TillamookChinook
08-06-2007, 01:34 PM
I finally broke through with the Bull Trout on the Metolius. My only previous bull trout hook-up had been about three years ago in the snow at the "IFish No-Bull Prize" bull trout trip, but that fish made a long run and came unbuttoned. Maybe it wasn't even a bull trout because the ones I landed this week didn't run much at all, but pretty much just slugged it out in place.
This time there was no doubt. I had fished the rainbows for two days with no success. I had seen very few bugs and no rises, even in the evening, and was pretty discouraged. I gave up the second evening and agreed to go for a walk with my wife as it was getting dark. But before we even left the campground the guy across the river struck hard on his second cast and there was a big boil in the water; obviously a big fish. We cheered when he landed a nice bull trout and he said he had just come down for a little practice with his Spey casting when a bull trout got in the way.
Well, the water on my side of the river looked a lot like the water on his side and I already had my 9-wt rigged, so I was quickly into my waders and swinging a black articulated spawning bunny leech from my own vise. After about a half dozen cast-swing-step, cast-swing-step, the line stopped and there was a tell-tale throb. I released that 20 inch fish and resumed the dance; cast-swing-step. About six more steps and I was ready to interrupt the routine while I tried to spear a beer can on the bottom, and I thought my fly had stuck on a rock, but then the rock moved. Another slug-it-out at close range and I released a 22" fish. By now it was dark and I walked back to camp with a big grin. The guy across the river had also caught a second bull trout.
I left that run alone the next evening and left the magic streamer in the fly box so the fish would be rested and I would still have my only successful streamer available when my nephews arrived at the campground the next day. I hoped to get them connected to a bull trout before they reached 60 years old. At dusk we waded into the prime water on both sides of the river that had produced four fish just two nights before. One nephew made two sweeps through his side of the river, with no results. The other nephew fished below me until he broke off on a rock and had to re-rig because the loop on the end of his sink-tip busted. That left about two more steps below him in the drift that had not been fished yet, so I stepped in and got my third bull trout in two days. This one was 26". I had switched to a white articulated bunny leech after losing the black one to a rock.
I may go another 60 years before catching another bull trout, but this was a trip to remember. I love being at the Metolius even when I don't catch fish.
TC :cheers:
This time there was no doubt. I had fished the rainbows for two days with no success. I had seen very few bugs and no rises, even in the evening, and was pretty discouraged. I gave up the second evening and agreed to go for a walk with my wife as it was getting dark. But before we even left the campground the guy across the river struck hard on his second cast and there was a big boil in the water; obviously a big fish. We cheered when he landed a nice bull trout and he said he had just come down for a little practice with his Spey casting when a bull trout got in the way.
Well, the water on my side of the river looked a lot like the water on his side and I already had my 9-wt rigged, so I was quickly into my waders and swinging a black articulated spawning bunny leech from my own vise. After about a half dozen cast-swing-step, cast-swing-step, the line stopped and there was a tell-tale throb. I released that 20 inch fish and resumed the dance; cast-swing-step. About six more steps and I was ready to interrupt the routine while I tried to spear a beer can on the bottom, and I thought my fly had stuck on a rock, but then the rock moved. Another slug-it-out at close range and I released a 22" fish. By now it was dark and I walked back to camp with a big grin. The guy across the river had also caught a second bull trout.
I left that run alone the next evening and left the magic streamer in the fly box so the fish would be rested and I would still have my only successful streamer available when my nephews arrived at the campground the next day. I hoped to get them connected to a bull trout before they reached 60 years old. At dusk we waded into the prime water on both sides of the river that had produced four fish just two nights before. One nephew made two sweeps through his side of the river, with no results. The other nephew fished below me until he broke off on a rock and had to re-rig because the loop on the end of his sink-tip busted. That left about two more steps below him in the drift that had not been fished yet, so I stepped in and got my third bull trout in two days. This one was 26". I had switched to a white articulated bunny leech after losing the black one to a rock.
I may go another 60 years before catching another bull trout, but this was a trip to remember. I love being at the Metolius even when I don't catch fish.
TC :cheers: