Another newbie story

Krijack · 07-11-2005, 08:59 PM

In keeping with ifish tradition, I guess I need post a fishing story. After years of fishing it is hard to choose just one, but since this one is from Oregon I thinnk it will suffice. About 4 years ago I had to drive my wife up to Portland so she could be present for her sister giving birth. I knew I would have a couple hours so I brought along my pole. This was around the first of September so before I came I glanced at the Dam Counts. If I remember right there was over 200K steelhead between the Dams. Everyone was fishing at bouy 10, so I headed up to Eagle Creek on the Columbia (Tanner Creek was closed and I didn't know about Herman Creek at the time). Any way, after about 2 hours of trying to hook one of the few fish actually in the creek I walked down to the mouth. A couple of guys in a boat at the mouth were putting on a clinic. Every 5 minutes or so they would hook into another fish. The fish were everywhere, but the other two guys on the bank had nothing. I asked what the guys in the boat were doing, but the guys on the bank said when they tried to ask or see the guys started cussing at them. I walked down closer and watched, figuring that I didn't care if they were being jerks. All they were doing was tossing out eggs and slowly bringing them in. Unfortunately I didn't have any bait. So, I ran up to the car, drove to the bridge of the Gods and bought 2 dozen sand shrimp and got back around 6:45 or so. In the next hour before dark I landed a fourteen pounder, hand off another about 8 pounds, broke off another, and probably missed another 20 or more. It was incredible. Every cast I would get a peck like a smolt, miss it, get another, miss it, then if they hadn't got the shrimp, another. Every cast, 3 or 4 bites. Before you think I was lining them, remember that before I bought the bait I never felt one. Plus, the ones I caught were in the mouth. Even though I only go the two fish in, it ranks as one of the most incredible 1 1/2 hours I have ever had. And all you guys thought it was worth the trip to Bouy 10. I've been dying to get back but never have been able to. Whats weird about that day is that my brother-in-law (the best steelhead fisherman I have ever met) went back 2 days later and never got a bite. I wonder what Herman Creek would have been like that day?