It's no monster... but my first steelhead! And it was even sweeter because I caught it with 15 minutes of sun left.
I wasn't planning on going to the Cascade.... super nice drive on a sunny day but I didn't realize how far it was (approx. 200 km from Vancouver). Decided to check it out after busting out at the Nooksack fishing for chum. Got there around 3:15 pm. The first spot I went to was empty. I had heard it was a gong show there, so I knew I probably wasn't in the right spot. I tried fishing anyways in a spot I "think" may hold fish.
Gave up after half hour. Nice scenery though. Decided to check hatchery, talked to a guy who pointed me in the right direction and said steelhead definitely in the river. I have half an hour of sunlight left, decide I drove all this way so I have to at least try. Ran into a guy at end of trail fishing, turns out you need waders, convinces me that now is a perfect time to fish (last light). I didn't want to crowd him. Back to car and put on waders.
Cross the stream past buddy, find a spot I think looks about right (first season, really no idea). Start floating, getting dark, figure I have 5 minutes of sun and a few casts. On second last cast.. fish on. I was so excited when I realized it was a fish, I just muscle it in... good thing it was on Bent Rod Jig/sickle hook...ascertain hatchery, bonk, bleed, line back in water to try and get another. Realized I was being ridiculous because I couldn't see my float. And it was kinda creepy being out there by myself with the mist rolling in.
Ran into buddy in the parking lot. Tells me first light and last light is good, but get there early because it's a combat fishing in the mornings... he said there were 6 people fishing where he was during the weekend (I thought he probably would have punched me out if I started fishing beside him because area was tiny).
I used a pink Bent Rod jig with pink worm, and a small piece of cooked prawn (I think I read that somewhere...
), as shown in the picture. Short floating with a 20g DNE, 10 lb flurocarbon leader/15 main. I had Pautzke cured roe but was too lazy to use it. Big fan of Bent Rod jigs and the sickle hooks.
Any suggestions on set-up, technique etc would be welcome. Another question: Do steelhead "color" up like salmon, get past prime for eating?
Dec 2:
My second steelhead.
Got there at 8 am, saw at least 5 guys leave with 2 fish each (limit). Got this one in the afternoon, put up a nice fight. Same pink jig and prawn. Used a yellow and orange jig with prawn and caught a super red coho, a chum, and a dolly... but no more steelhead. Pretty crowded in the morning but everyone was pretty nice.
Author
Topic: Cascade River, December 1st 2011: Ma first steelhead! (Read 2354 times)