on the river, ambient temp. about 30* but felt warmer, river temp 38*, water is clear, very calm and overcast. The fishing has slowed a little, but is still good, just have to work a little harder for them'

"Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays" to everyone.

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