I met D-loop at 0-dark thirty on the highway and we headed down the line. We changed in the parking lot of the local snagging shop, met up with Laurens Legend, and headed to the river. Cranky snaggers are not to be tangled with. Coffee Please! The first spot we stopped at, one that we usually find room to swing flies but not today. Man was it packed. I turned to D-Loop and said, “I can’t handle this.” We did find one spot and did our best but when 2 guys parked in the tail of the pool and ran after a fish that moved, I left. With a couple hours wasted, we went to where I didn’t think there would be many people again. This time, I was right. Only a few people and D-loop and I started that mesmerizing cast and step.
Laurens Legend bounced the bottom in the head of the big pool and hooked a few kings. After the realizing that the big pool was too stagnant because of the low water, I went down to Nushranger/wrh’s spot he had fished the day before. He had tangled with the first steel of the season there and I wanted to find out if any others were around. I set up in the head of the pool and started the routine. Half way down the run, lightning hit the rod. The line jerked 3 times, the water erupted and a fish porpoised halfway down the run. All I saw was chromed silver. “Steelhead!” I yelled. Even with the 15lb maxima, I had trouble landing it as every structure in the river was used to try and get away. It even made me strip line as it charged my position then streaked towards a downed tree. Finally I held lightning in my hand. Fresh chrome.
Laurens Legend joined us a bit later and a pod of kings pushed into the pool and didn’t stop for 6 hours. LL hooked a few bouncing the bottom but none of them wanted the swing.
I moved to the head of the run and D-loop caught lightning in the tail-out
Another steelhead, this one a fin-clipped Skamania
I wanted to try for a king so I put on a nymph and heavier sink tip and felt a tug…and Silver!
Then it was LL’s Turn to get lightning
The Kings were still coming in but the steel were more aggressive. LL got a nice King Jack
I hooked one more steelhead but he hit the fly hard and shook off.
A great day!