Some Like it Swung (pic heavy)

[greenheadgunner]

Last week I received a hot steelhead report from a friend. Having no plans for the weekend, I reserved Saturday and Sunday for chasing "the fish of 1,000 casts." The crew included my dad and fishing partner John.

My fly fishing background is strictly trout, although one time I caught a steelhead while trout fishing. I've had bad enough luck spin casting and bait fishing for steelies on coastal rivers, so I never even considered fly fishing for them on a technical river.

We all know the effects a hot report/open weekend combo can have on an angler.

It's Saturday morning and the Big Dipper is still out, territorial headlamps are flashing across the river and we're running what-if-someone's-on-that-run scenarios.

Fishing light hits and we're fishing the "Plan B" run.

Twenty minutes into the swing dance and I have a fish on! As soon as the fish pulls my line, part of my brain must have come out too. Five seconds into the fight I nervously fiddle with my spool like an idiot, get my finger stuck in it and the fish breaks off.

Last time I had "my lunch handed to me" that early in the morning was during collegiate cross country practice.

Ten minutes later I had a chance to redeem myself and found myself holding a steelhead.

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/Deschutes_1.jpg

We fished under the canyon shadows and enjoyed the cool air, knowing it would soon be gone.

9:30 rolls around and the sun hits the water. We switch tactics to nymphing and swinging sink tip lines. Mid-day produced two fish, including my second.

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/Deschutes_20.jpg

Then its mid afternoon blues. Slow fishing, but it beats watching paint dry.

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/Deschutes_22.jpg

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/Deschutes_16.jpg

Before the sun disappeared over the west side of the canyon, things started to pick up.

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/Deschutes_15.jpg

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/Deschutes_4.jpg

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/Deschutes_17.jpg

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/Deschutes_5.jpg

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/Deschutes_18.jpg

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/Deschutes_19.jpg

And eight hours into my first day of steelheading with a fly rod I was ruined, with my sixth fish to hand. A day I will not soon forget, and I day I will never live up to again.

It was phenomenal.

And so was my sleep that night at camp. With more stars visible than Hollywood will ever produce, the big black sky cooled the canyon down to a refreshing 45 degrees.

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/Deschutes_13.jpg

The next morning it was the same story. Big Dipper and territorial headlamps, only this time it was us guarding the Plan A run. Course, there was no competition like the day before. Must be a Saturday crowd out there.

After a cup of coffee we were standing in 3900 cubic feet per second of steelheaven. Fitting for a Sunday.

John had the hot hand.

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/Deschutes_61.jpg

And soon after he landed that one the canyon echoed with a little hoot. Here's why.

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/Deschutes_7.jpg

Let me rephrase that...here's why.

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/Deschutes_9.jpg

And very soon after the first hoot was a second hoot. And here's why.

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/Deschutes_101.jpg

Let me rephrase that...here's why.

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/Deschutes_8.jpg

That's right, a double!!! Including a monster!

And to cap off the morning John threw in a tailout fish for the barbie.

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/Deschutes_11.jpg


On the drive home I had been asleep for over an hour when, apparently, I abruptly asked John, "so did you meet any people that caught more fish than us?" He looked at me, confused, and said "where?" I then realized that I had woken myself up with a question that I thought I asked in a dream, but that came out as if I had been awake. "The river?" I responded. We laughed. I guess I'll be dreaming about this one for a long time.

So, having considered the Law of Averages, I am quitting steelheading while I am ahead.

[Wild Chrome]

Wow!!!!!.......I was happy I caught 1 steelhead the first time I swung a fly. Now I feel like an underachiever!:passout:

Nice photos too; especially the big buck in the water.

[NCL]

Really great photos, I especially like number three and four, they are very tranquil and would make a great screen saver. Thank you for sharing your experience.

[gustav]

Quitting? Yeah right; you are now more hooked than ever! Thanks for sharing your days. Great pictures.

I went out yesterday and had one on for a couple minutes and felt good about that until I saw your report; you just raised the bar a bit.

[chromeseeker]

Nice work.

I like the last line of your report. The steelie gods have a way of sucking newbies in with the sweet nectar only to give them future beat-downs. But something tells me this won't be your last trip to the D this year!

CS

[nookslayer]

Simply amazing. I can only commend you on a day that many anglers can only imagine. Myself included. I have YET to land a steelhead on the D. Admittedly I don't give myself enough opprotunity but still. Beautiful fish and unbeliveable production. Congrats to you and your partners! :applause:

[BarroomHero]

Incredible!!!

Love the pictures. Puts a HUGE smile on my face!:applause:
Congratulations! That's how it's done!

[hooksetter1]

That is fantastic!!! Just so you know, there's no recovery...

I give you 6 months max before you buy a spey rod, if you haven't started looking already.:D

[sherretb]

Thanks for the great pictures! Although this post is also pretty cruel. I cant help but dream of myself in that position. Gotta Go Gotta Go Gotta Go!

That was an AWESOME trip.

[Luke77]

Great pics, thanks for sharing!

[rockaway]

Holy Smokes!!!!!

[Huntnfish57]

Thats a great trip! There are some pigs ya'll caught there.

[goforchrome]

Great day, great pics.
Congratulations.
Thanks for sharing.

[TillamookChinook]

Wow!! Certainly a trip to remember. Thanks for sharing.

TC

[Nuchal Rouge]

Don't you know the Deschutes is crowded and the guides are hogging all the good runs? Nice job. That will be a trip to remember. Hopefully you can do it again. Good luck.

