clacksteel
10-15-2006, 07:20 PM
How do you cope with losing the biggest fish you have ever hooked on a fly rod and reel knowing that it could have won you fame, fortune, bragging rights and a new fly line?
It was early and still rather chilly. The sun was just starting to peek over the hills but the very slow and low run was still somewhat shaded. Both of the other fishers had moved on to try their hands at a different hole so me and my fishing buddy were left with the water to ourselves. My buddy had already landed one steelhead (ON BAIT!!!). I was using my single handed rod and an indicator setup :blush: due to the fact that the water was too slow to get a good swing going. I was sending out my little flies a pretty good distance for not nymphing in a long while.
I then sent my setup close to the other bank...I had a good feeling about the drift, it was right in the seam. I watch my indicator as it shoots under the surface and I set the hook hard. Then IT surfaces with my fly hooked securely in its mouth. It was built like a chinook...broad shoulders and BIG with a big red stripe going down its side. My buddy estimated it at an easy 20 lbs...I was a little more conservative and said it looked more like an 18 pounder. How ever much it weighed, it was a nice B-run steelhead. It proceeded to jump, run, bulldog, and scare the crap out of me for the first few minutes; I had no control. It started running down stream but I was able to turn it by getting below the beast before it moved over the edge of the rapids.
I was starting to think I had it beat...now it was just bulldogging and going for some smaller runs. It was turning to head back towards my location downstream when it happened...the line went slack and my heart sank. I guess that is what you get when you use a barbless fly. What I don't understand is how the fly could stay in place through all the jumps and runs just to pop out and let the Mr. steelhead be on his way. It didn't matter. I had hooked the biggest steelhead of my life...that alone made my day...year.
Steelie Mike got lucky this time...but I now know where the bigguns live and I'm not going back with no stinkin' barbless flies!
It was early and still rather chilly. The sun was just starting to peek over the hills but the very slow and low run was still somewhat shaded. Both of the other fishers had moved on to try their hands at a different hole so me and my fishing buddy were left with the water to ourselves. My buddy had already landed one steelhead (ON BAIT!!!). I was using my single handed rod and an indicator setup :blush: due to the fact that the water was too slow to get a good swing going. I was sending out my little flies a pretty good distance for not nymphing in a long while.
I then sent my setup close to the other bank...I had a good feeling about the drift, it was right in the seam. I watch my indicator as it shoots under the surface and I set the hook hard. Then IT surfaces with my fly hooked securely in its mouth. It was built like a chinook...broad shoulders and BIG with a big red stripe going down its side. My buddy estimated it at an easy 20 lbs...I was a little more conservative and said it looked more like an 18 pounder. How ever much it weighed, it was a nice B-run steelhead. It proceeded to jump, run, bulldog, and scare the crap out of me for the first few minutes; I had no control. It started running down stream but I was able to turn it by getting below the beast before it moved over the edge of the rapids.
I was starting to think I had it beat...now it was just bulldogging and going for some smaller runs. It was turning to head back towards my location downstream when it happened...the line went slack and my heart sank. I guess that is what you get when you use a barbless fly. What I don't understand is how the fly could stay in place through all the jumps and runs just to pop out and let the Mr. steelhead be on his way. It didn't matter. I had hooked the biggest steelhead of my life...that alone made my day...year.
Steelie Mike got lucky this time...but I now know where the bigguns live and I'm not going back with no stinkin' barbless flies!