coastalcutty
Smolt
I've been at it really hard this winter for steelhead. It's my first winter, following fishing last summer on the Deschutes quite a bit. Never had a tug except an occasional trout. I tried gear fishing for a couple years too, never caught a steelhead.
Saturday was low and clear on my favorite coastal river. There was no one around. I have a new raft (thanks Larry, it kicks ass!), I was the only one to launch a boat. I got to a run I couldn't fish on foot in trips past, started working my way down. I thought it was too shallow, or too clear, I could see the cobble all the way to the other side, but it was the right type of water. I was there to fish, might as well give it a try.
10 minutes in, I felt a bump. My heart raced, but alas, no fish. I kept swinging and stepping. I had some confidence, my casts were feeling good, I was in the groove. 5 minutes later, it all got heavy, the drag was peeling so fast! It stopped and I started to reel, finally some bend in the rod! He came to the surface with a big splash, then it went a bit loose. I thought he was gone, but he was coming right at me. The tension came back and I fought him another minute or two. I was yelling out loud (to myself), heart pounding, my gut in knots. I think I could have cried. I got it within a rod length or so, in about a foot of water. I could see him, perfectly chrome. Just laying on the bottom.
That's when I made my fatal mistake. I pinched the fly line against the rod. I thought it was done. I got greedy. He had one more run. Before my brain could register through the excitement, he bolted, my finger couldn't release fast enough. Snap went the tippet and my first Steelie back to his lay on the far side. He took a my new favorite fly with him
This winter I've fished at least 12 days if not 15. So many hours, soooo many casts, and absolutely 0 feedback until now. I've read books, talked to people, asked questions, watched countless videos, consumed everything, trying to teach myself... Finally, I fought a steelhead swinging a fly. It's the only skill I've learned where there's no progressive feedback, you don't know if you're doing it right until it happens.
I wish I hadn't screwed up right at the end. That's a real bummer. But it's a huge win for me nonetheless.
Thanks for reading my story. I needed to share with folks who might understand.
Is it Saturday yet?
Saturday was low and clear on my favorite coastal river. There was no one around. I have a new raft (thanks Larry, it kicks ass!), I was the only one to launch a boat. I got to a run I couldn't fish on foot in trips past, started working my way down. I thought it was too shallow, or too clear, I could see the cobble all the way to the other side, but it was the right type of water. I was there to fish, might as well give it a try.
10 minutes in, I felt a bump. My heart raced, but alas, no fish. I kept swinging and stepping. I had some confidence, my casts were feeling good, I was in the groove. 5 minutes later, it all got heavy, the drag was peeling so fast! It stopped and I started to reel, finally some bend in the rod! He came to the surface with a big splash, then it went a bit loose. I thought he was gone, but he was coming right at me. The tension came back and I fought him another minute or two. I was yelling out loud (to myself), heart pounding, my gut in knots. I think I could have cried. I got it within a rod length or so, in about a foot of water. I could see him, perfectly chrome. Just laying on the bottom.
That's when I made my fatal mistake. I pinched the fly line against the rod. I thought it was done. I got greedy. He had one more run. Before my brain could register through the excitement, he bolted, my finger couldn't release fast enough. Snap went the tippet and my first Steelie back to his lay on the far side. He took a my new favorite fly with him
This winter I've fished at least 12 days if not 15. So many hours, soooo many casts, and absolutely 0 feedback until now. I've read books, talked to people, asked questions, watched countless videos, consumed everything, trying to teach myself... Finally, I fought a steelhead swinging a fly. It's the only skill I've learned where there's no progressive feedback, you don't know if you're doing it right until it happens.
I wish I hadn't screwed up right at the end. That's a real bummer. But it's a huge win for me nonetheless.
Thanks for reading my story. I needed to share with folks who might understand.
Is it Saturday yet?
