Meskel
04-07-2007, 09:31 AM
What a day. Not really a record breaker but a first for me, well ok not really a first either but if you want to add the word “intent” then it was a first.
Steel in April you have to be kidding me, im a trout guy. I have officially begun day dreaming of a bent 3wt, shorts sandals and small streams.
Still when the office phone rang and my recently unemployed friend said:
“aren’t you feeling sick today?”
“wouldn’t your health improve if you were able to spend the rest of your day else where”
“Im sure there is nothing that can’t wait till tomorrow”
Which I replied:
“you know my stomach is a little uneasy”
“and fresh air, the sound of moving water, that always makes me feel better”
“but unfortunately I have a 2:00 O’clock that I just can’t miss-sorry you will have to go alone”
All that I got in return was silence.
Just then the receptionist walks in and informs me that my 2 O’clock is on another line asking if he can reschedule for next week.
“Um yea” I hear coming from the ear piece of the phone. So it was set, I was sick and leaving work and I would meet him on my favorite Steelhead waters in about two hours. And that is exactly what happened.
The water was a little high but had good color. NO ONE was catching anything. Didn’t surprise me as I thought it was late in the year for this particular fishery. We walked the river a bit hitting some of my normal fly holes (my buddy swings both ways when it comes to fishing utensils but this trip was fly only). We eventually made it back to where the gear guys like to hang and to my dismay there was not a person in sight. So why not we jump on in. It’s not long before im taking video of my buddy landing a good size winter (got to love cameras that take underwater shots). The fish was a little on the tattered side so it was promptly released. The skunk was off and that always is a good thing. But I was still blanked. I tried my hardest talking Chris into moving down river to MY spot but he wasn’t up for the hike out that this specific hole requires so I was going solo.
Upon my arrival It didn’t take long for me to land this 29 ¾ winter on an egg pattern floated below a balloon. http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/st.JPG
I personally wasn’t sure if it was a winter but the ODWF guy who happened across me just as I was finishing filling out my TAG said it was definitely a winter and 29 ¾ (not the 30 I wrote on my tag) We got to talking a little and this was one of two fish that he had seen all day. He took some scales and the tag from its back and was on his way. Figuring that was good for me I also started back out. However on my way I could help but notice a fish sitting behind a big bolder in a little pocket of water.
Well I have to try right?
but what a tough spot to get to. Being that my focus had turned from Steel to trout on my vise the winter box was looking a little bare and it didn’t take long to make a cycle through the bugs. No, no, no……. well why not. I pull out the same size 14 parachute Addams that I had stuck in the box to show the guys what I had used with my 5 wt to inadvertently catch a Summer on the last day of angling on the river I live (I was targeting trout). So off came the balloon and sure enough after just two casts this fish was brought to shore. http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/uws.JPG
With no intention of keeping him I quickly tailed this hatchery fish measured him off the keeper already in tow and snapped this underwater photo and away it went. It couldn’t have been an inch smaller then the one I was keeping so I called it 29 Now this fish was the first time I had targeted a Steelhead with a dry fly and it worked. And it was a trout fly no less.
It turned out to be a great day on the river. I was happy to get out of the office, see a good friend and touch some fish.Oh yea and my 2 O’clock that rescheduled for the next week. Believe it or not I ran into him on the hike out. He got blanked. I told him next time we will have our meeting on the river.
Thanks for looking
Meskel
Steel in April you have to be kidding me, im a trout guy. I have officially begun day dreaming of a bent 3wt, shorts sandals and small streams.
Still when the office phone rang and my recently unemployed friend said:
“aren’t you feeling sick today?”
“wouldn’t your health improve if you were able to spend the rest of your day else where”
“Im sure there is nothing that can’t wait till tomorrow”
Which I replied:
“you know my stomach is a little uneasy”
“and fresh air, the sound of moving water, that always makes me feel better”
“but unfortunately I have a 2:00 O’clock that I just can’t miss-sorry you will have to go alone”
All that I got in return was silence.
Just then the receptionist walks in and informs me that my 2 O’clock is on another line asking if he can reschedule for next week.
“Um yea” I hear coming from the ear piece of the phone. So it was set, I was sick and leaving work and I would meet him on my favorite Steelhead waters in about two hours. And that is exactly what happened.
The water was a little high but had good color. NO ONE was catching anything. Didn’t surprise me as I thought it was late in the year for this particular fishery. We walked the river a bit hitting some of my normal fly holes (my buddy swings both ways when it comes to fishing utensils but this trip was fly only). We eventually made it back to where the gear guys like to hang and to my dismay there was not a person in sight. So why not we jump on in. It’s not long before im taking video of my buddy landing a good size winter (got to love cameras that take underwater shots). The fish was a little on the tattered side so it was promptly released. The skunk was off and that always is a good thing. But I was still blanked. I tried my hardest talking Chris into moving down river to MY spot but he wasn’t up for the hike out that this specific hole requires so I was going solo.
Upon my arrival It didn’t take long for me to land this 29 ¾ winter on an egg pattern floated below a balloon. http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/st.JPG
I personally wasn’t sure if it was a winter but the ODWF guy who happened across me just as I was finishing filling out my TAG said it was definitely a winter and 29 ¾ (not the 30 I wrote on my tag) We got to talking a little and this was one of two fish that he had seen all day. He took some scales and the tag from its back and was on his way. Figuring that was good for me I also started back out. However on my way I could help but notice a fish sitting behind a big bolder in a little pocket of water.
Well I have to try right?
but what a tough spot to get to. Being that my focus had turned from Steel to trout on my vise the winter box was looking a little bare and it didn’t take long to make a cycle through the bugs. No, no, no……. well why not. I pull out the same size 14 parachute Addams that I had stuck in the box to show the guys what I had used with my 5 wt to inadvertently catch a Summer on the last day of angling on the river I live (I was targeting trout). So off came the balloon and sure enough after just two casts this fish was brought to shore. http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/uws.JPG
With no intention of keeping him I quickly tailed this hatchery fish measured him off the keeper already in tow and snapped this underwater photo and away it went. It couldn’t have been an inch smaller then the one I was keeping so I called it 29 Now this fish was the first time I had targeted a Steelhead with a dry fly and it worked. And it was a trout fly no less.
It turned out to be a great day on the river. I was happy to get out of the office, see a good friend and touch some fish.Oh yea and my 2 O’clock that rescheduled for the next week. Believe it or not I ran into him on the hike out. He got blanked. I told him next time we will have our meeting on the river.
Thanks for looking
Meskel