Today started as ugly for me as it did for most people. There were some stale fish in the hole I was fishing and I managed to get only 1 spring, decent size, but not worth keeping. There were a couple of hookups on the other end but otherwise it was a really slow start. Then my buddy broke his rod which sent our day into a spiral of swearing and bad attitude. We went to Fred's to get a replacement rod.
By the way I love Fred's.
Then we went to explore a new spot I thought should exist, and indeed it did. All the departing fishermen had long noses there too so it didn't look good at all. But I managed to find a skinny little piece of water that I though should have fish and started fishing it.
After a short while I hooked into jack and landed it. My buddy upstream landed a nice coho after a bit too. I then hooked into a bigger fish and lost it in shallow water. But I continued to fish because this was the only piece of water I thought should have bigger fish.
Then a few "leaders" came to fish beside me but I protected my little spot well and they left after a few snags.
As soon as they leave I make a perfect cast into the riffle and the float immediately goes down.
I set the hook and the fish leaps 6 feet in the air. It's like a reward for protecting the spot from the "leaders".
I saw that the fish was bright chrome and good size. It immediately sprints downstream and is aiming for the rapids. It makes another 2 or 3 high leaps and tumbles. It was like watching Alexandre Despatie dive.
I had an 8 lb leader and I figured there is no way I can land this fish so just as it tried to go around the bend I thumb it down to stop it or break it off.
But the fish stops. It started to believe it didn't have anyhwere else to go. I also started to believe.
Few little tug of war moments and it starts to come in. It made another run across the river but I managed to bring it back to my bank.
I start yelling and at the 2 guys around me (embarrassing) to help me and get into the water to try and tail it but my buddy from upstream sees the commotion and comes to my aid. I’m breathing a little easier now.
I’m slowly bringing it upstream and suddenly it sees a bunch of underwater branches and heads straight for them. It gets right in there all tangled. Oh no...
My buddy goes into the water up to his hips to tail the fish. The fish is stuck now.
As he grabs it and pulls it up we notice that the fish has the hook in it’s mouth but the line is broken. My 8 lb leader held just in time for him to grab it and lift it out of the water.
No bloody way. How is that for a reward.
All in all, it ended up being a great 15lb brand spanking new fish that I decided to write down on my license.
That thing in my mouth is the hook with left over roe bag.
Author
Topic: Chilliwack River, September 22nd 2012 (Read 3445 times)