Steelheading Thursday

[solopaddler]

What a gorgeous spring day!

Bluebird skies, warm temp's, just enough breeze to keep things cool, and the always welcome company of my bud Paul (paulus on the OFC board). Big bonus was we pretty much had the river to ourselves, gotta love it!

The river was running quite high making wading a bit dicey in spots. Paul went over the top of his waders during one particularly treacherous crossing, on the plus side it WAS a warm day so it was more refreshing than anything else .

With the high off coloured water long leads in the neighborhood of 12-15', 12-15gram floats, tons of shot, heavy tippet, and large bright baits were the order of the day.

Usually this time of year the bulk of the fish are dropbacks, but fully recovered, pure chrome and full of fight.

The fish we caught were dropbacks, but mostly tired haggard looking fish barely finished spawning and covered with battle scars.

We did catch a good number of recovered ones though, and those fights were epic .

Based on what I experienced today the fishing should remain good for quite a while yet.

 

One added bonus was 2 mature bald eagles soaring high above us in the warm air currents:

 

 

Paul snapped a shot of this little guy sunning himself on the warm rocks:

 

 

Took this picture to show the size of the baits. I was running a #8 Gamagatsu hook with a huge hunk of chartreuse yarn and an appropriately sized bright coloured roe bag. Don't be fooled by the seeming clear water closer to shore. Out in the main flow it was quite dirty...

 

 

Overall the day started off a bit slow then at 9:30 it was like a switch was turned on and we began to hook fish like crazy:

 

 

 

 

Battle scarred hen:

 

 

 

Paul caught a few too:

 

 

 

 

Paully hard at work (can you tell he's a happy man? ):

 

 

Some of these pic's aren't the greatest as apparantly I didn't notice my lens was covered with water droplets...ah well still better then nothing :

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This one's outstanding I thought:

 

 

 

 

 

A dirty double, one of many on the day:

 

 

 

I havn't seen our new house since we first looked at it over a month ago, (closing is in July), so I stopped for a quick look on the way home to show Paul and he snapped this pic. Doesn't show the property entirely, but you get the idea :

 

 

More than anything else I'm just ecstatic over our upcoming move and new abode.

Currently we're living in a 2 bedroom house and there's 4 of us (Joanne, myself and the kids).

The math just doesn't work. Can't wait for more space!

 

That's it! It was a golden day, one for the books for sure.

 

Now it's back to work. I've got a bathroom reno calling to me .

 

Cheers, Mike

Edited April 18, 2008 by solopaddler

[fatherof3]

great report and pics,congrats

[Reef Runner]

Nice report, congrats on the outing and the new home.

[Gerritt]

still in Dundas??

 

nice report!

 

G

[danbouck]

Very Nice Report!

[Basskicker]

WTG Mike .....do you ever not catch fish?

 

Jason

[solopaddler]

still in Dundas??

 

nice report!

 

G

 

Yep still in Dundas, 'till July anyway (maybe June).

[Gerritt]

Sorry I meant is your new home in Dundas?

 

G

[solopaddler]

Sorry I meant is your new home in Dundas?

 

G

 

My bad, no it's in Grimsby actually.

[Pachone]

Wow man, u really know how to bring em in!

[b2kptbo]

Glad your catching on to this fishing thing, great report...

[fishnsled]

Great report and pics! Congrats on the new home as well!

[jonnybass]

Great report! Congrats!

 

Just a quick question though. Some of those fish look fresh. Are you sure they were all drop-backs?

[solopaddler]

Great report! Congrats!

 

Just a quick question though. Some of those fish look fresh. Are you sure they were all drop-backs?

 

The ones that look fresh are the few fully recovered dropback fish I mentioned in the report.

They likely finished spawning a few weeks back and have been slowly filtering their way downstream regaining their strength and chrome colour.

Not a fresh run fish in the bunch...

[Joey]

Great report Mike. I sure was a beautiful day to be out there. Watch out for that sun tho

 

Looks like a nice house you'll be moving into. Congrats.

 

Joey

[Rustic-Fisher]

Very nice!!!

RF

[ccmtcanada]

So this is what I missed Mike? ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

 

Ok...I feel better now. Some great looking fish!!! Hopefully we can get out there together for one last kick at the can.

 

Awesome pics...great scenery...could have done without the snake though....LOL.

[Ramble]

Another Great Report. Keep them coming.

 

-R-

[ironstone74]

Hey Mike,

 

How do you distinguish fresh run Steel from dropbacks?

 

Paul

[addict]

your posts convince that its worth a little drive and a temporary license once again nice job.

[jdmls]

great report SOLO, awesome pics...... You have brought a whole new meaning to CHOKER BAGS !!!! I have added yarn to bags but not that much before...something to try next time nothing produces in the mud !!!

[Tarzan's Jane]

Enjoyed your report, nice pics...nice home too

[solopaddler]

So this is what I missed Mike? ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

 

Ok...I feel better now. Some great looking fish!!! Hopefully we can get out there together for one last kick at the can.

 

Awesome pics...great scenery...could have done without the snake though....LOL.

 

Mental note: make sure to bring rubber snake when fishing with Cliff

'Till next time bud!

 

 

Hey Mike,

 

How do you distinguish fresh run Steel from dropbacks?

 

Paul

[/quote

 

 

Paul, most of the brighter fish were hens and while it wasn't obvious from the pictures there were still spawning scars on them.

Plus, the thin almost concave bellies devoid of eggs are a pretty good indicator

 

 

Thanks to everyone else for the comments, much appreciated.

 

Cheers, Mike

[canadian_copper]

PRIMO COLOURED WATERS!!!

BEAUTY FISH BRO