A Drifters Steelhead Roady.

[Moosebunk]

It has been an exceptional fall for fishing. Many days spent with close friends finding success on local lakes for bass, walleye and pike, as well as solid walleye results during a rather difficult season on Quinte.

 

The last couple weeks of what may be the end of boating, nothing changed. A final walleye trip to The Bay, back-to-back days on local bass and eye waters, then finally (the meat and potatoes of this report) a mini road trip for trout and new tires, were all fall quality days. It could not be a better fishing end to autumn, or even the year for that matter.

 

November 15th & 16th I snuck out close to home for an afternoon solo mission, followed a day later in the company of Sir Slop. The solo fishin' mission was a non-stop war against largies mostly, yet a dozen walleye and a number of pike and smallies joined the fight. Grant and I had it a little slower in the aftermath and coming cold front, but steadily we fired away at any remaining soliders. Arrested and photographed were some of the POW's.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The last week of November work held me back to one day on the water. An old hockey and school friend from youth joined me in the Lund for a bumpier day on Bay Of Quinte. It was an absolute pleasure having Paul along.

 

A shortened day and tougher fish than usual, we managed to escape the water 4 for 5 with a couple under 25's hitting the well. Paul reeled all but one in. As it's been much of this year, fish were deeper and wanting lure speeds just so, to a little slow. Pretty sure Paul enjoyed the first time he's fished with boards, the reports back at the launch from a few other boats were pretty poor. This gave me a chance to kinda feel that guide moment, ya know...? Even though, Paul did the rod damage.

 

 

 

Results may not be as great as previous years for others, the six trips of 2011 taken by The Bomber went... 11/16 , 5/7 , 11/13 , 10/14 , 5/9 and 4/5. Averaging 46/64 and 35 total walleye. 2010 results for six trips were 62/71 and also 35 walleye. Overall, size was up this year BIG time. Last years 11 1/4lb. best was crushed by this years 14, and several 11's and 10's. Sheepie numbers were waaaaay down. Per outing, simple math for this year would put The Bomber at an average of 8/11 with 6 eyes a trip. 46 total fishing hours divided into 46 fish is simple math too, the boat averaged one fish an hour all season. Good results IMO and geeky stuff to work with. The whole season wouldn't have been nearly what it was had it not been for the company in the boat whom all thoroughly seemed to enjoy the fishing.

 

Quinte eye fishing is probably getting even better day-to-day now, but the ice is still to come. In the meantime, on to other things...

 

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Had an itch that needed a scratch.

 

Fall steelheaders are a pretty lucky brood of diehard cold weather nuts. The ones I know best anyways. Come November and December of each year, when most boaters are winding down or searching out the last quality fishing frontiers available to them, the shortened day bank beaters take to trout filled streams and frosty woods. The fruits of their labors bring about some of the years best online fishing reports which are generally loaded with stunning chrome and browns displayed amidst many incredibly scenic backgrounds.

 

Each year, no matter where I have lived, those people, those fish and that experience, make me itch like crazy.

 

I was to head Stateside to test a rumor that tire shopping over there would be worth my time and money. Was it?... Yes, but not vastly better in the end. The wife seemed to only slowly warm to the idea that, while across the border I stay a couple extra days and do some fishing. Slowly warmed... but she warmed nonetheless.

 

Monday I made my way over and spent much of my day achieving the goal of getting the truck done. During the last couple hours of daylight, found time to sneak in a few drifts on the river but barely managed to scrape any rust off with using the long pole. One outing last year and first this year, it was apparent I was out of practice. A local fella showed up in dress pants, shirt and tie, on his way home from work. Third drift with a 13-foot Raven and he made plucking that 8-9ish pound buck look easy. Told him that too, and he repaid the gesture with a chartreuse bead and the right sized hook. Expressed to me no need for thanks, he'll be returned with good karma. The day faded grey to black and I hit the road 0 for 1. Yes, for a short time there had been some fish-tug on the line, but it didn't stick around long.

 

While waiting on the truck a call was made to a nearby fishing lodge. $35 a night was the price... just needed a bed really. When I arrived and walked in the front door my cold dampness was evaporated instantly by the smell of home cooking. Standing in a strangers kitchen home-like lodge, staff Melissa, Charlotte and local driftboat guide Dan immediately welcomed me and made this soul feel like a family member just arriving from work in time for dinner. Melissa was a fun one, you could tell right away. Around the corner in the living room watching TV after a days fishing, were a few anglers thawing out and enjoying a drink. Minutes later, four others guests from the main lodge quarters followed their noses to arrive just in time to have BBQ steaks land on their plates. $35 a night... something's up? "Meals included with the stay" I inquired... Melissa laughed, "not quite, but for $12 extra you can't go wrong." Soup, salad, full steak dinner and dessert... $12... where the heck am I...?

