36 Degrees, perfect for winter steelheading

When the air temp is below 32 it is tolerable, however water freezes on all your gear. The guides on my rod are usually the first thing to freeze, and then ice forms on the fly line, I've even found my fly frozen in a small block of ice. When gear starts to get iced up, it's almost impossible to make an effective presentation to the fish. So I can bundle up and deal with temps below freezing, but it's difficult to fish effectively so I tend to stay home and tie flies. No reason to stand outside and freeze my but off if my effort to catch fish is going to be hampered by ice on my gear, right? Yesterday was the only day this weekend that the air temps were forecasted to be above freezing. So I hit the river mid-afternoon, about 3:30ish. The air was about 36 degrees, a perfect winter temperature. The water was stained; it had about 12 inches of visibility and was in the mid 30s. There was ice on the bank. I saw two other anglers on the river yesterday, that said, I had the river to myself for the most part. I fished all types of water, fast water, mid pool, eddies, the gut of the pool, and tail outs. I fished hard with no success. I did spend a nice winter afternoon on the river peacefully communing with nature. I saw deer, birds and squirrels running around all over the place. It was nice to get out. Unfortunately, I got smacked with the skunk. Here's a nice winter pic as a consolation prize.

It’s winter steelhead season…

It was 25 degrees this morning when I first looked at the outside temperature.  By the time I went fishing it had warmed up to a balmy 34 degrees.  This was the first time this year that it was so cold outside that I had to wear a hat and gloves while fishing.  It was sunny and nice despite the cold.  When I got to the river there were three other cars full of anglers in the parking lot.  Two of the three groups got out ahead of me.  As I hiked in I decided to go up river past all the fools who had just gotten there.  I probably hiked about a mile up river from the last angler I past before I put a line in.  There was a small amount of ice on the bank and in small pools left behind after the water receded from the last high water event.  The water was in good shape.  The flow was at about 200 CFS, and there was a nice stain to the water.  I looked like “normal” for steelhead season.  It was much better than the low and clear river conditions we had all fall.  I fished through a couple of runs, nothing.  I fished a deep hole near a downed tree, again, nothing.  I moved up river and started to fish a spot where the current was broken by some underwater rocks.  Usually this kind of current break is productive; today it was not.  I began to fish the bubble line on the far side of the underwater rocks.  On the second pass I had a very subtle strike.  I set the hook and it was fish on!  The fish fought to stay deep in the run; eventually it surfaced and shook its head a few times before taking off on the run.  A couple of long runs and I worked the fish in for a picture (posted below).  I fished a little while longer before I ran into a buddy down river.  We chatted for a while and I headed back to the parking lot so I could make it to dinner on time.  It was a nice afternoon of winter steelheading.  After the unusually warm fall, it took a little getting used to the cold; now it feels like steelhead season.

Happy fish make happy anglers

I got out early yesterday morning and hit the river at sunrise. I fished hard all morning before going to class to take a test. I heard from the guys at the fly shop that fish have pushed up into the upper reaches of the river and are now well distributed. I had been fishing lower down all fall because the fish hadn’t made their way up to the upper part of the river I prefer to fish. I like the upper section of the river mainly because it is more wooded. The lower river runs right through town which makes for more anglers and poor scenery. I like the wooded areas on the upper river and prefer to have the river to myself, if possible. The area I fish on the upper stretch is also 20 minutes closer to home than the areas I fish on the lower river; that’s nice too. The water was a little low with excellent visibility up to 30” I would guess. Still there was more water and more color than there was the last time I fished. The fish were happier and were holding in places you’d expect to find fish. The air temperature started off in the low 40s and reached the mid 50s by the time I hiked out. Shortly after getting there, I caught a decent sized buck at the head of a short run. It leaped out of the water several times and went on a few strong runs before being brought to hand. It hit my point fly, an orange glow bug. It completely trashed my rig in the fight; the dropper fly got ripped off and the orange glow bug was coated in river muck. That fish caused so much commotion fighting that I decided to move up river rather than continue to fish the same run. I figured any other fish in that run would have been spooked. I worked my way up to a riffle that is more like a small waterfall. The river is dammed by boulders here and dumps water into a deep run below the riffle. I fished the fast water just below the riffle and hooked a brute. This fish went nose down into the current at first. As I applied pressure from the rod to work the fish in, it took off running. It ripped line of the reel so quickly I thought the reel was going to start smoking from the friction. I ran down stream chasing the fish. I worked the rod in the opposite direction turning the fish when it shot out of the water violently shaking its head in an amazing aerial display. It jumped several more times before I worked it in for a picture. One of the guys I saw while I was on the river was the guy at the fly shop who I got the report from the day before. He said he had caught one fish upstream of where I saw him; it’s good to know his reports are first hand. It was an excellent morning out on the river, beautiful weather, only a small handful of other anglers, and a couple of nice fish. I headed to class a happy man. I posted pics of both fish below; they are posted in order that they were caught. The second fish was larger, I made sure my foot was in the picture for scale (I wear a size 9).

Tough going, but got the skunk out of the bag!

