A warm welcome once again to the members and guests on FWR to another fishing journal on the Vedder River.
The usual routine this morning as I will be headed to the "Starting Run". I left the Leaf Mobile at 7:30. As I begin my walk down the trail I notice a half a dozen other vehicles ahead of me. No worries as I am more interested in getting a wild fish for the tube no matter who catches it.
As I reach the river I am pleased to see the East wind from yesterday has died down and as well no one in the zone of the "Starting Run". I observe 3 angler in the "Above Run" and a few down river of me.
I settle in and start working the area where the steelhead have been laying the last while. After about 5 minutes an angler from above comes down and we exchange greetings. He slips below me and around 7:45 on a long drift, too long to be honest the Maple Leaf Drennan goes for its daily swim.
I set the hook firmly and I am battling my 12th steelhead of the season. The fight goes well although not a long one. I am disappointed that I see no adipose fin so no steelhead for the tube once again. It is getting a bit frustrating as I want to do my part in the brood capture program. This makes 9 out of the 11 steehead I have landed being a hatchery fish. That means I have only tubed 2 and picked one other from another angler.
I gentle flip her back in the upright position and she is on her way, back into the run from where she came.
As I walk back up to where I hit the fish I see a fish flipping on the beach at the "Above Run". I guess it was hooked around the same time I was into my fish. The anglers comes down later and it is Ross with a nice doe in the 11 to 12 pound range I estimate.
Shortly after Ross has left the chap fishing beside me is into one also. I put my rod down and get the tube ready , surely this will be a wild but no, another hatchery doe, around 7 to 8 pounds, the angler decides to keep it.
3 fish in around 30 minutes, all hatchery.
Soon after I see another fish being packed down on the otherside of the river.
Nothing else happens so I move down to the run where I got the steelhead on Monday. I miss what I was positive was a fish but it will not come back. I fish some other runs for a while and come back where I had the bite. First cast down goes the float, solid, solid allright as it is a snag.
Just then I hear Lew who has appeared from no where say "better not loose that lucky Maple Leaf Drennan"
I apply pressure and bang everything is gone as the line breaks above the drennan, Heartbreak Hotel, as my dear Maple Leaf Drennan that has caught all 11 fish disappears from sight. I look for it floating downstream with the dreaded thought that Fish Assassan would one day find it in a log jam and in a fit of revenge smash it with a hammer or worse still put another teams logo on it, whatever that team is.
I look for it in the glaring sun but I can not see it, if I could I would make chase.
I do not remember what Lew said, if it was in sympathy of my loss or he thought it was funny to personally see my good luck charm gone.
I tell him lets go for coffee at Woody's Grill to drown my sorrow, no beer there FA.
Before I leave I go to the other side of the side channel, I see the killer snag but not my beloved.
I meet Lew at Woody's and we have a good visit with Carp who shows us some great salmon and halibut pictures. He is a guide so if you drop in for one of those famous mushroom burgers ask to see them.
After coffee Lew heads for home and I back for the last 4 hours of fishing time. I of course have to re rig with a new drennan but no logo on it so I knew I should have gone home. As I reach the river once again a very strong wind from the West this time has picked up and rain as well. As I reach the river a fellow is just landing a fish but once again another hatchery.
I meet up with young Nick and we fish near each other and he misses a fish that bangs up his roe bag. I find nothing and run into gofish who tells me he picked up one earlier in the day. He heads off to work and I head down to the scene of the drennan loss. I wade out a bit into the strong flow with a wading stick. I see the snag and a few hooks with wool embedded in the small root.
I scan the area frantically looking for the red topped drennan and blue and white logo. All of a sudden there it is
as I peer between the windows of the flow it seems to be waving at me to be rescued from it watery grave.
I am sure it wants to resume the pleasure of aiding in the catching of more steelhead. The wading staff is perfect for hooking onto the line and in about two trys the drennan and all the gear is resting safely in the palm of my hand.
I notice the line broke about 15 feet above the drennan, maybe rubbing against the "Broken Rod Log Jam" while playing a fish there last week.
Anyway my day is now complete, one fish to the beach, although not a wild with the Maple Leaf Drennan rescued to live another day.
I fish my way back upstream finding nothing. I run into Joe who has also picked up a fish giving him somewhere in the 20 's so far this season. We have agood visit before we both head for our respective homes vowing to once again to be out tomorrow once again in search of another trophy steelhead.
I of course will be re rigged with the Maple Leaf Drennan that I am sure will be ready once again ready to
roll I think now it will really spin its magic making the next steelhead a wild for the brood capture tube after going "Missing In Action" for a few hours, whats your guess.
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Topic: Maple Leaf Drennan, Missing In Action, Vedder Report Jan. 25 (Read 6394 times)