On the way home from a successful deer hunting trip (fun story), Ryan Spillers and I stopped on the South Fork of the Clearwater to do some steelhead fishing. It was very early to be expecting steelhead on the South Fork but, as ridiculously optimistic fly fisherman, we had to check it out.
The switch line peeled off the water as Ryan made his first cast. I soon joined him and was casting, with my theorized set up, better than expected. We worked a section of water before we decided to move on. Though a steelhead is the fish of a thousand casts, after about 50 we were ready to go.
We stopped to fish downstream from Riggins, and once more had no luck. The wind was picking up, which faltered the performance of my fly line. Our last chance for a fish was thirty minutes up stream on the Little Salmon River.
It’s a good thing Ryan was there, because I know very little about places to fish for steelhead. He picked a location, and we jumped out of the truck ready to fish. We each picked our spot and I couldn’t have been happier to have a switch rod. On the Little Salmon there is very little room for a back cast, and the heavy line of a switch allows for easy water loading. This means there is no need for a back cast! I launched out my fly and looked upstream just in time to see Ryan’s eleven foot switch bolt to the sky! A steelhead thrashed in the water as Ryan’s rod arched and bobbed with a fish. Before we could celebrate, the fish turned and the switch rod sprang straight, lifeless. Damn, I thought as Ryan stood on the bank looking out into the river.
Yes Ryan, I did see that you hooked a fish. Sometimes that is all the action you get when steelhead fishing for hours; a bump, a pull, a long distance release and, as trustworthy as fly fishers are, we never believe one another.
I didn’t hesitate long before I launched another cast, this time much further out. A nice mend helped the drift of my fly, and in less than a second, my indicator was pulled underwater! My forearm braced the long extended handle as I set the hook. I watched in amazement as my indicator started swimming up stream, and the forceful TUG TUG TUG of a steelhead tested my rod! “Ryan! Ryan! RYYYYAAAAN!!!” I screamed with excitement as chrome flickered underwater. Ryan ran over faster than a chicken on a June bug screaming, “ERRRRRRIIIIIK!” He stood ready with the net as I brought the steelhead close to the bank. My rod doubled over as I applied torque, bringing the fish closer to Ryan. “Get him Ryan, get him!” Ryan thrusted his hand in the freezing water to get the net under the fish and lifted. “Yeaaaaaaa!” I yelled, as I saw the steelhead securely in the net! “Woo Hoo!” Ryan added scrambling away from the freezing water. “My first real steelhead!”
Confidence boomed after that fish, and we went right back to fishing. We stayed longer than anticipated in search for another steelhead, but mother nature had something else in mind.
The temperature had dropped significantly, and the strong gusts of wind were freezing my face. I reeled in and ran back to the truck to discover that Ryan was way ahead of me. My fingers and face were frozen as I geared down and got into the truck. The truck would get blasted by wind, causing it to slightly rock.
“Well, good job, Erik.” Ryan said as we drove off, “You have deer and steelhead to take home to Gracy.” “She’s going to be happy, I never bring home fish.” I replied, adding, “I would have let the steelhead go if you weren’t here.”
“It’s a hatchery fish, Erik. We needed to get it out.” Ryan added to make me feel better. “I know,” I said, “but I would still rather kill a deer than kill a fish.” Ryan laughed at this, “I killed your fish, Erik!” “I know, I’m just saying... It was probably a good fish.” Ryan looked over at me and said, “It probably was."
