After the last two miserable days in Chilliwack where we were treated with rain, strong wind, snow, hail and less than ideal river conditions today dawned more favourable. With daylight coming earlier now it gave me a couple of hours to fish before church.
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My first stop was for a coffee and then tie up some roe bags, darn only had 4 squares of netting left, oh well that should last for the short time I had to fish. The walk to the river as night surrenders to day is always a pleasant experience. A few stars are visible in between the scattered clouds, a roster welcomes the dawn in the distance, a flock of geese lift off a gravel bar, a lone merganser is working the shallows, looking for an unwary trout knowing emerging chum and pinks alevins will soon be a welcome addition to his diet.
I reach my chosen run; once again no one is in sight which is surprising especially being a Sunday morning. I sit on a log for a few minutes looking at the run soon to be fished wondering if a steelhead is laying there, a few feet away, a unseen quarry as is the slight breeze every so quietly moving some willows in behind me. Certainly a lot different than yesterday when Cohoman said his float was being pushed upstream by the strong winds.
As I put on the roe bag I take notice of the improved water clarity from yesterday, prime. I first work the top part of the run to no avail and work down to the part where I have taken a few fish over the last month. On the first drift I am slow on the take and only pull half hearty with the float still in the water after the poor effort of setting the hook, the fish must have chased the bait as the float goes down again, I donot again strike properly. It takes a couple of more casts and then Maple Leaf 25 gram DNE down again, no resistance as I do strike as one should. The roe bag looks no worse for wear so another cast and down again but again I come up empty, I know it is not bottom as I am fishing very short.
After that nothing as I presume the fish has given up getting hold of my offering so I work the top of the run again before getting back to the hot spot. Again now with a fresh roe bag on I get a chance and this time I connect. This fish sure does not like the feel of the hook and takes off like a shot out of a cannon and heads down stream. It has a lot of line out before I can stumble across a side stream following in hot pursuit, I did not think I could still run as fast. It thrashes violently on top of the water as it continues down towards the next run. It does not hesitate as it goes over a shallow ripple before stopping for a bit in some deeper water. I finally catch up to it and catch my breath; I must have gone 200 to 300 yards from where I hooked it.
After this marathon run I have the piece of chrome under control and as it comes to hand shortly after, a wild buck in the 10 pound range. Now with 2 roe bags left I head back to the run and sit on the log again thinking of what had just taken place, I am satisfied. Back with the rest of the journal later this evening.
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Topic: Chilliwack River, February 26th 2012 (Read 2784 times)