Trout Opener - 2008

[MJL]

Every year my dad and I head out on the opener to fish for steelhead…This year was no exception. We got to the river at 3am. My dad slept in the car for a couple hours and I fished in the darkness hoping to tempt at least 1 fish to bite. My main mission this trip was to christen my new float rod, “The Molting Diamondback” seen in this post:

 

http://www.ofncommunity.com/forums/index.p...;hl=diamondback

 

And my dad wanted to break-in his little new Daiwa spinning reel on some steel.

 

At around 5:15am I hooked into my first steelhead of the year – The headshakes and speedy runs were orgasmic. A minute later it broke the 6lb leader and headed back downstream…$h@+!

 

It’s been exactly 1 yr since I fought my last steelhead – I caught my last steelhead on last year’s opener. I was so rusty this morning.

 

My dad shows up to the pool I’m fishing and hooks on a roe bag. On his first drift, he ties into a fish. His reel sings for about 5minutes and it finally comes to hand – A fish of about 5-6lbs.

 

5 minutes later, I hook onto an identical twin of my dad’s fish. It tail walks across the river, does a cartwheel and goes ballistic around the pool. 5 minutes of playing the fish I grab its tail and my dad removes the hook...I christened the Molting Diamondback.

 

Between 5:15 to about 8:30 I landed 3 or 4 fish and lost 4-5 fish. Talking with some of the other anglers walking by, they also didn’t hook into very many fish compared to prior openers. Despite the lack of numbers, the warmer temps we’ve had the past couple of weeks turbo charged these fish. Almost all the fish hooked this morning by anglers went airborne and were a total blast to fight.

 

We had camera problems all morning. Despite having half a dozen fresh batteries, the camera gave us low battery warnings and turned off on us on several occasions we tried to take pics. Looks like it may be time to invest in a new point-and-shoot camera

 

A couple pics we did manage to snap

 

Early morning fish

 

The molting Diamondback putting the boots to a fish.

 

At 10am the roe, worm, fly and jig bite had died down. I grabbed my 7’ Shimano Compre spinning rod, my baby 2000 Stradic loaded with 8lb mono and tied on a silver mepps spinner. I casted it upstream and retrieved it with the current. This beauty hen nailed it and went nuts before being brought to hand for a pic. The spinner still dangling from its yap.

 

 

In the afternoon we headed to another section of the river downstream. I hooked into a couple more bows and lost them but much of the time was spent hauling in chub after chub.

 

Although we didn’t get into a huge number of fish (If you don’t count the creek chubs), I still had a blast. It was great to feel the powerful headshakes of steel again after so long. I was impressed with the performance of the new rod and my dad is still drooling over how well his little Daiwa reel worked. The shoulders and wrist are sore but it’s all good.

 

On a more personal note, my hard work at school and my sabbatical away from steelhead for the last year did not come unrewarded. I checked my school marks when I got home and it looks like I’ll be on the Dean’s list for the 2nd straight year and in a position to graduate with marks good enough to get into most MBA or Masters program in Canada in the future (If I decide to go). With that said, I’m unofficially done school and hopefully this opener was just a taste of more to come.

 

Hope you enjoyed

[ccmtcanada]

Way to go MJL!!! Fantastic report and some great pics. Too bad about the camera...I think you are right...time to get a new camera! Congrats on christening the rod...must have felt pretty awesome to land a fish with it. Bly and I decided we'd skip the opener this year...we may head out in the next week or two for some drop backs, but our trout season is pretty much done until the fall. Looks like you and your dad another successful opener.

 

Congrats on the Dean's list....you certainly know where priorities lie....and you'll be justly rewarded in the future!

 

Always enjoy your reports...we'll have to get out for some carp soon...they are starting to finally come in in some limited numbers. Give it another week or two and they'll be think in there.

Edited April 27, 2008 by ccmt

[wuchikubo]

Great report MJL!! Congrats on the christening of your Molting D. It looks like a beauty of a rod and your hard work looks like it paid off.

 

Too bad about having to put off future rod making. But that may make your Molting D. a collector's item one day

 

Look forward to your future reports.

Edited April 27, 2008 by HearingFish

[Master of Bait]

Great report.

[kennyman]

Sounds like a great day MJL. Those are some SWEET looking fish. I'm hoping to get out tomorrow (after my daughters dance competition) and hopefully I'll land at least one fish. Now I have inspiration. Thanks.

[huntervasili]

Nice going with the steel MJL! Glad to hear ya slimed you're rod

[fatherof3]

congrats on a good day out and well done with the Deans list.

[Greencoachdog]

Great report and pics!!!

[b2kptbo]

Nicely done, great report...

[canadian_copper]

NICE FISH BRO

[007]

Nice Report MJL. Glad you christened the new rod. Looks like you had a fun day. Congrats on the good marks at Uni too!

 

007

[mikeh]

nice report and pics

[Victor]

i recognize the rock in the background!

[Mike the Pike]

WTG MJL great to share more time with your Dad beauty fish too bad about the Camera would have been nice to see more pics.

 

Look on the bright side Cameras are getting cheaper.

 

MTP

[highdrifter]

NICE!! I'll post a report when I get some better pics ahaah!

 

cheers

HD