As I posted this morning I scouted yesterday a new area to try this morning. It looked so good I got my earliest start of this year's steelhead season.
As I got my coffee at Tim's on Lickman Road I could see the last star of the evening still shinning in the South West sky. I also saw several pairs of wood ducks and mallards on their way from their night's roosts, winging to their feeding ground. They were well illuminated in the clear sky and the breaking daylight. I also observe a fresh coating of snow on Mt. Cheam and the surrounding mountains. That was good I thought as the heavy rain we had last night would have been snow at the higher levels and the river should have remained prime.
I arrive at the "new hot spot" and see no one is there.
I had grabbed some of my derby fish's roe that I had pro cured up as I thought I would give it a try to start. Besides I had proven on derby day prawn tails would take a steelhead as well but I have more faith in roe.
I was tying up a few roe bags in the Leaf Mobile as I sipped my last few ounces of my coffee when Helmut and his dog Mavis stop for a chat. We talk briefly before he heads towards the river. Is he going to my "new hot spot" I wonder? Another angler appears and I see him getting ready by his truck. No rush I think as I tie up my 4th and final roe bag. You never know when you are going to hit a fish as getting that one on derby day at 1 pm proved. Being first to a spot does not really matter but then it is nice as you may find that fish that may have moved in overnight, well rested and not having seen anyone's offering.
With 4 roe bags tied I too head towards the river, the other angler is still at his truck getting prepared, probably retired like me and in no rush.
No sign of Helmut or Mavis either. I put on a roe bag about the size of a dime. I see I still have on the same leader, #1 Gammy, and the small tuff of pink wool from derby day, should have changed maybe but did not.
The 20 gms drennan sure looks good as well, with the Toronto Maple Leaf logo scotch taped proudly to the top of it.
As no one near the "new hot spot" I try another likely looking spot for a dozen casts or so. I then see the chap from the truck appear and it looks like he may be heading to the "hot spot" so as I was just about ready to leave the first run anyway and maybe I was being a little selfish at the same time, I quickly move to it.
On the first cast into the 2 foot or so deep riffle the red topped drennan and Maple Leaf logo have just hit the water, and starts to drift. It goes about 2 feet and just like that it is gone from my sight. I strike and can not believe it, as a steelhead boils to the top.
This fish fights a lot stronger than my derby fish as it breaks water and clears the water several times as it surges to the center of the river. It then comes close to shore heading for the root of a tree. I can not keep it away from the mirage of roots but luckly it does not tangle. It then heads upstream and darn it is into another root wad, but does not once again tangle. I scramble over some logs to try and pull it away from these obstacles. I succeed and it heads to the center of the river once again, breaking water as it goes.
It then heads downstream where the water is moving very quickly and wouldn't you know it, there is a bigger pile of logs, roots etc.. This is it I think, I apply pressure, testing the 8 pound test leader. For some reason the steelhead turns and comes upstream again, remembering those roots piles I guess. Sure enough, in she goes again. I am successful in freeing her once again from this mess. By now 5 minutes into the fight she is starting to tire and the current gets the best of the fish, her energy sapped. However now the current is dragging her towards the lower log jam. Several limbs are sticking out into the river a few feet. My past experience tells me this will be it as the line will almost certainly wrap around these limbs and the weight of the fish in the current will snap my line like cutting butter with a knife.
All I can do is give lots of slack and hope for the best as I scramble over the logs, heart beating very fast as I try to keep my footing at the same time. As I reach the jam the fish has by some miracle slipped by it and is in the very heavy current. But my line is caught on one limb.
All I can do it flip the line in an attempt to free it, as I am sure the line is a second or two from breaking. I must be living right as the flip works and the jam is now cleared.
The drama does not end there as the fish is now nearing a real stretch of hard water. I run down to the tip of the island not knowing how far down the rapids the steelhead may have now gone. I could not go any further so my only chance now is to try and put pressure on the line and if the steelhead has not gone to a point of no return I can pull it into a slack bit of water that is at my feet. I feel the fish is still there and I am gaining some. I am glad I had put on the extra line, pre derby. Finally I see the drennan float appear out of the boil at the top of the rapids with the flash of the now tired fish behind it.
The rest is easy as I bring the 12 pound hatchery fish to the shore. The thought enters my mind that maybe I should release it but after this battle of so many obstacles I decided to retain it, making the comittment to release the next one even if it is a hatchery. (Maybe getting too cocky now)
With the fish marked on the license, a picture of the fish and the area she was in I am off to Fred's to enter her in the Wally Hall Jr. Memorial derby where she tips the scales just under 12 pounds, good enough for second place at this time.
I am also given $4 worth of coupons from Tim Hortons for weighing in a fish.
A fellow from Wales is there getting ready to go out. As he produced a fishing show there he does some filming of my fish talking in Welsh about the steelhead and I give him some commentary in English of course.
He sure had a nice video camera that he said costs in the thousands. As I leave the shop he is heading out to do some fly fishing and some more filming. I give him the address of FWR and said he will join when he returns to Wales.
With my fishing now over for the day, short as it was, time to do some community work and attend a meeting at the Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve. As I drove through Chilliwack I kept thinking this was one of my most exciting battles with one of British Columbia's top gamefish the mighty steelhead. A fishing trip to be remembered for a long time. I can hardly wait for my next adventure out on our precious Vedder River and the search for those steelhead that are out there, waiting in some other "hot spot" for not only me but you too.
As I am pressed for time today I may have Rodney post a picture or two if he has the time as I have not mastered the process yet. Sorry Rod.
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Topic: Fortunate Again On The Vedder, Jan.3, 2006 (Read 15776 times)