I see no fishing report on the Vedder has been make in a while, nearly two weeks so I thought I would do a small report on my outing this afternoon.
Being a bit down from the Leaf loss last night I had a hard time getting going today which seems normal this steelhead season. As well I have been having one of worse steelhead season in a long time. I have been out close to 12 times with nothing to show for it. It makes it tougher in the fact many others have been getting them in good numbers already. I finally reach the river about 2:30, after a coffee, a snack and the reading of 3 papers at McDonald's. I see no one around where I choose to fish and the visibility is about 18 inches. I start at a beautiful run that is perfect for the water conditions but I cannot believe the Maple Leaf Drennan will not go down for me. I fish the run up and down for close to 45 minutes.
I see a fellow working down towards me from a run above. When he reaches me we compare notes on the day and he says he has had 3, lower down. He says he has taken all on a spinning glow and wool combination. He adds a glow is right for the water conditions, I could not disagree if he indeed has hit 3 fish. He moves to the run I had just fished and I figure for sure he will get one there. I work the run I am fishing keeping my eye on the 3 fish chap but I feel a bit better as he does not have any success on where I had just fished hard.
It getting close to 4, time to head home for the 4:30 start of the Leaf game on TV, I fold up the rod, another blanked day. On the way out I check for some floats in a jam and find 2 foam ones, no Drennans. I notice a nice spot where the 3 fish chap had fished through quickly, what the heck I got 5 minutes before I need to leave. It is a nice slick behind a root wad that has been deposited by the recent high water. It is part way out from the river's edge thus creating a favorable spot for a fish to lay. On the first drift down goes the MLD, I set the hook and feel that solid feeling but no head shake, was it a fish or a small snag? As I reel in and see the roe has been striped clean from the Gammy, now I am fairly certain it is a fish and besides I am only fishing about 20 inches of float line.
My hand tremble some as I put on another bait, coho roe, will this be my first fish that I will hook this season? I flip out and watch intently as the float reaches the spot. Sure enough down it goes, I strike hard but the gear come flying back as the bait flies off the hook. On goes another bait and once again the floats dives with the same results. Now I think maybe it is not a fish so I shorten the float depth a few inches to see what will happen now. Sure enough the next cast sees a diving float disappear completely from sight. For the fourth time I set the hook and wow it is a fish for sure now as the line peels immediately off the pin. Boy this feels good after such a dry spell. The fish does not show itself as it heads straight out to mid river. My heart rate is just starting to quicken when the pull of a good fish is suddenly gone as the line slackens with my heart rate quickly returning to normal.
I now have that sinking feeling but then I think, well at least I have finally had the thrill once again of hooking one of the finest game fish there is in the world. I forget about the hockey game and fish to dark but I am not offered another chance.
As I head back to the Leaf Mobile I re live the chances I had and the short tussle that took place. Now I believe I have ditched my early season slump and hopefully I will return to the success I have had on many past seasons.
No sleeping in tomorrow as once again I have, that steelhead fever.
Author
Topic: Chilliwack River, January 25th 2011 (Read 2330 times)