Jet

Nice work! Always a great feeling having a good day on Simcoe.

Thanks guys. If anyone is ever up this way, drop me a line so we can wet a line!

The mountains here are still covered in snow and the big run-off here in the Kootenays is late. So fishing has been slower than I expect but still some some good times on the river. Wanted to share a few pics of my last couple of trips. The Bull Trout action has been slow but the Cutthroat bite has been pretty great. Too bad they don't get bigger here because they put up a great fight. Enjoy! Even my sister got in on the action with her first Bull Trout. Put up a great fight. She just might get into this crazy sport! Cheers!

http://www.wepoundemfishing.com/ Not sure if you tried them but they might be an option.

Good to see you back to your old self again! Maybe you can christen that new reel out my way

Love the variety of species HD. Great stuff.

Thanks guys for reading. It took me good few tries to hook into my first, but as I spend more time on the rivers here, the success rate has definitely moved upward. Still miss the Steelheading in Southern Ontario, but I certainly don't miss the crowds! Bumped into one fisherman on half a km of shoreline all day.

The river fishing has been slower than usual for this time of year I'm told. Normally before the spring runoff the Bull Trout start migrating up river to feed up before the rivers blow and get ready for their August spawn. But with the extra snowy and cold winter we've had here in the Kootenays it seems to have pushed their schedule back some. So trips with one or two fish have become the norm . . . I guess I shouldn't complain! Here's a nice and aggressive Cutty. And a feisty Bull Trout. Over the last few weeks the weather has really warmed, so I was even more eager to try and hit the run. I've been able to sneak out twice over the last two weeks trying to catch the migration and despite arriving upon what look like absolutely prime conditions, my last two trips have ended with big nasty skunks. I got out today again and learned once again that the run still hasn't started. This is what I did for the majority of the day. I also worked a lot of river today. However I did manage to bank two Bull Trout including a beautiful specimen that put up a solid 10 minute battle. Bull Trout are my new Steelhead as many of you know. They certainly aren't as spectacular as Steelhead with their aerial displays and line-ripping runs, but from what I've experienced pound for pound, they still take just as long to land. Bull Trout like to hold you down deep with the bigger ones taking you on steady but powerful runs. This one ran right across the river - this after 5 minutes of fighting! Gotta love those big water battles. Another angle to show its true colours and the massive heads on these fish. Here's a video of the release and a river boat which I need to get to really work these rivers! <iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/KOng1lpuyHo?rel=0&hd=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Cheers!

Nicely detailed and presented as always Mike!

Since moving to BC, I've been looking for a beefier float rod to tackle some sea run Steelhead. After lots of research, learning Sage no longer makes its 3113M CP, not wanting a GLX 3 Power and for something nicer than a Lamiglas X113, I came across many positive discussions about Xrodz. Xrodz I am very interested in their 13 foot centerpin rod, but finding reviews has been tough online. Anyone here ever fish these rods? They are made by Jim Mercier formerly Fetha Styx. This rod has a carbon fiber rear end, counter balanced with a Alps triangle reel seat and a 10” Eva front end covered with Shark Skin. The guides are TICH plated 316 stainless steel with zirconium rings. There are 4 double foot guides then the remaining 10 are single foot guides of the same material. Thanks, -j

I was probably as happy as you were when I heard the good news! You really persevered after nearly two seasons of very hard work and it will pay off in more ways than just this. Now that you got the "feel" I look forward to the next report this time on the TS2! Awesome work.

Nice stuff and just reward. When the fishing's hard, hard work is what will make the difference and you definitely worked hard!

This is definitely a case of getting what you pay for. The panasonic is one of the priciest (used to be $400) but has won most every comparison for a reason. I bought one mostly because it takes the best videos so when I hook that fish of a lifetime it will look great.

Amazing Report TDunn. A very good read!

I think it's time you put them wicked camera skills to use on the Ice. If you're ever interested I know a few good guides that you already know!

Returning the favor. Good luck!

Where I live, I'm the only centerpin fisherman and even float setup fisherman I've seen. Even the guides I know don't ever see any. Kinda of weird I thought since John Milner makes his famous pins just 20 mins away from me. So fly fishing is the dominant method here. Fly baits are the usual for small trout, bigger ones like bull trout streamers and clousers are the top flies. For float fishing I use roe when allowed though haven't had much luck on it. So I float streamers, clousers, bucktails and wolly buggers with good success for Bull Trout. Tried many others like Steelhead jigs but they haven't worked well for me. Pink worms really call the Cutthroats.

The rivers I fish here in BC in the Kootenays, since I moved, have been gin clear each and every time I've gone out, even after a rain. And when I say gin clear, I'm talking about water more clear than anything I've fished previously. As a results I've been playing around even more between mono and fluoro leaders for Bull Trout and I personally have found no difference in the hook up rate, even on slow days. What I can say for sure is that I have much more confidence in the strength of my leader when it's mono vs the equivalent fluoro. I too find fluoro to be substantially more sensitive to nicks and scuffs.

They're always worth the long effort of cleaning. Nice stuff man!

Thanks guys for the comments. Look forward to seeing some pics and vids from you Limey! And Kelfun I'm also waiting for that big Laker thru the ice!

I've fished for Cutthroat Trout on the fly rod and the pin. They are one of the most aggressive trout and almost guarantee the "skunk" doesn't rear its nasty face around these parts. They literally smash your baits with reckless abandonment. So hitting the ice for the first time here in BC, I had high expectations of constant action through the hard stuff. But boy what a difference the cold weather seemed to make. The Cutties now would literally nibble at my line and were stealing my bait over and over despite using some of the smallest Steelhead hooks in my arsenal. Initially I would try and set the hook at the first bite. After failing to set the hook on at least a dozen fish, I tried letting them nibble for longer - sometimes for up to 10 seconds at a time. I fared slightly better hooking a few only to have them pop off within a couple of seconds. Since letting them sample my bait for extended periods of time was working a tad better, I stuck with it and finally managed to land a few. They still, however, beat me at a rate of about 4 to 1! Better luck next time I guess. Hopefully the next time will also bring what I'm really looking for: a Bully! My first Cuttie through the ice. And a few more. To my surprise I also got a couple of Whitefish. As usual they were also light biters. And to put the icing on the cake my girlfriend Jessica outperformed me with this nice sized Cutty. This one joined us for dinner to celebrate. At least the view was nice as I lost all those fish! Cheers!

Thanks everyone for the support! Really appreciate it.

I know it is a doozy! Fingers crossed. Thanks Drifter for your support.

Hey fellow OFNers, My Personal Best Bull Trout has been nominated for November Slab of the month. If you agree please vote for me! If not that's ok too. Bull Trout Vote Thanks for your support. Jet

Not hard, but a good 2 feet of snow. Normal round here and nice when it's powder and not wet slush. It's a very comfortable -5 now and I've already gone ice fishing! Nothing good to report so far. Keep the great pics coming.