A steelhead of a thousand cast
Published on January 22nd, 2009 by Chris
After taking the day off yesterday, I thought that I should get an early start this morning with the improved water conditions. I awoke around 6:30am and noticed that we had a few degrees of frost here in the Valley so the warm blankets won out over getting to the river at first light.
It actually was close to noon before I reached the river. Upon my arrival, the river was looking mighty fine as did a lot of other people as most of the runs had an angler or two hard at it. In talking to a couple of them they said one hatchery had been taken in the area. Good, I had not missed much.
I decided to head up river a tad, to the scene of the action I had 11 days ago. Since then I had fished 5 days, put in 13 hours and seen only one fish taken but of course I heard of some others. We all had been challenged by less than desirable condition, in the Lower anyway. Even the prospects of better up river conditions did not beckon me to go there. I do not really know why but I always like the Lower, maybe because it is closer to home and to Tim Hortons. 
When I reached the river, the first thing I saw was one of the brood capture boys bringing a tubed fish up river. I crossed a small stream and gave them a hand. I packed their rods so they could carry the water filled tube closer for hatchery staff to pick up. They said that they had been into a couple of others or had missed them, I have forgotten what they actually said. I was glad that they had got one for the brood program as I believe we are a bit behind so far this season.
Needless to say that got my spirit up some and maybe by staying in bed early this morning was not such a bad idea after all. The lovely spring-like weather along with the improved water visibility had brought out more anglers as they dotted a good number of the runs in the area.
I started by fishing a small side stream but I wondered if steelhead would come up it. The entrance to the side stream, further down river, looks OK. I then moved to the main river and fished one very nice looking run but it was quite big, so many places for a fish to be. I tried to cover it the best I could before I moved to where I got the fish 11 days ago but no one was home today. I quickly fished the big run again; one angler was fishing part way down so I left it to him.
I headed once again to the side stream and work the spot where I had started as it looked so fishy but the Maple Leaf DNE stayed dry. Two anglers were fishing another run of the side stream about 150 feet below me but they did not fish it too long before heading over to the main part of the flow.
I decided to work my way down to it. I crossed a little bit of quick water, watching I did not trip on a rock, nice to be able see bottom with the clearing water conditions. As I reached the other side, onto a bit of an island I noticed a little slick below a drop off. Experience told me even though it was small it was plenty big enough to hold Iron. Many new comers to steelhead fishing will walk right by a spot like this. I am sure I did when I first started out but seeing “The Master†pulling a fish out behind me in the past were lessons well learned.
Anyway on the first cast into this spot the Maple Leaf DNE acted a bit strangely. I was not sure if it was actually a take or not but I sort of just tightened up a bit, not actually striking properly. As I applied the tension the tell tale headshake of a steelhead followed by a silver flash convinced me that it was indeed a fish. 
It took off right away heading to a run below, where the others had been fishing and I hastily had to cross another side stream to reach dry land. I am hoping it was a wild for the tube.
The fish was not big but what the heck, it was a steelhead and after 5 skunked days I was pleased to have one of any size on. As usual the steelhead was strong, their size never seems to matter. They put up a good tussle and it gives one pleasure feeling it on the end of your line. I do not think a true fisherman ever gets tired of that feeling.
As it got closer to shore, it started to twist and turn, trying to get rid of that hook. I had picked a nice spot to bring it onto shore if it was a hatchery, or to tube it if the adipose fin was intact.
Unfortunately I saw some blood coming from its mouth so now I hoped that it was a hatchery. I have over the years seldom had a bleeding steelhead. I searched now for that fin; good there was not one so ashore it came, a hen close to 8 pounds.
The two fellows that were fishing the run where I landed it come racing over and the questions followed.
I marked the fish on my license and I was glad that I had two pens as one would not write. It had been in my pack too long I guess.
I headed for a snack to reward myself as once again my wife will be pleased to serve fresh fish. I am not sure how many casts it took between my 2 steelhead for 2009 but maybe it was getting close to a thousand.
The count starts tomorrow again but I do not think that I will bother counting them as it does not really matter in the whole scheme of things. Just getting out on the beautiful Chilliwack Vedder River is enough of a reward, to me anyway.