Desperately Seeking Fishing Stories - Please!

[drifter]

Chromers - Help Me Out - I am dying here! As I posted last week, I broke my hand and cannot fish for 2 months.

Since I can't fish, I NEED to hear about others who are. I watch the river levels and know that someone must be catching fish (Wilson, Nestucca, Sandy or Clack)?

PLEASE HELP - I'M DESPERATE - to hear about your latest trip. You don't have to give up your favorite fishing hole, just tell me about the fishing, what did you catch, how did you catch it, how did it feel? Some pictures would be great.

"Help me Obowan, your my only hope"

Thanks in advance, Drifter.

[First Bite]

drifter
Can't fish for two months! Ouch, that's got to hurt. I would be going nuts too.
Here's a fishin story for you. This morning I went to the Wilson river with my wife. This is the first time she has ever went on a Winter Steelhead trip with me. I started up high and worked my way down to Lee's camp. I don't think I'd be giving away anybody's secret by saying the drift below Lee's camp store is a good holding spot for fish. I was using a float and on my first cast, as I was retrieving my bait, a felt the familar tug. I ran the float through again several times and didn't get a repeat so I started working my way up the drift. I made it to the head of the drift with no takes so I cast out and then walked my way back to the tailout while my float was in the middle of the river. About halfway through, my float slowly went under. I set the hook and there she was. A bright, fiesty summer hen came right out of the water and started going nuts. I handed the pole to my wife and she experienced the battle for a few brief minutes before she belly slid the hen in. After that fish we went to another spot further down river. I ran through a couple different jigs with no luck and the I put on some bait under a float. Again, first cast as I was retrieving it, the fish took a swipe and I missed it. I re-rigged and within a few minutes I had another bobber down. Fish on. This was a huge, bright native hen that instantly came out of the water about three feet. It hit the water and kept on going. I looked for a spot to safely land the fish and still keep it in the water. After several hard runs, I eased the fish into the shallows. With one wet hand I grabbed her tail and with the other I released the hook. My wife and I couldn't believe just how beautiful this fish was. She was so bright she almost had a purple hue to her. She was also flawless. The wife snapped a quick picture and with one flick of the hens' tail, she was gone. We thought that would be a good way to end the day so I gatherd my poles and we headed home.

Tight lines everyone
Mark

[HOGTIDE]

Got up early this morning. Made a hot pot of coffee and made the pre-daylight run over to Big Creek. Apple fritter chunks falling down the front of my shirt and hot coffee spilling down my crotch, I felt like a young buck out on an adventure, again. Good ol' Sweet Pacific fog had settled around the creek, so I actually heard the rush and hustle of the current, before I could see the water. Hardly ever bankfish anymore, so it was nastolgically enjoyable to walk through the wet grass and wade over the slippery rocks, once again. The water Oozzles remebered me from years past and nodded hello as I slipped to my spot.

My weapon of choice was an old reliable friend, a 9'6" fenglas flyrod blank that I had built into a driftrod about 24 years ago. This 6 wt. rod is long, limber and has almost no detectable 'touch' by todays' standards of graphite. My reel is an old classic ABU 2500 C loaded with 8lb max. I've owned a lot of graphite and shimano, but hook a good bullet on this rig and you and the fish are ONE!!! The rod pulses with each movement of the fish. Put the pressure on and the tip dips a foot lower than the butt of the rod.

On Big and Gnat creek my method is to cast unweighted eggs. I use the same technique as you would while wetfishing nymphs on the Deschutes. Cast above the snag hungry riffles with the bait and allow it to belly through the sweet spot of the hole. If the water runs harder, simply cast further up stream. If the reel starts to 'rat' add a bigger glob of eggs and.... oh ya, the old rig and riggin' did their quiet chore. I took 2 prime fish from the first slot. They were laying 'just' where they were supposed to be... as if assigned that position by their parents from years past.. I named the second fish "ROCKET MAN" as he defied the laws of physics, exploding 3 feet into the air out of 2 feet of water, ending in a water seperating side flop. I released that ol' boy just in appreciation of his spunk! Hooked my 3rd fish in a flat stretch below. The aggressive lil' chromer actually took the eggs at the end of the drift as they began to swing shallow and wake the surface. Kinda makes your settin' arm jumpy to watch the fish gulp. Head over tail, down the rapids, a flying #2 hook and a limp line told me my fun was over.

Hopped into the rig feeling good that my 2 decade old holiday traditon was still in tact.It had been a lucky day. Even found a couple of big 'fritter' chunks on the seat, that I had missed in the early dark. Poured and spilled coffee down the front of me as I pulled out on Highway 30 heading home.

[OneLastCast]

Damn.

Both you two tell a wonderful story.

Thanks
OneLastCast

[RichH]

Tuesday my brother in law rolled into town from Idaho. Since he's the only B-i-l I enjoy spending time with I took off early from work and headed over to three rivers to attempt to get him into his 5th steelhead in his life. Needless to say there was a bit of a crowd so we searched out some relatively uncrowded, perfect green to wet our lines in. He of course left his waders at home so we also had to find something he could fish from the dry side. Using a huge spin n glow and about 4" of pink yarn , he had a good hard strike at the end of a drift and wound up landing an 8# hatchery buck with just a hint of pink. I, on the other hand, managed a 15" cutthroat that I was sure was going to be the real thing. A great day on the creek with good company and a fish to take home for the rookie. Tight lines.

------------------
Rich H

Great stories! Rich, while the cutts are easier to catch I still consider them to be 'the real thing'. They are beautiful fish and have made a nice comeback in recent years. I have caught several this season, with some measuring in the upper teens. I hope we keep it C&R. ....


BTW, I happen to know Mark hooked and caught more fish than in his nice story. Ya don't have to be so modest Mark; you are the "Wilson Wizzard" . ... And Hog, that's book quality writing! I would expect no less from a professional teacher. And I'd like to have a new nickname for you too, "Mocha Man". Ah, a bit lame ... let's see ... "Big Gnat", eeh. ... "Java Hog Slop", nah, that sounds like something your students would come up with and also like a rap band. ... "Mochatide", not bad; Hogtide's Tide soap gets the coffee stains out of your shirts. ... Guess that is it until we come up with a better one. ....

Drifter, if you really can't reel at all with the cast on I feel for ya. After New Year's Day I may fish my sled on the Clackamas (don't do much of that for winters any more - fish the coast more). Send me an e-mail if you hear of some decent fishing over there and I'll take you out with me and another buddy or 2 (pro-bono of course; I figure you'll appreciate that one ). You can do the one hand hookset and we can reel the fish in. Take care of your hand. - RT



[This message has been edited by RT (edited 12-21-2000).]

[fishhead5]

A friend of mine broke his hand right in the middle of nookie season. We got some pvc pipe and some velcro straps. We then secured the pipe to his arm and hand with the velcro. He had to put a bead in his egg loop so he could get a hold of it. Worked great, he was off work and still got to fish. The only drawback was that that egg goo ran down into his cast. Got too stinking pretty good after a while. Main thing was he was fishing.

Fishhead5

[drifter]

THANKS GUYS - YOU MADE MY DAY! Great stories. Hearing about your adventures is almost as good as being there.

Hogtide: I know the feeling of bank fishing your favorite honey hole. I have two such spots on the Sandy. I could feel the "cold morning air" as I read your post.

RT: Thanks for the offer. You are a very generous guy. I cannot tell you how many times I have appreciated your posts on this BB. Unfortunately, this cast has my fingers immoblized. I have to type with a pencil stuck in my cast. I will e-mail you though.

Merry Christmas to all. Drifter