I usually keep reports to myself, but today I had a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. This year I have hit an extremely unlucky streak, which I did not think was possible myself. Its not that I wasnt hooking fish, it was a case of losing fish, due to spat hooks and snapped leaders. I do blame myself for some poor hook sets more then a few times.
I headed off to the river right after I got off work, and headed over to my favorite mid season stretch. I had hit a big fish in this stretch just two days ago and I knew there must be more fish kicking around in this area, because just a few days ago there were many fish hanging around further down river.
When I arrived at my spot, I rigged up with a fresh leader, and a fat prawn. I worked my way down the run slower then usual, because I knew there were fish around, and you never know if the fish happened to miss your first couple drifts. I continued to work my way down the stretch, covering all the water, and putting the extra casts in places Iv hit fish before. Nothing, so far. But I know near the end of the stretch is where the sweet spots are, I always like to leave the best for last.
Just as I am narrowing in on my sweet spot an old timer pops out of the bushes and walks right by me, and starts fishing just below me !
Now I am really pissed off, I knew I should have started fishing this area first, but thats just part of fishing...... I continue fishing following behind this guy, hoping he doesnt hook one right in front of me to tick me off even more. He fishes the sweet spots for an hour, nothing for him, so he packs up and leaves.
I am finally able to move into the sweet spots, and from experience, just because someone doesnt hook anything doesnt mean there arnt any fish. I start with the hot spot, nothin. I move down a bit to the first pool, where I have hooked fish in past years, nothin. I move down some more and start drifting through the 2nd pool. I throw a cast out, and pull it through the seams, just as the dirft is coming to an end, it gets hammered!
Iv not had a hit this hard for awhile, and you know when a fish hits that hard, you most definately have a good hook set. The tugs start very light, and the fish dashes under some boulders. As the fish sits, I reposition myself on some good ground to work with. I know I cant let this fish go much further down stream, as the impossible would come into play. I decided that if I could get the fish back upstream into the first pool, my chances would be much better, as I was already in some heavy fast water. I made my move, tricking the fish into going upstream by giving it less liine pressure then I would have applied if it had decided to go down stream.
I now have the fish where I want it and I get a good steelhead roll, on the top of the water. Right away I see this is a big fish, and sporting a wild adipose fin. The fight lasted under 10 minutes, and the fish co-operated very nice, and finally I had a fish to hand.
Once my nerves calmed, I rigged up another prawn, and worked the last bit of the stretch, Nothin. I headed back up to the 2nd pool, where I had hooked the fish, 2nd cast float down,and that good feeling of head shakes. Quick battle and a good sized fish around 10 pounds released.
I fish the area another half hour, and decide to switch up a wool combo. I make my 2nd pass down the whole stretch, and take a cast behind a large boulder with a long slick following behind it. I watch my float drift the far side of the slick and as it reaches half way, down goes the float and the fight is on, lasted a good 5 minutes, but the fish won this time.
Nice way to end a long skunking, and another good day on the river.
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Topic: Chilliwack River, March 30th 2009: The Skunking ends (Read 1424 times)