I took the day off of work for my birthday and fished the entire lower section of the river.  I caught one steelhead in the morning.  That fish got the skunk out of the bag.  Conditions were tough at best.  The water was low, ultra clear, and the flow was only at 8o CFS.  It was a gorgeous day.  With the water so low I was able to see the bottom of the river very well and did a lot of scouting for later in the season.  In the afternoon I came across a pod of steelhead that were holding mid-pool, my presence made them nervous and they started circling the pool looking to avoid me.  I was standing on the bank 20-30 feet from where the fish were holding!  At one point, I had hiked up hill where I could look down on the river from above to see if there were fish and to see what the bottom looked like.  It was a steep hill and I slipped on my way down.  I broke my fall with my hand.  As I did this I continued to slid down hill.  I skinned the tip of one finger and sliced the tip of another.  There was a pricker bush on the rock I grabbed at leaving several thorns in my hand as well.  I made a trip back to the car for the first aid kit.  I put a bunch of band aids on my bleeding fingers and headed back to catch more fish!  I wasn't going to let a couple of small wounds ruin my day.  I worked all the way down river to as close as I could wade o the mouth of the river.  I walked back to the car and drove up river and fished another section of stream that I expected might hold fish under such tough conditions.  I didn't catch any other fish yesterday, but I caught the one that mattered most; the skunk killer!  The day was beautiful, I had most of the river to myself (unusual this time of year) and I caught a good size steelhead buck.  It was a great day.  Afterward, I headed home, cleaned up and went to dinner with my family to celebrate my birthday.  It was a wonderful dinner and a great end to a great day!

Yesterday's fish

      

Fall chrome

I hit the river earlier in the week.  The flow was decent about 200 CFS, the water had stain to it, with about 24”+ visibility.  I caught two fish while I was out.  The first fish was caught in a medium fast run below some boulders.  This fish was HOT, HOT, HOT!  It went airborne several times and ripped line off the reel making it sound like a screaming banshee.  The fish ran me down into the pool below.  The first few times I brought this fish in, it decided it wasn’t done yet and went on another run.  This fish was the kind of fish steelheaders dream of.  The second fish that day was caught in a fast chute in the broken water.  It was runner not a jumper.  The fish went nose down in the current in its effort to get away.  It fought a hell of a fight.  I eventually brought the fish in and was able to take a decent picture of it.  I caught the first fish on a steelhead prince and the other on an orange glow bug.  Pics of both fish are posted below, the first fish is on top.  I also have a close up of the first fish showing the fly in its mouth. 

(Fishy is smiling for the pic!)

The hot fly of the season has been the steelhead prince. That fly has accounted for more than half of the steelies I have caught this season.  The rubber legs on the fly give it great movement in the water that the fish find irresistible.  I posted a pic of the fly too.  Thanks to Dan at Chagrin River Outfitters for recommending the fly.  The fly works so well I started tying them myself.

I was on the river yesterday and the day before too.  Yesterday was no good.  Really low clear water, too many anglers, and no steel for me.  If it weren't for a shiner I caught, I would have ben completely skunked.

The day before yesterday was better.  I caught a skipper in a chute. It was too small for a photo so I don't take a pic.  I caught the little skipper on an orange glow bug.  I also caught a sucker fish that afternoon.  On the way out I decided to make a few casts into run that usually holds fish in a popular spot.  The fish get so pounded there and it's always too crowded for my liking so I usually don't fish in that location.  Since I was on my way out and didn't want to leave until I had to, I gave it a few casts.  On the fourth or fifth cast I hooked a monster!  It ran and ran, ripping line off the reel as if there was no drag!  I was fighting the fish in, after a long fight, the fish mamaged to throw the hook with no warning at all. The tug was just gone.  I didn't even get a look atthe fish.  It must have been a monster because the guy accross the current from me is the one who gave this fish the title.  He was an impartial third party not the guy telling the fish story.

Wishin I could be fishin…

The last two opportunities I had to get out and fish, I only had an hour or so to fish before dark. In that time I only managed one hook up due to the low, clear water, and the pressured fish. The few fish in the system at that time had really taken a pounding by all of the anglers out there, making them very weary of the fly. Each of those fish I hooked up with the last couple of times out was lost. One was a quick “on and off” and the other was a real fighter, jumping several times and eventually fighting its way free (see my last entry). It has been a couple of weeks since I have landed a steelhead. I have been in class everyday this past week, and all evening on Tuesday and Thursday. The only chance I had to get out and fish was Wednesday night and that was ruined by all of the rain we received Tuesday night and Wednesday morning blowing out the rivers. Yesterday (Thursday) was a gorgeous October day, the sun was shining and it was about 65 degrees. All I could do was stare out the classroom window and wish I were out there on the river somewhere hooking into the red hot fresh run steelhead I know came in during the last rain we received. This weekend is going to be spent in class as well. Responsibility sucks… I just wish I could go out and fish.

Beautiful fall afternoon on the river

I woke up, looked at how beautiful is was outside and wished I could go fishing. Sadly, responsibility called. I went and did home work all morning and then went to class at 1:00pm. I got to class and it was canceled for the day. The fishing gods heard my prayers and answered them! I drove home, grabbed my gear as fast as I could and headed for the river. I was on the water within an hour of leaving class. It was a gorgeous day. The trees looked amazing in their fall colors, temps in the 60’s, and the river was in good shape to fish; it was as close to perfect as you get this time of year. The river was still a little low and clear, but the rain we got Friday brought the flow up some. I fished through a good stretch of water and nothing. I found a sexy looking run and started at the head of the run and worked my way down. About half way down the run, I saw a steelhead porpoise. I thought to myself, I’m in the right place. Next cast, fish on! This fish ran right, leaped out of the water, ran left leaped out of the water again, and then it charged at me! I tried to pick line up as quickly as I could, the fish leaped out of the water a third time; this time it was right in my face!! After the fish landed in the water the tension in my line was gone. I saw the fish jump one last time, free from my hook, and splash down a few feet down river from where I was standing. I lost that steelhead :(. I saw a couple of other fish porpoise in that run, I fished it until I had to pack up and leave with no more success. Sadly, that was going to be my excitement for the day. Losing fish is so frustrating. Either way, just being out on the river instead of sitting in class was plenty to be happy about. I decided that it was a great afternoon even if that fish got away.