 

Settled quick into a room upstairs before talking a little with my hosts. Not familiar with probably 95% of the river I wasn't too shy to ask for any info to help get me started. Having thought a little about it beforehand; as friends Adam and Solo had mentioned in the past and a recent Gord Pyzer article had reminded, I questioned Dan about rates for driftboating and that experience. Melissa piped up, "Ohhhh man, you'll love it. It's such an amazing way to see the river." Dan added, "It's a head start for anyone... I mean, I grew up here and have fished the river all my life. You're not just getting an experience, you're gaining the guides experience too." Boiled down to coin after quick thought..."It could be done for this..." he declared, "I'm already booked but I'll ask another guide if he'll do it. He will put you on fish." "Make it happen," I affirmed... and it was set.

 

Melissa knocked on my door before 6:00am and I sluggishly slipped into my waders. Downstairs the coffee was brewing. Melissa had taken some turkey out of the freezer night before and thawed it out so I could make up some sandwiches for the day. Eyes still half shut, my driftboat guide Zach walked in the door to say good morning. By 7:00am we were adrift. At 7:15am I lost my first steelie on the morn.

 

Zach as I would learn through the day is a number of things. First, mature for his youngish 22 years. A college graduate in fish and aquaculture, he works at this time in a local tackle shop and also has a new business making beads for fishing. His company's name is "Trick Em" beads, and it was ironic I had just bought some of his product on route in the day before. A fit post-highschool wrestler, the daily rowing sure keeps the shoulders on him, yet he has just one bad habit that comes in a small tin labeled Copenhagan. Zach's first love, fishing. When not doing these others things, he spends most of his time May through December, guiding the river and Lady O for trout, walleye and salmon from drift boat, as well as a 22-foot charter boat.

 

 

He sure put me in front of a good number of fish, problem was me. Feathering line free spool with bail open on a spinning rod is different. Fishing beads needs quicker hands than roe bags and flies too. Some fish I surely set the hook bail open... wiffin 'em. Some fish I didn't set the hook by raising the rod quick enough because of engaging the reel and fumbling too slowly reeling up and things. Some fish hooked just came unpegged... It's faster water in general than I have ever fished, and faster fishing too than any of the few previous steelheading days I had under my belt.

 

The whole day was full of humbling mishaps which had me turning to Zach often enough and saying, "I'm generally not a bad angler. I can catch fish." Sometimes you just have one of those days, and this day fishing-wise, surely felt like one of those. Zach for hours and hours remained optimistic. "You'll catch a rainbow."

 

 

We did some "plugging" throughout the day too. First bow was actually a foul hooked fish using this method. It was really one of the coolest and effective techniques I have been introduced to. Pluggin' is essentially stressing fish to eat your offering. Because of NY States 3-rod law per person, it's also become even easier now. It really is a weirdly neat and effective way of catching river fish... bullying them into a corner and forcing fight or flight. The takes on the lures using this method are extremely violent. We had a straightened split ring and broken treble hook. Zach has seen treble hooks broken on the shank and plastic lures torn apart. My first fish of the day was a ripper buck that cranked the line and gave some serious attitude.

 

 

Four other anglers from the lodge split up two to a boat used this method all day on their guided driftboat tours. Enjoying cases of beer and fishing with their feet up, they caught 23 steelhead during the warm 16C weather.

 

We continued to plug away... HA! Not really, cause from under the float is how I wanted that next fish. By afternoon the hook-ups were much improved but the landing was not. Released a tiny brown at one point that at least got the ball rolling.

 

The river however was exceptional. A busy place in many sections but now and again there were these stretches where you wondered what it would have been like back 100's of years when Atlantics and speckled trout would have teemed through the waters. Zach and I spoke tonnes about Lake O walleye fishing on both sides of the pond, spring brown trout and summer salmon fishing, as well as changing trends in tribbin' for trout.

 

 

 

Zach paid no real attention to time and only asked the hour if I looked at my watch. I'd expected the day be done much earlier, but nearing 4 o'clock we were still aways from the take-out. During our trip probably every other driftboat but one got ahead of us. Some were rushing through greater distances on their day, but Zach prefers to work half the water that he knows better and fishes harder. There was no shortage of opportunity for me to hook-up with fish which other anglers drifting and shorebound had overlooked, and by some stroke of luck with time winding down it finally so happened that one good steelie stayed stuck and made for a sweet but soggy foggy picture, and a great finish...

 

 

Overall a humbling day steelheading going 4 for about 400, exceptional day driftboating, quality time in good company, and an experience well worth every penny.

 

Back at the lodge dinner was a wicked chicken soup, house salad, chicken catch-a-tory; we'll spell it out that way, garlic bread, a T-bone if you wanted it on the side, and some sorbet. Yeah... $12. Awesome!

 

The lodge guests American yet a couple Canucks all in good company, debated some great country differences on topics like healthcare, military, crime and drugs and fishing. Great friendly atmosphere which had kept a good few better Canadian beers sliding down my throat to a later hour than I had initially planned to stay up. Woke next morning with a sore face from a rattlin' snore during the night.

 

 

From behind the lodge one can fish. Pouring rains overnight doubled the water levels though, and it just seemed too fast and difficult to walk anywhere along the tight banks there. It was a later start this day at 8:00am when after taking a short drive I came to hike and fish a new part of the river not yet seen. Below the take-out from the day before, a number of more eager morning anglers were found as I made my way along the bank and through the woods.

