First Bite
07-02-2008, 03:34 AM
I had a two hour time window to fish...that included a 35 minute drive out and back leaving slightly less then one full hour of actual fishing. I tossed a couple rods in the truck and headed over the coast range en route to my favorite summer steelhead river. As I get closer to the section of open water I see my first option has a car parked there..second option looked to be open. I gathered my stuff and headed down the trail. As I round the corner at the river I see a couple younger guys fishing the top end of a nice drift.
Since I was limited on time, I quickly rigged up one of my rods with a purple/cerise jig...tipped it with a dab of bait and adjusted my round cork so the jig would be down about six feet. I quickly searched for resting fish but didn't see any. I cast to the far side of the river and reeled in my slack line. The cork went about ten feet...twitched once then slipped under water about an inch. I came back hard and felt the weight of a nice summer run...Fish on. This was a chromer hatchery buck and he put up a heck of a battle before I slipped him in the net.
After I landed and tagged the fish...I pulled out a couple of my favorite summer jigs and gave one each to the younger guys. Unfortunately I had to get back home to take care of business but I wished the guys good luck and headed up to my truck.
Timing is everything and I found out later that one of these gentleman had never landed a steelhead...well today was his lucky day as he hooked and landed his first steelhead using the same purple/cerise jig I was using. Sometimes it's the little things that make a big difference...this guy will always remember his first steelhead...and it feels good to help out a nice young guy who appreciated a helping hand.
This is what fishing means to me...paying it forward...I know this young man will do the same...this is what makes our sport so unique...a true steelheader who respects the fish, the rivers and the people who fish them.
Since I was limited on time, I quickly rigged up one of my rods with a purple/cerise jig...tipped it with a dab of bait and adjusted my round cork so the jig would be down about six feet. I quickly searched for resting fish but didn't see any. I cast to the far side of the river and reeled in my slack line. The cork went about ten feet...twitched once then slipped under water about an inch. I came back hard and felt the weight of a nice summer run...Fish on. This was a chromer hatchery buck and he put up a heck of a battle before I slipped him in the net.
After I landed and tagged the fish...I pulled out a couple of my favorite summer jigs and gave one each to the younger guys. Unfortunately I had to get back home to take care of business but I wished the guys good luck and headed up to my truck.
Timing is everything and I found out later that one of these gentleman had never landed a steelhead...well today was his lucky day as he hooked and landed his first steelhead using the same purple/cerise jig I was using. Sometimes it's the little things that make a big difference...this guy will always remember his first steelhead...and it feels good to help out a nice young guy who appreciated a helping hand.
This is what fishing means to me...paying it forward...I know this young man will do the same...this is what makes our sport so unique...a true steelheader who respects the fish, the rivers and the people who fish them.