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One Month Down, Two to Go

2K views 5 replies 5 participants last post by  NrthFrk16 
#1 ·
Well, it has been one month since our beloved rivers closed and we still have two more to go before we can once again fish our favorite runs.

I can honestly say I have a little less bounce in my step since I lost the Stilly.

Anyways, just trying to bring back some conversation to the Steelhead Board and at the same time wondering what everyone has been up to.
 
#2 ·
Well, I knew what to expect when invited on an OP trip the end of last week!! I was already committed to a social venture to Vancouver BC on Friday, so I was absolutely certain something good would happen to my fellow steelheader to make me regret heading north!

Sure enough . . . he lands a monster buck on one of the OP's glacial rivers in the first half hour of fishing! Biggest fish he's ever caught on a fly - somewhere in the 20-22lb range!

So How was YOUR Weekend??
 
#3 ·
Well, I'm supposed to be in Denver this week but, cancelled my trip. I thinking I'm going to get out and swing some small birds this afternoon. The rivers are up we have 3' of vis, presure is down because everyone wants to catch a springer.
 
#4 ·
Here's a picture of the biggest steelhead I've ever caught, a 39" inch buck.


One of the darker ones I've caught too. Caught it last Thursday morning, out on the Peninsula fishing a river that doesn't get a whole lot of attention, a river I've never fished until that morning. I saw this nice piece of water from the road, hiked down there with my single hander, and just started to get into the relaxing cast-and-mend rhythm when I got a terrific grab. But no hookup! Damn. So I check the hook and leader, they were fine. Then I walk 3 steps upstream and start working out line until I get back to where I was. Standing in the exact same spot, making the same cast, the fish took again. This time the hook held. I knew it was big because I couldn't hardly move him, but he stayed in the hole and after a 20 minute wrestling match I brought him to shore. So in spite of this lousy season, I've got one fish story to tell.

That was the beginning of my 3 day fish-till-you-drop trip last Thursday through Saturday. I hooked that fish in the first run I tried. With no one around, a great piece of water in front of me, one fish landed and released after 30 minutes of fishing, I thought I was going to have one of those epic trips. But that was the only one I touched. Water conditions and weather were great the first two days. I fished the main Queets on my last day but it was pretty much out from the previous night's and that day's rain.

From what I saw and heard, gear guys were doing well on the Queets and Hoh. The fly fishermen weren't doing much, however, even in the stretches of river that put out fish for the gear fishermen.
 
#5 ·
WHAT A MONSTER! That big buck is a picture to behold... wild written all over it too. It must have been great to have a fish so aggressive for the fly this time of year. It's inspiring to see such big buck, and can you imagine meeting him again next year? God I hope wild C&R is in place by then.

It's a HOWZER
 
#6 ·
It looks like that picture just does not do that fish's size justice. 39"?? Must have been twenty!

Great job!!

Monday and Tuesday it looks like school will have to wait as the Upper Hoh is calling. Will be the last trip of the season and I sure do hope that it will be as good as the last one.

...and hopefully this time I can get a steelie to rise to a fly instead of everyone hitting the Rag last time. :)
 
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