What a great day it was weather wise in the Valley today, one would think it would be a perfect day to break a losing streak for this angler.
After a good workout on the badminton court last night my body told me it would not hurt to maybe sleep in a little as no meetings today meaning a full day on the Vedder if I wished.
I arrive at the river at 8:30 and am pleased to see my new "
Hot Spot"unoccupied
. I tend to move on to different area's when the spots I am fishing get too crowded as I enjoy being able to move up and down a run. Fence post fishing is not some thing I enjoy.
I am just getting my gear ready after tying up a few roe bags to compliment the bugs I have, a good arsenal, when the phone rings, Nick is checking in from a bit up river. He asks "anything happening with you, nothing here yet" he adds. I tell him just getting started, "phone me if you hit anything is my instructions". Cell phones are handy but maybe they should be banned on the river ::)just as they should when we are driving.
I work my way to the run where I miss a fish but I believe it is a white fish or trout as the take did not seem like the float went down like a steelhead bite.
I work the run for an hour but nothing more but enjoy the different species of ducks diving for their morning meal, the drakes in their best winter plumage. The lovely day probably reminds the ducks that the mating and nesting season is not that far away. If one only takes the time there is so much going on around the river, if we are too intent on fishing we are missing some of the other advantages of being out in the great outdoors.
I move up river meeting many walkers on the way, they also are enjoying the unseasonable pleasant weather including a cavalcade of strollers pushed by beeming mothers who I step aside for to let them pass as they are on the move. The mothers give me a funny look which is understandable as they probably do not know what waders are let alone my brood capture tube strung around my shoulders. The toddlers are content for just getting a good ride while some of them are enjoying their bottles, that make me think a coffee would sure be good right now.
With that in mind I turn back after fishing a run that had possibilities but nothing there.
I arrive back where I started and Bill is just heading to it so after chatting with him for a bit I leave it for him to fish. He tells me he got one 7 pounds there yesterday.
I fish a bit of a slot after leaving BIll and it is not long after I see Bill's rod bent into a nice curvey arch.
I head up to him incase of a wild for the tube, which as I draw near to Bill he says it is mine if a wild.
I lean my rod on a tree and head out to the run and I suggest to Bill if it is a wild maybe this gravel beach behind would be a good place to tube it. He agrees to this spot to land it no matter hatchery or wild and as it nears the beach I see as I look for the adipose fin it is a very nice hen close to 12. As she twists and turns in the shallows I see Bill's wool tie is firmly planted and I then see it is a hatchery. I slip it ashore for him, "I will take it for my mother as she loves fish even thought I do not" he says.
Bill punchs out the fish on his license and even though I was planning to go for lunch maybe I should try the run again as Bill said he had lost 2 before this one.
Just as I start the wade cell phone is ringing once again, Nick again "we are at Cookies are you coming" Nick say. I reply the bite is on and I will delay my lunch. Before he hangs up he says that he lost one and Dean had tubed one.
Just then Dave and his friend Richard from Duncan that I would meet later appear on the scene but do not come out to the run. Dave a new guest to the forum knows I have been losing fish after fish by my recent posts and says, "still losing them". I try to ignor that remark as I am being reminded of that too much lately.
Dave and Richard move down to the slot I had been fishing when Bill got his and I now see Dave's rod bent but it turned out to be a very mature coho.
As I near the tailout of the run I am fishing, Balsa float down not once but twice in as many casts, bottom I wonder but the way it went down it looked very good. Next cast same spot down again
set the hook, solid,
head shake,
fish begins its run,
but then slack
O no not again but yes it is gone, 3 for 15. With the roe bag still intact next cast float down again,
strike, nothing, same fish? or another but I was not given a fourth opportunity.
A few more casts and now disgusted big time time to go to a belated lunch. I am introduced to Richard by Dave when I reach the Leaf Mobile and we talk about the Cowichan which Richard who just moved there is excited to start learning about. Good fishing to be had there I tell him. I hope one day both of them will join the forum as Dave who works for FOC in research would have alot to offer to this forum. I write this for I know he will be reading this post tonight.
After lunch at good old Cookies back to the run for the third time, Nick is opposite me and while I was away he tells me via the cell his partners for the day Don and Dean have each got a fish giving there party 4 for the day.
I head to the run and start at the bottom where I hit the fish even though you should always start at the top. Nick who is across river and above me now has another fish on and I see the tube come out, wild fish that I hear later from Nick it would be the 5th of the day tubed.
Bill's son Steve comes in and starts at the top, above me. As he nears me with a bug on my Balsa float down, miss, bug gone, another bug attached with trembling hands. The Balsa nears the spot, me really ready, float down, contact with a ..... 12 inch trout or white fish ah ah of course it falls off after a couple of skips and jumps, typical Gadsden skill or better still lack of it it seems lately.
A few minutes later Steve is into one above from where I started
. By the look of the bend of his pole it is a good one. As I know the hatchery truck is coming to get Nick's it would be great if Steve's fish was a wild alsobut it was not to be as it turned out to be a twin to Steve's dad fish, another 12 pound doe. I help Steve do the landing by holding his rod while he tailed in the shallows.It was great to hold the rod with a fish actually hooked and landed.
With the fish bled Steve is then off with his prize, "time to get some chores done" he quips. I am back at it as I know this run is producing
.
Jon a good family friend now appears on the run, just returning from a one day trip to the Stamp where he picked up some steelhead. We chat about the trip, always good to fish different rivers I tell him when the chance arises. He is a top ocean guide now. As well Jon played hockey with 2:40 Gordie and it was his shot from the blueline many moons ago that was tipped in that gave their team a 3-2 Pee Wee Jamboree championship. I remember that well as I was doing the play by play on video that game and was proud that I called the deflection on Jon's shot even thought the ref missed it and had to change it later. Jon picked up player of the game, great memories and must pull out that tape again soon.
Back to fishing and we hear a fish jump above us as it is getting near the end of the day. Jon says he saw where it jumped so he heads up to it. 5 minutes later he signals for me to come up to where he is. He tells me he missed it, " try a bug" he says but I have a roe bag on so a couple casts in the zone float down, " there you are" Jon says. It is a solid feeling alright, too solid as it is a snag of some sort
, I straight line it, snap, crackle and pop, everything gone including the good old Maple Leaf Balsa float. This is very sad as it never had the privledge of being on for a landed fish as during its life span it was on for about 10 losses, and no wins. As I was fishing the Diving Board Run maybe I should go diving for it to give it a second chance in life in hope of landing a fish. On second thought I will put on a Drennan and enter the world of the big shot fishers, maybe it will change my luck or lack of it starting tomorrow.
Actually I am going to change to another Avon reel as well and give the old Avon Supreme a rest.
I am going to go to badminton tonight and take out my frustrations on the bird and my misses will be a lot less I am sure.
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Topic: Feb.1 Vedder, Many Stories,Many Fish, Many Losses Continue For........ (Read 3663 times)