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 Steelhead: Master Escape Artists
Posted by jeremy on December 01, 2005
(1835 reads)
It always amazes me when we find steelhead in what seem to be the most unlikely places. The water was high. In fact, the water was over the banks. The small river was raging. It twisted through the trees, rolled over boulders and turned little tail outs into big eddies. Most people would consider this type of water unfishable. Ironically, we had one of the best days that I have ever had in the Great Lakes. Nate (Kranefly) met us in the morning. Things got off to a slow start. We tried fly fishing down river in some of the slower moving water. Nate had a fish take and spit a streamer pattern, but that was it. So, we ventured up river into the fast water. Upon first glance the small river seemed to have no contour. It looked to be a swollen mess. But, after analyzing the situation on a micro level we noticed that there was alot of fishable water. So, we shortened our leaders and tapered our weight system and tied on chartreuse egg patterns. I picked a spot that was producing a back eddie. I casted downstream and watched as my indicator slowly started making its upstream drift. Just as the indicator was about to pass my feet, a steelhead slammed my fly. Kranefly and I worked together and successfully landed the fish. Kranefly was next. “There he is.” I rested my rod in the tree and got ready to help him land the fish. It was a beautiful steelhead and Kranefly was all smiles until the fish spit the hook. We moved upstream and that is when things really fired up. First drift, Kranefly hooks up. Fish On! Fish Gone! I stepped into position and made a far upstream cast. My indicator drifted perfectly on the edge of the seam. Bang! The hot steelhead ripped line off my reel and took off across the stream. He went under an overhanging branch and I angled my rod parallel with the water. Luckily, the line and the fish did not get hung up on anything. I somehow managed to work the steelhead back into the pool and Kranefly tailed the fish. Kranefly and I went back and forth like this for hours. Fish On! Fish Gone! I seriously lost count of how many we
hooked and battled. Today, finding the fish was easy. Hooking them was not too tricky. Landing them was the hard part. They are master escape artists when the water levels are good. Factor high water into the equation and the Steelies will certainly humble the most confident fly angler. It never ceases to amaze me how steelhead seem to find some way to escape. Just when you think you’ve got them licked, they pull a fast one. I have learned to be very focused and aware of my surroundings when doing battle with a steelhead. They are so crafty. If there is a bush, they will go for it. A log, you bet ya. A rock, yup. So, I try to plan ahead. I try to know what I am going to do before the steelhead pulls a crafty move. But, they often seem to find a way out. They fake me out. They go where I thought they couldn’t. They find something that I did not see and they never cease to amaze me.
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Re: Steelhead: Master Escape Artists
by greg on December 01, 2005 http://www.fliesandfins.com | Beautiful fish Nate, who's the guy with thepollock.
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Re: Steelhead: Master Escape Artists
by waterwhippa on December 01, 2005 http://salmonriverspecialists.com | | Days like this are the reason we plot and scheme to dodge any possible obligation we may have. Wish I was out there today, you guys adapted to the conditions and were rewarded nicely. Good read Jer, beautiful fish! Should be plenty around for a while after all this high water. The season is just getting underway! |
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Re: Steelhead: Master Escape Artists
by patm on December 02, 2005 http://www.yankeeford.com | beautiful fis, nice colors. The background of the photo with jeremy holding the fish really shows the high water surrounding the trees.
i talked via phone with greg yesterday, he was in his truck drying out. he said "yeah the waters high and when you fall in as I just did you get an appreciation of how fast it is moving"Glad you guys got into the steelheads. enjoy
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Re: Steelhead: Master Escape Artists
by jason-c on December 02, 2005 http://www.fliesandfinswest.com | | Nice Fish! Don't get fished out. We go again on Thursday! |
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