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[Steelhawk]

Made my first steelie trip of the year. Was at the river about 9:30AM. Decided to check out the lower river runs to see the water condition as well as how people were doing. Started at the Yarrow Wilson stretch. The river was in perfect shape though it is a bit low for my favourite mid river fast water area. Quite a few people on the other side. Spent 1/2 hr there but no one had any fish. Walked all along the run and could not see any kill mark.

Decided to head up to my favourite fast water section. With the low water, there are tons of good holding spots among the fast water. Started off from a pool first with another guy on the other side. No fish from either side. Then I made the trek up fast water. After casting to some no-so-good looking spot, I came to the top of the fast water. There was a really nice slow rifle water with a barrier shallow gravel bar ahead of it. Fishy! I put on fresh shrimp meat to my ghost-shrimp imitation, and drift through the fishy stretch. Guess what, the float went down. Wham, hook set and the fight was on. A bar of chrome shot up briefly with a light touch of reddish colour. It must be a buck. However, a few more powerful head shakes, the line came loose. Not sure if it is a hatch or not.  After no more action, I worked my way up river to another nice holding spot. Cast, and magically the float went down again and another fight was on. But it is not a big fish, so in a short while, a small 7-8 lb wild doe came to shore. Too bad no camera with me and I hate to delay its release. Bye fish. Just love reading the water, picking those pocket waters for target fishing. Great anticiipation makes it fun.

I came back down to the pool where I started. Another guy was fishing opposite side. He signaled to me he had a fish on. So there were 3 fish hooked in our section today, not bad considering it is mid river & not Lickman.    By the way, water condition in lower is excellent, and mid had some bluish turquoise tint but at least 2-3 ft visibility.

I also happened to bump into Lew (Chris's friend) in a pretty secret spot later in the day. Had a nice chat with him. Funny we fished those same stretch the last 20 years & never met each other. Very friendly guy. Nice to have met you Lew.  All in all, a very nice day with or without steelie sushi for dinner.    Two-fish day is a good start for the season. The weather was also good. No rain, at least until 5PM when I left.

[allwaysfishin]

thanx for the report, sounds like a fun day. I'll be gettin out 3 days straight starting friday, hopefully conditions hold 

[Taboo]

Thanks for posting...makes me itchy!   

I have all my gear set out and ready for the AM.....only thing that will hold me back is a viscious wind...

[DionJL]

I'll be out first light tomorrow. Thanks for the report.

[younggun]

Cant wait till the weekend!

[Lew Chater]

Hi Steelhawk....saw your post above and figured there must be two Lew's out there on the river. Chris phoned me and said he didn't think I was on the river yesterday as I have this stupid heavy cough and flu symtoms. I told him I wasn't out there and he mentioned your post, so I guess we still haven't met. Have fished all those sections for at least the last 50 years and plan on doing it for a bunch more so hopefully we will run into each other.

[Steelhawk]

This is interesting. How did I happen to know he is Lew? Well during our chat he told me he fished the Thompson for spring jacks in August. So I happen to remember Chris's posts on those trips. Then I asked if he knows Chris of FWR. He confirmed he knows Chris, even mentioning Chris's last name. I thought the most mentioned names of Chris's friends in this forum are Nick the Master and Lew. I just asked if he is Lew and he said yes. That is how the name came about, LOL. I should have suspicion as I have never heard Lew being a mid-river pocket water fisherman, and most of Chris's posts were about lower river.  Well, I met this Lew in one of the secretest of small hot spots shielded by trees and bushes, very target oriented fishing and very different from the lower runs where a fish can sit any where in a large run. I am sure with 50 years fishing background, the real Lew must have fished all sorts of places, but I can only deduce from Chris' posts of lower river actions that Lew prefers to fish those lower runs. So, that should tell me that this gentleman could be a different Lew. But hey, Chris, is there a body double of Lew or you know other Lews too? 
Either that or he must mistook the name when I said 'Lew'. Perhaps he thoughtI said  Lewis, or Luther, or what have u with similar sound.    He looks to be in the 60s,  lives in the housing subdivision around Bell Acres and he said he is taking care of quite a few houses along the river for his neighbours or friends (if that ring a bell for you who he is, Chris).    To the real Lew, apologize for the mix up there and hope we meet some day.

[chris gadsden]

Must of been a fellow that lives there with a last name that starts with New, that rhymes with Lew.

[Steelhawk]

I think the rain has really pushed the river level up. Called the tackle store in the afternoon, and they said the lower river had very little visibility (that means the mid is definitely unfishable). See this river level graph: http://scitech.pyr.ec.gc.ca/waterweb/fullgraph.asp

[DaN ThE MaN]

Hey William,
Nice to hear you r hooking those steelies. I have yet to go out this year, maybe i should sneak into your secret holes. We should go out but i know you are not a fan of weekends! Which is my only time free.
Dan

[Steelhawk]

Hey Dan, nice to know u are still lurking in the forum. Didn't see u posting lately.  No problem there. I don't fish on Sunday. But give me a shout if you like to go Saturday and I will give u the first crack at those deadly holes.