tangled
09-01-2004, 07:48 AM
Well, after three years of going fishless, I finally picked one up yesterday afternoon. Fishing for sea runs and of course steelhead in the coast range. Two chances are better than one, right! Went with a larger Royal Wulff as an attractor pattern for both fish and a 6 weight with a 10 lb tapered leader just in case. First run, 6 or so tosses into it, after having caught a few smaller cuts, line stops, FISH on. Having not had one for some time, you forget its quite difficult to land a big fish by yourself and still keep the fish in the water the whole time. Well, as I was trying to gain control of the line and leader to remove the hook in about 6 inches of water, flop flop flop, off he/she goes. I'll count it. Was big and fat. Turns out the hook bent open. Afterwards, cut fished for some time during which I failed to land 2 very big ones that just nailed the fly in plain view and ran deep on me, tossing and turning. After a while spotted another steelie in a run above, holding on the side, threw everything I had at him for about 15 minutes, left him and then came back again. Only got him to chase the fly once, near the end with a purple marabou. Fun though. Might find me out there again in the next few days.