It's cold. Everything has been locked up for weeks. We got a brief warm-up over the weekend and some rain and luckily...a creek opened up.
Bob has been trying to get his 1st steelhead on the fly for a couple of years. The chrome keep giving him the slip. On the upside he has been successful at getting a few salmon on the fly over the past year and his fly fishing game is ready for steelhead.
We had some great conversation on the way to the creek. Bob was prepped and ready to go. I got him rigged up and making some good drifts and within a half hour of stepping into the freezing water...FISH ON!
Bob wasted no time and was given a handsome reward for braving the conditions to get that first steelhead on the fly.
The scenery for the day was fantastic. The air was crisp and the sky was overcast. The forecast is threatening us with up to 12" of snow over night. We had to push on. Who knows when the water will be open again?
It really was a great day. We had several more fish on the line and Bob finished up the day with a nice buck in his hands.
Winter steelheading can be downright arduous at times. Frozen toes, icy guides, icy reels, and frostbitten noses are just part of the problem. The steelhead are downright fickle in the 33 degree water. Your presentation has to be perfect to even get a look. Bob didn't just succeed today, he excelled. Congratulations Bob, you put it all together in the toughest conditions possible. It's all down hill from here ;-)
Think you're ready for Winter steelhead? Let's put your skills to the test. Call me. LET'S GO FISHIN'!