[cubsfan]

Sweet! Love the east side from time to time.

[Whiskey Dick]

Good job, nice to see the smilies

[crawdad]

Now, how am I supposed to get any work done after reading that? That's the last time I open one of your threads first thing in the morning on a workday!

Seriously, awesome!!

[5-Cents]

Very nice! :cheers:

If you fish enough, there will be times when planning perfectly intersects with just the right time and magic happens! These are the times that keep us coming back again and again! A very special day indeed! :twocents:

[Steelie Mike]

Awesome report and pics my friend.

[MJ13]

Wow that looks like an awesome trip!

[Patrick Kollodge]

Yesterday afternoon my girlfriend and I launched above where those gorgeous photos were taken, fished the exact location shown in several of the pictures and proceeded to get thoroughly skunked. No tugs at all, just gale force winds and Ferdinand the bull. I even used a purple fly and my single-hand seven weight in an unsuccessful attempt to conjure up the mojo shared by Greenheadgunner and pal John.

Hats off to you, gentlemen, for having a great day on the water and posting equally great report.

[PayDay]

That was one of the best reports ever. Thanks for the pics and the narrative. Now it's a day we can all enjoy and remember.

[Wild Chrome]

Yesterday afternoon my girlfriend and I launched above where those gorgeous photos were taken, fished the exact location shown in several of the pictures and proceeded to get thoroughly skunked. No tugs at all, just gale force winds and Ferdinand the bull. I even used a purple fly and my single-hand seven weight in an unsuccessful attempt to conjure up the mojo shared by Greenheadgunner and pal John.

:passout:

[dubl_t]

Greenhead, That is by far the BEST story I've read on Ifish!!

Congratulations.

Tom.

[chromeseeker]

:passout:

If I may hijack the thread momentarily, why the passout smilie?? I think Patrick highlights very well one of the draws and mysteries of steelhead fishing: steelies are like ghosts, they can literally be there one day and gone the next. Especially on the D where you can hook 10 fish in a run one night and 0 the very next morning. Happens all the time.

Patrick takes nothing away from this great post of awesome pics. Quite to the contrary, he shows very nicely why so many of us become steelhead junkies--it's about the cast, the chase and fishing sweet fly water in beautiful settings. Hooking fish is usually just icing on the cake.

Proceed....

CS

[Dane0001]

Congrats! The first steelhead is always the toughest :applause: Thank you for sharing the great pictures!

[Wild Chrome]

Flashback to a recent thread. Sorry, I'm not going to hijack.:flowered: Besides, the pod was probably miles upstream by then. I had the pleasure of watching a big pod navigate the fish ladder a few weeks ago. Thought I was in Alaska!

Hey GHG,
I think you owe someone a fish!:wink:

[Ironhed]

A BEAUTIFUL post!!!!:applause:

[greenheadgunner]

Hey GHG,
I think you owe someone a fish!:wink:

Hey good call! I've got slabs sitting in the smoker as we speak...would be glad to send waylund some...can you PM me his address??

[Wild Chrome]

I'm just messing with you. I think he's pretty flush in fillets right now too. Buy him a beer at Bernie's next time, though!

[greenheadgunner]

I'm just messing with you. I think he's pretty flush in fillets right now too. Buy him a beer at Bernie's next time, though!

Ha! Well if we cross paths again I sure will.

[UmpquaSpecial]

Wow, most awesome post. Absolutely beautiful shot of just the hand with the fishes head coming at you with that brilliant scarlet red gill plate. Damn nice trip.

[boo]

GreenheadGunner,
what a refreshing post on the D after having just read the rant on the crowds/guides in a prior post.
Great pics aswell.
Cheers

[PittsburghD]

Congrats! The first steelhead is always the toughest :applause: Thank you for sharing the great pictures!


Whoah, you can say that again. First, second third fourth, fifth... Thanks, I have given up hope knowing I can hook 'em on spinners with the feel but the wet fly has surpassed me. What hope you have instilled!

I can't even think of work now. I am off to search out my next trip.

[raptorschild]

Thats just flat out impressive. All there is to say about that.

[sylvan bob]

looked like you guys had a great time lots of fish very nice great pictures also thanks for sharing:meme:

[mr_bones4]

Wow what a great trip. Awesome pics as well.

[dirtyCut]

:applause:

One of the best ifish posts I have read in years.... thank you.

[K-sigfish]

:D:applause::passout::dancingman::yay::cheers::bow down::clap::noway::shrug::ooo: DAMN!!!! ok sorry for the language!!!!!

[stillinscrubs]

Really great post. Thank You for taking the time.

One question:

I noticed you used single handed rods. Any issues with backcasts on that river? I think I know which one it is....maybe.

Thanks,
Scrubs

[ChartHead]

Great post!
Those look like AWESOME fish!

[wapiteaser]

My guess is you were about a mile above the locked gate on the West side of the river (railroad side) That riffle gets loaded with steelies sometimes. Just below the island is a great holding spot when they are on the go. Great job and great pics.

[mcslider1]

Isn't that island right at nene~

[GreenGateNomad]

Great day indeed. I had a similar one with my good friends and landed one of the largest chrome-domes I have every had the opportunity to. 3 months for my first purchase of a spey!

[Navigator]

Great post indeed. Worth another run through!

I have yet to even hook a steelhead on a swung fly after many years feebling trying.

:cheers: :cheers: :cheers: