Broken rods and chrome missles

2477 Views 10 Replies 7 Participants Last post by KerryS, Feb 6, 2001

KerryS

Discussion Starter · Feb 5, 2001

Saturday morning and I have an hour or two to fish. Family plans takes me away from the river early. I head to Lyman bar at first light. Ed Ward is there before me. He motion for me to go on ahead of him. I tell him that I can wait and watch as he starts to work the run. We both fish down for an hour or so. Then I see Ed rod bend down hard. As I watch I see a nice chrome steelhead break water numerous times. Ed is fighting the fish with his rod held low to the water. I wonder why. He brings a 15 pounder to hand and releases it. As he walks up river past we talk briefly. I asked why he held his rod so low. He then shows me a broken rod. He had broken the rod on the hook set and still lands the fish. Amazing.

Sunday and I head to Grandy Creek. One other fly fisher is in the run. We both fish through with no fish. I rest as the other fisherman leaves. The song I Have A Feeling is going through my head. I head ba#### into the run. 5 or 6 cast later a strong pull. I set the hook and watch as one of the biggest fish I have ever hooked launches several feet into the air. She then rolls and tail walks across the river. My reel is screaming. I look down and the fish has take me a hundred feet into my ba####ing. Two guys in a raft are asking for more jumps as I handle one of the hottest steelhead I have ever seen. Three strong runs later and I unhook a 38 inch chrome missle. This fish will be remembered for a long time. My only regret. No camera. Juro, this fish went close to twenty pounds. I won't forget the camera next time.

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October Caddis

· #2 · Feb 5, 2001

Kerry,
What a great weekend you had. Not only catching such a great fish but being able to watch someone else land a nice fish is worth the trip alone.
Here on the Sky the fish were in the river in numbers on Sunday and the conditions were perfect. How much more fun it is to fish when with every cast and swing that you feel that you are a second away from an all too rare head shake and line screaming off the reel.
October Caddis

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Doublespey

· #3 · Feb 5, 2001

Bravo, Kerry! Even without a camera, that's a weekend that I'm sure will live on in your memories in vivid detail! And Ed's one of the great guys to run into on the river - getting to watch him land a fish on a broken rod is something I sure would have enjoyed seeing.

Now for the important part - duct-taping a disposable camera to the grip of your spey rod <g>

And OC - you must have been on the water early, 'cause by 11am the upper river was out (1' vis). Definitely fishy, tho . . . we talked to a gear fisherman who'd caught a 17lb native on Saturday and said he's been hitting all natives no hatchery) and quite a few of them in the past week.

Tight Lines and Loaded Cameras!

Brian

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juro

· #4 · Feb 5, 2001

Kerry - CONGRATS! I am gnawing my keyboard in anticipation of my next steelhead trip!

As far as the contest... I hate to be so harsh. It would be unfair to change rules after a contest begins, so I can't do that to everyone else.

Email me your snail mail address and I will send you a custom embroidered Forum hat as a consolation prize. The imagery in my head, although not a photo, is worth a reward.

Don't be surprised if I show up on the river myself the way the early native season is shaping up!

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sinktip

· #5 · Feb 5, 2001

Great job Kerry!!! I'm sure that the image is burned in your mind far clearer than any picture.

Doublespey -- you called it. OC and I were in the water at o-dark thiry. The USGS page was down so we were surprised to find the river up and only 3' of vis. Not complaining though. I had the 8150 almost yanked out of my hands on the hang down but when I lifted into the fish, there was nothing there. It's been too long since I had that kind of adrenalin surge. Over on the other side of the river, OC had fish rolling all around him and even had one tail splash him but no hookups. We were back in the cars headed home by 9:30. River is still going up but later this week, it could be HOT!

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October Caddis

· #6 · Feb 5, 2001

Doublespey,
Me and Sinktip were on the river Sunday 1/2 hour before one could even think about fishing. That's one of the reasons I really like to fish with him, he will be there at any time if it means fishing. We were off the river early about 0910 but could have stayed longer with so many fish rolling but had laser surgery Friday on the old eyes to make them new and didn't want to push it.
Sinktip almost lost his spey rod on a realy powerful takedown, have not seen him so excited all winter.
While sitting on a log just before 1st light had a fish roll right in front of me a couple feet below some branches that hang in the river. I knew that I would not get to the fish but I gave it a try and waded out in some swampy water by the seam where the branches were. I was only a foot from fast water and looking down into the run trying to figure out how to get a fly down 4 feet in a 3 foot area. The damn fish rolled again right in front of me and I got splashed by one of the biggest steelhead tails I've ever seen. All that I could think of was the part in the "River Why" with the gal in the over hanging tree after a Steelhead. Being a fly fisherman has it's limitations but I bet if I was 12 years old again I could have figured out how to hook that fish.
We had 3 to 4 foot visability and perfect river level to fish. Saw numerous fish rise all in tough places to fish but didn't matter that no fish were landed just nice to see that fish have shown up.

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juro

· #7 · Feb 5, 2001

I'll be right there!!!!!!

Seriously, I wonder if I could pull off a quick visit before the closer...

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October Caddis

· #8 · Feb 5, 2001

Juro,
Your welcome to crash at my place and I have an extra vehicle to use if you want it.
Fishing should only get better.
Offer applys to any of you saltwater boys back there.

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Hawkeye

· #9 · Feb 5, 2001

Great post Kerry! One of these days, one of these days (insert dreaming icon here.)

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NrthFrk16

· #10 · Feb 5, 2001

We hit out fish at Two-Bit, at the very very top in the heavy water which is surprising considering that the river was colored and had rose. I talked to my neighbor who is a guide and he said that he hit fish in Two-Bit all week.

Sunday I was considering going to the Sportsmens show then heading to the meeting but after yesterday and reading all your reports, Screw the show!!!...I am going fishing!!!!

Cant wait for the 18th

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KerryS

Discussion Starter · #11 · Feb 6, 2001

Thanks to those of you who made comments on my post. I was in a bit of a hurry this morning when I wrote it. A little exited to tell everyone too. I went back and reread my post this afternoon and seen all of the grammar errors and the misspelling. I wonder how I passed English in school. I think the teachers where tired of me and gave me passing grades to get rid of me.

Let the wild ones go....................

Kerry

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