13 year old girl gets her first chinook, silver and steelhead!

willierower · 08-29-2001, 06:12 PM

My friends daughter went up to Kalama with me to visit my wife who used to baby sit her. Steph is not your typical teen aged girl. She would rather run through the woods than go to the mall. I went fishing on the Kalam monday evening and she wanted to tag along, We wnt and got her a punch card and hit the river. Steph has never been fishing for salmon or steelhead. Her dad took her bass fishing a few times. Well we get to the river and I rig a spinning rod with a float and eggs. After a quick run down on how to cast and how to mend line etc. she was casting a drifting her float like a pro. She had a couple good takes but missed them. I was throwing a bait of eggs with barely any weight. I get bit and hook up, I give Steph the rod and with a little coaching she lands a chrome bright chinook jack about 4lbs. Needless to say she was pumped!. We fish until it is too dark to see.
The next morning my wife and I get up at 4:30 to open up the store. Steph was still awake, she didnt sleep a wink. She was all excited to get back on the river and get another fish. Steph and I hit the river again right at daylight. On her 3rd cast her float gets ripped under. She sets the hook, Fish on! This fish didnt stay buttoned. This didnt affect her at all, She just baited up and starting fishing harder. We fish until about 7:30 and head back o the store. At around 11:00 my wie tells me to take Steph fishing again, She wants to go. Well you dont have to twist my arm too hard to get me to fishing. We head down to the lower section of the river to check it out. There wasnt anything going down there. We head back up the river and fish a hole right by the store. This hole doesnt recive a lot pressure. Steph still has her float on and she is just casting away. There are a few fish roling in the hole and every time she sees one she gets a little more excited. In her excitment she casts a little too far and hangs up. I was drifting eggs with a pink corky. I made one more cast then set down my rod to try and help get her gear free. The line breks and as I was reeling it in I notice my line was getting pulled upstream. I drop her rod, Grab mine and set the hook then I hand it to Steph so I can finish getting her rod taken care of. Steph precedes to land a chromer 8lb silver. We leave so she can show my wife the fish. I have never seen anyone that excited after catching a fish, It was cool.
My wife, her brother and Steph all head back down to the river and they leave me at store by myself. After about an hour my wife comes into the store holding a still flopping 10lb silver, Her first silver. Not 5 mintes later Steph comes running into the store holding a 6 1/2lb summer steelhead! She caught the steelhead drift fish eggs, She hooked the fish all by herself. My brother in law managed to land a fat little chinook jack.
The whole rest of the day we couldnt keep that kid of the river, All she wanted to do was fish. We all went fishing until dark and I finally landed a fish for myself, A chinook jack. Steph wanted to fish all night, We had to talk her into finally giving it up and go to bed. This morning she was back at it. She fished until it was time to head home. I think we have another fishing addict running around [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]

Vinny · 08-29-2001, 07:27 PM

Nice story.
I'd like to get Nic, my 10 yr old son hooked, both into big fighter and on fishing more frequently. He loves catching crawdads. Lot's of action. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

FM2 · 08-29-2001, 08:08 PM

Great story Willie, it's rare to find a teenager, especially a girl who enjoys fishing like that.

My daughters are 6 and 9 and I have had them fishing since they were much younger. Today they hound me to take them fishing which is a cool feeling as a Dad to have your daughters want to go fishing. I have 2 sons who also fish so I guess it runs in the family.

I know when they get 40 and have their first boyfriends [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img] they will appreciate that I have taught them to have a great time outdoors, respect the environment and even catch fish. In a couple of years I am going to teach my oldest daughter to row the DB, don't see many female's doing that [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]

Grant Scheele · 08-29-2001, 08:34 PM

That is a great story. I have an almost 2 year old daughter that I hope has some of that urge when she is older.

FishinMishin2?, I don't get it. 40 year old daughters? I didn't think that my little girl would ever age past about 10. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Where do women come from anyway? [img]images/icons/confused.gif[/img]

FM2 · 08-29-2001, 08:55 PM

Hey O, I think we are on the same page, those big cute cuddly eyes look up at you with that pouty lip and that just melts me. I don't think it will be as easy seeing the girls go as my sons, of course that unless...............NAW, now I'm thinking 50 [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]

You probably already do put take them with you as much as possible, even just a trip to the store. I have taken my daughters with me fishing alot and someday maybe a lucky guy will appreciate me if he can outfish me [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] or outfish my daughters [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

First Bite · 08-29-2001, 09:10 PM

Great story Willie. Sounds like she is hooked on fishing for life. I'm still trying to get my daughter into her first fish. Maybe this fall.
Mark

willierower · 08-29-2001, 09:23 PM

When my niece gets a little older I will get after the salmon and steelhead. She is 6 now and already a pro bluegill slayer [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] .

That Steph is addicted to fishing. I had to drag her kicking and screaming of the river this afternoon. We had to head home and I had to go hunt her down so we could leave. All the home she was talking about getting backup to Kalama and fishing some more.
If any of you see a girl with brown hair in a pony tail, Wearing a green BITE ME hat on the river, you better be ready to get outfished by her [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

jawbreaker · 08-29-2001, 09:40 PM

Great story. Just last weekend I took my neighbor and his thirteen year old son fishing for his first salmon around buoy 10.
We hooked 10 and landed six total with Jim finally getting one. I could tell he was excited when he played the fish and by the end of the day he said it was the most fun he ever had. Hopefully we can do it again this weekend. jb

Uncle Roman · 08-29-2001, 10:36 PM

Nice job WR, Your'e going to have to give me directions on how to get up there, and then you can maybe have Steph show me how to get a fish or two............ [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Good Luck!!

willierower · 08-30-2001, 05:57 AM

UR,
Take I-5 north to Kalama, Just North of the town of Kalama hang a right n Kalama River road. Go about 1 and 1/2 miles up the road and turn right into the parking lot. 2 turns after you get on the freeway, Im sure you can find it.
When the fishing gets good you will have to go up and fish.