A busy day that started at 4:30 am
getting e- mails out and getting ready for a couple of meetings that I had to attend today and preparing 4 mallards for the oven, plump from feeding in the corn fields. Looking at them nestled in among several different herbs in the roasting pan made my mouth water ready for a evening feast fit for a king .
Next order of business a brief duck hunt that produced nothing for 3 shots, then off to the river. With the rain pelting down I knew it would not hold together too long.
I arrive at the run in the lower river shortly after 8 and have the run all to myself. I sling the brood capture tube over my shoulder and pick my way carefully down the bank still coated with the ice from the freezing rain that hit the Valley yesterday.
Just as I put the rod together I see I still have the roe bag on the hook from yesterday's trip. Looked ok leave it on being a bit lazy. Just then an angler appears from down river on the other side of the run. I cheat a bit and start fishing half way down the run where I have hooked or missed around 5 fish so far this season in this run.
He starts at the top of the run on his side and I see he knows what he is doing as he works carefully along the edges as well, a favorite spot for a steelhead to lay at first light and not being disturbed yet.
I reach the tail out with nothing, I check my watch and have 15 minutes before I have to leave for my first meeting of the day. The river I see is slowly turning from its emerald green colour as silt from the Tolmie slide and the melting snow is starting to have its effect. I also see the water has creeped up to the shelf ice, on the way up already.
The other angler works throught the run and heads back down river, alone once again.
I work the edge carefully at the drop off, just beyond where I am standing as the seconds tick off the wrist watch, how fast time goes when your time is limited.
The balsa float is doing it thing bobbing along in the current happy to be above water with this angler hoping it will submerge itself so I can be the first to tube a fish for the hatchery brood capture program.
I am sharing the pool with 2 pairs of Goldeneye ducks busy diving for their breakfast, I am really not certain what they are finding to eat, smolts or bits of rotting fish carcasses maybe but I do not see them come up with anything.
Just as I think it is close to the time to go, down goes the float, a good hook set and a steelhead flashes just below me, followed by the head shake as a fish of 7 to 8 pounds trys to rid its mouth of the hook that is I hope firmly in its jaw. Wonderful I think, it either will be a hatchery for the table or a wild for the tube.
The steelhead does not run much but continues to shake it brilliant body in front of me making me all the more excited. This goes on for a couple of minutes and as I start to think where to land the fish, in a spot to slip him into the tube if it is a wild, the steelhead takes a short run then a twist and then GONE. Disgusted as record now a terrible 3 for 12.
Time for a few more casts and then I have to quickly scramble up the still slippery slope to the Leaf Mobile and head to the meeting. Councillor Mark is there but theTim Hortons owner is not. We are there to see if George will provide the coffee and donuts for our Chilliwack/Vedder River Cleanup Coalition's 4 yearly cleanups. While we wait for George we are joined by Lew and we chew the fat. George who owns about 6 TH's in Chilliwack then joins us and we update him on CVRCC program and in the end he is more than eager to come aboard. So lots of goodies for one and all now. I am anxious to get back to the river but my early morning has caught up with me so I stop for a early lunch.
This turns out to be a bad decison as I once I again reach the river after lunch it is on the way out for good. I make a few casts but the colour leaves something to be desired, time to head for badminton. As I start to climb the bank again I spot a wrap around float, I have lots of them and do not use them but I go for it anyway.
Just below it, hiding among the rip rap rock, pay dirt, another Drennan, 2 in the last three trips. I may have lost a steelhead but a Drennan that most likely was Terry's loss was my gain.
The day was not a total loss I think as I head to hit the birdy around. I hear fom Nick they have nothing but Gwyn picks up another hatchery on his third cast or so of the morning. He also tells me he heard an angler lost two big ones approaching 20 pounds yesterday. A fish story who knows. After badminton, another meeting, a nap, a delicious wild duck dinner then back to the badminton court. Who said retirement is boring.
We will have to wait a few days until the river drops and clears so we once again we take up the challenge of also finding that ghostly 20 pounder out there somewhere. I am over due what about you?
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Topic: Vedder January 17, The Melt Has Started (Read 8263 times)