True Winter Steelheading Today!

[solopaddler]

This time of the year the weather can turn on a dime. As a steelheader you constantly watch the long term weather forecast, shuffle work schedules around and do whatever you have to do to squeeze a day in when the conditions look good. 'Cause things can end pretty quickly this time of year. Opportunities are limited.

Today was one of those days. My very good friend Paul joined me for the first time this fall taking a precious day off work and hoping for the best.

On the surface things looked good. There had been substantial rain on Tuesday, then nothing on Wednesday and overnight into Thursday morning. This river clears overnight so we knew there would be a fresh run of fish in and the conditions for this morning should be good.

Only problem, they were calling for a winter storm starting mid-morning with possibly up to 10" of snow.

So, do we make the long drive to fish and potentially get stuck in a storm? OF COURSE!!

The drive over this morning turned out to be a doozy. The snow started earlier than was predicted and with 40 mins. of driving still to go it hit with a fury. The road quickly became snow covered and the Oldsmobile (or Deathmobile as I like to call it ) was weaving and slipping all over the place.

We made it though! When we finally arrived at the river we were somewhat dismayed to see that it was a bit dirtier than anticipated.

When the water is this cold and dirty it's imperative to have large, bright roe bags, preferably skeined roe and not loose. The skeined eggs milk out much more scent and are generally much more productive than loose eggs this time of year.

When the water is this dirty it's also important to change where you drift. The fish aren't going to expend an ounce of energy in this cold, so fast water is not a good choice. Slower more moderate flows are key. Also when the water is this dirty the fish hold much closer to shore than some might think, the fish feel safer in the murky water. Small, soft little seams very close to shore are deadly...

Anyhow, enough yapping!

My normal modus operandi as far as a starting point is as close to the lake as possible.

Usually if you hit a pod of fish near the lake they'll be fresh and aggressive, so that's just where we headed.

 

 

 

We fished it hard for a while and both missed fish, but couldn't connect, so we tried a little further up and

managed to catch a few.

 

 

 

 

 

There were definitely fish in that spot. The only problem was with the murky, high water.

There was really nothing there to hold them. No spot where they would really stack up.

We both decided we needed to find a more intimate pool upstream where the fish would

be more concentrated.

I knew a perfect spot. There's a long stretch of fast water and just above it a long, slow pool with lots of cover.

When fish are ascending a river, after running upstream through fast water they like to rest in the tailout of the first slow water they find. We made a beeline for that spot.

In the interim the snow and rain started to fall heavily. Here's Paul crossing the river to join me on the other side.

 

 

Needless to say it was nasty out, but boy did we find the motherlode!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm afraid to tell you guys how many we actually caught today... but it was a lot.

We lost a pile of fish as well. Amazingly even in the cold water they put up a

heck of a fight.

By the latter part of the afternoon the precip had changed entirely to rain so thankfully

the roads were just wet and the drive home was uneventful.

We were like a couple of cold, wet ,drowned rats when we made it back to the car.

But we were happy rats .

All in all a standout day with a good friend who I rarely get to fish with anymore!

 

Cheers, Mike

Edited December 14, 2007 by solopaddler

[Crazyhook]

Mike as a non icefisherman you are killing me!!!

 

awesome report man, I am so jealous!

[Greencoachdog]

Excellent report and pics!!!... as usual! I hope those are female fish because they are waaaay to "pretty" to be males. I think the Browns are a tad more photogenic, but they're all beautiful!

 

Gotta get me some of them Salmonoids one of these days.

 

You're definately hard core to fish in that weather!

 

Thanks for taking the time to post another marvelous report!!!

[irishfield]

Great stuff once again Mike. Ya got me rethinking that not hitting a stream in 20 years thing... but wading around in 32 degree water... I dono!

[fatherof3]

always look forward to your reports,congrats on another great day

[Ramble]

Soudns like you had a blast. Excellent report and even better photo's. You guys caught some gorgeous fish.

[ecxstriper]

WOW just goes to show you have to put the time in and have your priorities in the right place . Looks like a great day !!

[huntervasili]

Well I usually say I am impressed with your reports but now, I feel as if you are just rubbing in the fact that you get to go out and are so darn successful. Do you want us all to just feel poorly because we do not get to have our steel outings? Thanks for the report SP Great pics and fish

[kemper]

Amazing

 

I WISH I could be doing that right now.

 

Unfortunatly Id have more luck skating on the rivers in my area.

[blizzcat]

great fish and great pictures!!

i miss the riverrsss, but its too cold for me to be wading.

[scuro]

I'm shivering right now. Another great report Mike.

[Paulus]

zzz still up...

 

It was memorable for sure! I look forward to our next outing, bud

 

Please don't worry about us being cold! There's something about winter chrome that makes you impervious to all but the nastiest chills.

 

Ok and steelhead madness helps a lot, too!

 

If anyone really wants to be numbed, see my blog entry for this awesome day http://theaveragesteelheader.blogspot.com

 

p.-

[Moosebunk]

Mike............. crikey man! Yer killing some of us.

[trapshooter]

Wow! Now that's a report. Great info and amazing pictures!!

 

Cheers,

 

ben

[floatfishin]

Stellar Mike, just simply STELLAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Amazing shot's and well worth the bitter cold bro, you and Paul deserve it big time!!!

[bowshep]

Great Report. Its funny how people will stand on the ice all day at -20 but not stand in water near Zero...

Great job... love the pic's and thats a high tec reel lock... Congrats... Peace Ken

[Basskicker]

Speechless.......I'm still kicking myself for not going last week. Simply awesome Mike

 

Jason

[ccmtcanada]

Wow.

 

Wow.

 

Wow.

 

You may be a bit crazy, but you sure know how to connect with fish!

 

I'm going to book a WEEK off in the spring...and if you can put up with me, I'd love to join you then...I figure at least ONE of those days should be good for fishing...LOL.

[solopaddler]

Thanks for the kind words guys.

For those that are into it there appears to be some decently mild weather starting later next week and continuing through Christmas.

There should be some good opportunities .

Edited December 14, 2007 by solopaddler

[ccmtcanada]

Thanks for the kind words guys.

For those that are into it there appears to be some decently mild weather starting later next weekand and continuing through Christmas.

There should be some good opportunities .

 

Hmmm....I'll be in mid-Michigan for Christmas....know of any good spots near Lansing?? LOL.

[solopaddler]

Hmmm....I'll be in mid-Michigan for Christmas....know of any good spots near Lansing?? LOL.

 

Lansing is right in the heart of MI, not really close to anything...

If you have a full day to kill you might drive up to the Little or Big Manistee,

about a 21/2 hour drive from Lansing.

Even if the fishing is slow it's worth the trip, the country around there is absolutely beautiful.

[Tacklebuster]

Great report, pics, story. I am just amazed how you keep getting into open water. Even Bronte is pretty much frozen over.

[steverowbotham]

u always manage to excite me and upset me at the same time.. haha congrats

[Sherriff]

Amazing report again Solo!

 

Well done.

 

Sherriff

[wuchikubo]

Wow, another awesome report full of pics.

 

As Moosebunk mentioned, it feels like you're just providing me a slow torturous death. LOL

 

WTG Mike