Post by FlyManDan on May 30, 2008 21:23:56 GMT -5
I was fortunate enough to be forcibly dragged along by my two friends Josh "Cut and Abandon" Liberman and Jim "fishes with Pink Worms" Maselli for my first ever Steelhead outing.
The weekend started by Josh and I making a lovely drive out to meet up with Jim in Pulaski. We arrived at the famous Whittikers Fly Shop/motel where we would be resting nightly for the duration of the trip. After purchasing our licenses and running around a little bit we finally bumped into Jim at the motel. It was then decided that we would head out for an afternoon on the river.
When all arrived at the first stretch of river my lesson began in the fine art of Steelheadin. Jim and Josh let me in on their secret strategies that have lead them to landing some monsters from past trips. The boys hooked into some fish, but it was quickly made clear to me that a detrimental key in landing these ferocious fighters was to make sure that a net was at hand. The day was ended with Jim breaking off on a pig and the net being about 100 yards away.
That evening Jim surprised us by pulling out a Special Bamboo rod he made for steelheading "The Guide Special. Josh and I were amazed at it's classic looks and crisp lines. However, we were then dumbfounded to see a makers mark year of 2006 coupled with the information that it had never been fished. Needless to say that the rest of the evening was spent ridiculing him in more ways then one trying to guilt him into using the rod in the days to come. Side note...Jim ate Eggplant that evening...
The morning came quickly for Jim and myself, but not so quickly for Josh who had the first pic of beds the day before. He strategically placed his gear on the bed located on the wall abutting the party room next door. These men stayed up all night (4ish) and were out before we were up around 6. Sadly Josh did not get a good nights sleep.
Saturday saw us fishing some of the more picturesque areas of the river. Let me just say that Josh and Jim know the water very well because we covered some ground... Then towards the end of the day we ended up at a very fishy section were numerous large steelheads were breaking the surface in a whale like fashion. It was at this spot that Josh hooked into a pig, but do to my rookie status and being to far away the net did not arrive in time to help Josh secure the first landing of the trip. However, it was a half an hour later that my two guides put me into my first Steelhead ever. The fish was not the biggest, but it fought like a freight train and bucked like a mule. High-fives were had all around as I then joined the list of people to have accomplished such a feat as to land one ...Jim had Eggplant for lunch...
Sunday was our last chance at the then seemingly allusive Steelhead. Now mind you all had hooked into several by this point. However, the true Salmon River giants had yet to be held by one of us on the trip. We hit several areas and ened up in the place we started on Friday.
Each of us were getting into little hearings which were astonishingly plentiful and frequently went for our flies. This last spot saw us all hooking into the dreams fish. Josh, Jim, and myself lost them all. I have always heard that steelhead break you off, but I could not imagine it until I actually experienced it for myself. Their strength and bursts of energy are surprising, especially to my Pflueger Medalist that fell apart do such actions (bring solid equipment). Jim relented to Josh and my tormenting and fished his Guide Special for the fist time in its 2 year old being. Perhaps this fall a steelhead will be netted do to this piece of work, but even that secret weapon was not able to bring one in.
I would like to thank Josh and Jim for a very memorable weekend and for guiding me into my first steelhead. Now im not sure if people that give a crack head their first rock are to be commended, but in this instance my two buddies helped create some good stories and memories in one short weekend and for that I am thankful.
Here is a picture of my brute.
The weekend started by Josh and I making a lovely drive out to meet up with Jim in Pulaski. We arrived at the famous Whittikers Fly Shop/motel where we would be resting nightly for the duration of the trip. After purchasing our licenses and running around a little bit we finally bumped into Jim at the motel. It was then decided that we would head out for an afternoon on the river.
When all arrived at the first stretch of river my lesson began in the fine art of Steelheadin. Jim and Josh let me in on their secret strategies that have lead them to landing some monsters from past trips. The boys hooked into some fish, but it was quickly made clear to me that a detrimental key in landing these ferocious fighters was to make sure that a net was at hand. The day was ended with Jim breaking off on a pig and the net being about 100 yards away.
That evening Jim surprised us by pulling out a Special Bamboo rod he made for steelheading "The Guide Special. Josh and I were amazed at it's classic looks and crisp lines. However, we were then dumbfounded to see a makers mark year of 2006 coupled with the information that it had never been fished. Needless to say that the rest of the evening was spent ridiculing him in more ways then one trying to guilt him into using the rod in the days to come. Side note...Jim ate Eggplant that evening...
The morning came quickly for Jim and myself, but not so quickly for Josh who had the first pic of beds the day before. He strategically placed his gear on the bed located on the wall abutting the party room next door. These men stayed up all night (4ish) and were out before we were up around 6. Sadly Josh did not get a good nights sleep.
Saturday saw us fishing some of the more picturesque areas of the river. Let me just say that Josh and Jim know the water very well because we covered some ground... Then towards the end of the day we ended up at a very fishy section were numerous large steelheads were breaking the surface in a whale like fashion. It was at this spot that Josh hooked into a pig, but do to my rookie status and being to far away the net did not arrive in time to help Josh secure the first landing of the trip. However, it was a half an hour later that my two guides put me into my first Steelhead ever. The fish was not the biggest, but it fought like a freight train and bucked like a mule. High-fives were had all around as I then joined the list of people to have accomplished such a feat as to land one ...Jim had Eggplant for lunch...
Sunday was our last chance at the then seemingly allusive Steelhead. Now mind you all had hooked into several by this point. However, the true Salmon River giants had yet to be held by one of us on the trip. We hit several areas and ened up in the place we started on Friday.
Each of us were getting into little hearings which were astonishingly plentiful and frequently went for our flies. This last spot saw us all hooking into the dreams fish. Josh, Jim, and myself lost them all. I have always heard that steelhead break you off, but I could not imagine it until I actually experienced it for myself. Their strength and bursts of energy are surprising, especially to my Pflueger Medalist that fell apart do such actions (bring solid equipment). Jim relented to Josh and my tormenting and fished his Guide Special for the fist time in its 2 year old being. Perhaps this fall a steelhead will be netted do to this piece of work, but even that secret weapon was not able to bring one in.
I would like to thank Josh and Jim for a very memorable weekend and for guiding me into my first steelhead. Now im not sure if people that give a crack head their first rock are to be commended, but in this instance my two buddies helped create some good stories and memories in one short weekend and for that I am thankful.
Here is a picture of my brute.
