Lady Luck Intervenes...

[Paulus]

If you read my last post, you know that I was pretty bummed about my Steelhead fishing season already being over. My fateful words at the time were that I wouldn't be getting out again this Spring, unless Lady Luck intervened. Well...

 

She did!

 

I actually tried to get HD to join me, but my last minute invite was just a tad too last minute. It would've been a lot of fun, for sure! But if fish alone I must, then fish alone I will.

 

Day break came altogether too quickly. I think it had to do with the pent up anxiety of knowing that this was indeed going to be my last day on the rivers until the fall, and really wanting to make it count. But even though I spent all night sleeping on pins and needles, my adrenaline shot me out of bed at 5am sharp. By 5:30, I was on the road.

 

One of the best parts of the Spring trout season is the early morning symphony of birdsong. It always amazes me how much louder and clearer they sound, this time of year. It makes getting up at dawn that much more worth it.

 

I won't go through the entire "EPIC" saga of steel slaying ( ) but will just give you a few of the highlights:

• 2 cigars
  
• 1 beer
  
• 1 fish over 10lbs that utterly kicked my but which had the misfortune of beaching itself in the process
  
• 2 episodes of fish after fish after fish
  
• 100% natural fish 85% of which were fully recovered, all of which jumped at least once, one of which jumped about 6 times (next big rain sends them all back home)
  
• a huge thank you to my wife, without whose understanding today didn't happen at all
  

 

And some pics, of course:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next pics: coming to a forum near you, Oct 2010!!!

 

p.-

Edited May 4, 2009 by Paulus

[highdrifter]

Ah man.. That's some quality trouting.. and Awesome photo angles!!

 

I was really jonzing to go with you budday.. Saturday just left me to totally KOed and Tanya wanted a little together time.. had to reconsider .

 

Bien joué grand!! Chte tiens à jour.

 

cheers

HD

[MJL]

Beautiful fish and great pics! Love the colours on those fish.

 

Funny you should mention the bird-songs early in the morning. On one river I fish, you can fish from 12am till the birds start singing (anywhere from 4:30am to 6am) and not get a hit. As soon as you hear the birds start chirping, the steelhead start hitting. It's uncanny.

 

On another note, do you have or have you ever played around with a polarizing filter on your camera? A lot of the pics I tried taking similar to yours usually have copious amounts of reflection off the water making it hard to see anything underneath the surface - Even if it's just a few inches deep.

[Paulus]

On another note, do you have or have you ever played around with a polarizing filter on your camera? A lot of the pics I tried taking similar to yours usually have copious amounts of reflection off the water making it hard to see anything underneath the surface - Even if it's just a few inches deep.

 

I've always wanted to use one, but no. I try not to take that many "under water" pics, usually, but today the sun's angle helped a lot. As a general rule, I compare what I see without my sunglasses on to what my camera will probably get. If I can see deep, then I know that the camera can do it too. I also have mega-zoom camera, the lense of which is larger than 99.9% of pocket digitals - it's more sensitive to light in general and may have some filter on the lense that helps me out with some of these pics....

 

 

p.-

[solopaddler]

Nicely done Paul.

Steelheading may be over but y'know you're always welcome to join me at the camp for some back lake smallies.

[Paulus]

Nicely done Paul.

Steelheading may be over but y'know you're always welcome to join me at the camp for some back lake smallies.

 

Sounds like a plan, dood!

 

p.-

[DRIFTER_016]

Next pics: coming to a forum near you, Oct 2010!!!

 

p.-

 

 

Paul

What, so now you're going to take a year and a half off!!!!!!

[Paulus]

oops! I meant 2009. I hope it's not 2010. That would be bad, very bad!

 

 

very very very very very bad...

 

p.-

[Leecher]

Beauty report Paulus

What a way to end the steelhead season!!! Congratulations

Thanks for sharing

Leechman

[ccmtcanada]

Always enjoy your reports!! Can always count on some great photographs of your catches!

 

Great way to end your season!

[lucabrasi]

Nice report! Glad to see that somebody's still getting some steel. Like yourself, I won't be chasing chrome again until Oct. Thanks!

[Bly]

Beautiful shots and fish as always Paulus.....thanks!! Nice when Lady Luck shines on you