As I can see from Chris's report, some of you are asking for #800, well, here is it!! Biff Big Fisher and I made it out to the river just after first light, headed out to a run on the lower that we had fished yesterday with no success. Water looked good as we were walking to the head of the run, then I saw this one little section that I liked more then the rest, and told Big Fisher that spot is a nice one. Well Biff and Big Fisher got up in front of me while i was scanning the river, so I slowed and let them get out some casts, besides I had to rig up anyways. The night before I had snagged on an under water branch and hadn't felt like re-tying right there, so I took my time and made sure that all the knots were perfect this morning. As I was tying up, I was thinking about what to start with, leaning towards one of my beautiful roe sacks!! So on it went. Biff and bigfisher had already started moving down a bit at that point, so, I made a cast and walked down as I was drifting to create some room. Then a couple of more, but I wasn't feeling the drift, I figured that I might as well, make a few adjustments and there that felt much better. So, now that I felt what was going on with the drift, I make another cast and slowly walk down with the drift, I was pretty much at the spot that I pointed at earlier, and just as I thought that, I felt a tap. I resisted the urge to set the hook and instead, thumbed the spool to bring the float closer to the cut bank and what do you know, another tap, only harder and the balsa float stops for a second, this time, just as I make a hard hookset the float goes under and starts heading out with massive headshakes!!! Yeah baby, "FISH ON" I yell!! What a rush!!
That has got to be the best feeling in the world!!
So now the fish, which I haven't seen yet is holding about 25 feet of shore and I don't what to force it, so I just let it sit there with some more strong headshakes. Still haven't seen it, so for a second I think that it might be one of those darn chums, like the one that Chris got not so long ago. I only thought that for a second because just after that the beauty chrome streak comes to the surface and starts splashing around, Awwww STEALHEAD!! So after a few runs and some more slashing, she is done and on her side. Biff goes and takes a look to confirm what I already suspected. Hatchery!! So up she comes!! I am done after about 20 min of fishing!! From then on I did a lot of napping and took the boys to the runs they wanted. Tried a few more, Lickmen area, and a mid river spot, then back down to the peach rd area to finish the day, but nothing else!!
So, here are some pics of my first hatchery of 2006!! Hopefully not my last!! She weighed 11.5 lbs.