Looked out the living room windows this morning, and it is a sight to behold, heavy clouds, some of them on the canyon walls, a slight drizzle, not a breath of wind, the river looks like glass, a perfect day to go Steelhead fishing.

Barb, my wife and fishing partner has a church class today, so this will be a solo trip today. My plan was to get on the water at daybreak, but the feeling of guilt won the battle. Had something to eat and a cup of coffee with Barb, told her how great the fishing was going to be, and what I was going to use today, think she got tired of listening, and told me the day was going to be gone if I didn't take off, finally got away around 9:00am.

Everything on the boat is pretty much ready to go, fresh leaders, hooks are "sticky" sharp, I take some marinated shrimp out of the cooler, don't think they will be used, but just in case. Put hip boots on ( will be launching off a gravel bar ), get the boat hooked up to the Jeep, then head for the river.

In about thirty minutes the boat is launched at the gravel bar (see picture), I get the bow pointed upriver, and bring it up on plane, go through several rapids, and some slick stretches, in about ten minutes I'm at the head of the first drift. Get the fish finder turned on, little Honda started, TR-1 AutoPilot engaged, apply a gooey shrimp scent (that does not wash off) to the belly of the plugs, then run the lines out 60 feet, (using Id. two rod permit).

This drift starts in about 15' of water, shallows to about 8' then shallows to 5' then goes to 8', 10'. Staying on the current seam is pretty productive on this stretch of water.

The lines have been out about five minutes when the inside rod takes a violent jerk, just as I take it out of the holder a beautiful Steelhead comes bursting out of the water, what a sight. I'm playing the fish and trying to get the other line in at the same time, he jumps again, then makes a run down river, I finally get the other rod taken care of and can concentrate on playing the fish. He is out about 80' headed to deeper water, I steer the boat toward the center of the river, keeping him behind the boat. No sandbar near where I can beach the boat and land him. His runs are getting shorter, I place the net so I can reach it from the swim platform. He comes to the surface, I drop the rod tip, reel in so there's a short line, grab the net, pull the fish toward me, then guide him into the net, not a easy task, at least for me it isn't. I lift the Steelhead out of the water, unhook him, take a quick picture, and release him, he was trying to swim away as soon as I put him back in the water, but I restrained him for 4 or 5 minutes just to make sure he was healthy.

This is great, hardly get started on the first drift and catch one. Get the leader changed out and start another pass, the little plugs are doing their best, I'm expecting a rod to go down any second, but not a bump. I thought there would be another one right away, I pull the lines in and head for another stretch of water.

This next stretch of water is really good sometimes, if water conditions are right. Get everything set up and start a slow backtroll. Once again I hardly get started when this Steelhead comes shooting out of the water with my plug in it's mouth, this is a smaller fish, but put up a gallant fight, this time I beached the boat on a small sandbar, netted and released her.

Started another backtroll from the sandbar where I released the fish. This is a fairly short drift, when I got near the end I was thinking if I pulled the lines in slowly, one might hit, pulled in the inside rod, nothing. Picked up the outside rod and started to slowly reel in, then a couple of light pecks, then the rod started to bow and I set the hook. Heavy weight on the rod, this is really a nice size Steelhead, the water was about 3' deep where he hit. This fish did not jump, but put up a long fight, taking me quite a ways downriver before I could net and release him, absolutely gorgeous fish, probably around fifteen pounds.

With my hands shaking and heart pounding I decide to call it a day, it was cloudy all day with a spattering of rain, outside temp. was around 40F, river temp. 34.3F, Hell's Canyon and the Snake River, was beautiful as always. It's amazing that our maker gave us such a place.

Barb is going with me tomorrow, so stay tuned.

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