January thaw...

After about two weeks of snow and below freezing temps we have had about a week in the mid to high 30s.  The warmer temps have melted a lot of the snow and ice, opening up some water on the river.  I have had a bit of cabin feaver so I welcomed the chance to get out and fish.  I had about an hour to fish after work before it got dark.  When I got to the river there was only one other car in the lot and nobody in sight.  I decided to start fishing at the first fishable spot and work my way up river.  I fished through a few holes working the slow water at the edge of the faster current (a good spot in the winter).  Then while fishing a tailout behind a big ice jam I hooked a steelhead on a pink estaz egg.  It was a decent sized fish, a little larger than average.  It was missing one of its pectoral fins, but didn't seem to miss it.  The fish faught a hard fight and swam away normally upon release, after a nice photo (below).  After reeasing the fish I worked my way up stream, crossing over an ice jam thick enough to walk on, and fishing around the bend.  I came accross another angler who was moaning and groaning that it's impossible to catch steelhead when you can't see them.  Chump!  I walke out with the chump as it was starting to get dark.