 

Eventually, a mile or more, I passed by them all and found a fishy looking run all to myself. Still armed with a special not-for-sale "Trick Em" bead, it was only a few drifts before the float dropped. The fight only lasted a few seconds. A few drifts later it dropped again. This fight lasted a few minutes.

 

 

Not the greatest photo... my camera got dropped in a puddle the day before for a moment and was still tempermental, it was a rushed pic for this fish.

 

The release done, afterwards a fish rose upstream of me and near to shore. I snuck up and had my float drop. A huge bow ripped line and ran the entire run; a rectangular space probably the size of your average Tim Horton's parking lot. Reel screaming it was a blast. Not since a couple of arctic char this summer have I had line-peeling anger like that. For a time control was thought to be gained but maybe the fish was just fooling me. It held in midstream, doing nothing... not budging. I kept pulling before it decided enough is enough and it took off downriver for the fast water. Quite the shoreline obstacles would have been enough to deal with, but this mess mid-river between a fish already too powerful for me made it impossible to overcome. The leader snapped after bearing down on that bow's efforts. The "Trick Em" was gone...

 

 

Needed to check out before noon and get some lunch so the morning fish was short. Said my goodbyes to Melissa and made haste for home. Real rainy cold weather was expected and I had one stop to make for a float. It was that same spot on the way up where that one fish was lost and I realized how rusty I had become.

 

Arriving I bumped into Adam and RJ and said hello. Adam returned the greeting in kind, moments before setting the hook into a bow. Dude can steelhead with the best of 'em, and has been a solid guy for offering help. Thanks bud!

 

I took position just upriver from the lads and five minutes with a pink bead thought it best get switched out for chartreuse. Fourth drift... Badonk-a-donk from beneath our feet. Adam graciously tailed her and held for the colorful photo. Not a huge fish, but thick for size and all rainbow...

 

 

Guess the rust was nearly polished off.

 

 

Could only stay and fish a half-hour. Those cold forecasted winds blew up big time causing some annoying line gnats just before the skies opened up and it started pouring. Said my goodbye and made it home in time for dinner.

 

 

What a great time and hoping overall the report was something enjoyed.

[BillM]

Sweet Drew!!! That's one river I still haven't crossed off my list yet :)

[Harrison]

I enjoy your writing style and the pictures are A1. Fish aren't to shabby either.

 

Thanks for taking the time, great report.

[Moosebunk]

Sweet Drew!!! That's one river I still haven't crossed off my list yet :)

 

We could plan it for next year Bill.

[Guest chase4chrome]

I know that river and guest house--fished that river for three years before moving back to Golden Horseshoe area. Some awesome fish in that system that can turn you inside out and leave your kit in pieces...

 

Nice report and regardless of going 4 for 400--they are sweet...

[solopaddler]

Outstanding, glad to see you finally got to see first hand what the drift boat experience is like.

 

That truly is a beautiful river. Intimidating is the word that pops to mind and truly steelheading at its best.

[BillM]

We could plan it for next year Bill.

 

Sign me up!

[johnnyb]

Sounds like a gem of a lodge, and the river seems to have a few fish in it too. Nice little road trip indeed! Still not forgetting your Quinte numbers...good job out there, Sir!

[mercman]

Simply amazing Those Eyes are as gold as the come. I have never seen a steelhead up close, but i get the feeling that it would be an adrenalin junkies dream !!!

 

Thanks for sharing that.

 

Paul

[blaque]

Fantastic narrative as always and a Beautiful piece of water. I walk the streams all fall, winter, and spring but have never experienced it as you have here. Truly something I'd like to have a go at someday!

[fishindevil]

just awesome drew as usual !!! some very nice fish,and scenery,thanks for sharing !!!

[Joey]

Awesome as usual Drew, keep the sweet reports coming

[troutologist]

Great write up. Sounds like a heck of an outing. Can't wait to get after some steel myself.

[fishnsled]

Great report Drew. You certainly had the eyes dial in.

[TDunn]

Awesome report, pics and fish.....Amazing!!

 

 

TDunn

[rocheleauc]

Amazing! Looks like it was a great time.

 

Thanks for sharing

[Moosebunk]

Thanks again OFC'ers...

 

 

 

Psst Mikey... you'll have to come with Bill and I.

[highdrifter]

Daayyuuummmm!!

 

It takes a quiet discipline to tend to a log after a hard day's fishing.. Certainly makes for a beefier write up.

 

Thanks for that.

 

cheers

HD

[limeyangler]

LOL..."4 for 400"

 

 

great read MB.

 

Awesome fishing as per usual....and really refreshing to see a steelhead report with not a single shot of the reel in the picture!

 

 

[corvette1]

awesome fall drew great read and report quinte numbers were out standing

[ehg]

Another great report.

Gotta love Quinte walleyes.

Many thanks.

[msp]

As usual, great story and amazing pictures !

[Mike the Pike]

Just beautiful.Thanks fall fishing at its best.