Almost time to rack the rods: Steelheader.net- Steelhead, Salmon and trout fishing

What a year. Going into my 3rd fall season I'd figured I'd be done by late September. I'd fished nonstop since late July. First tuna, then ocean salmon, then Bouy 10, a detour for another tuna tournament, a couple side trips with Bob on the Cowlitz, then fall chinook.

I'd always kinda sucked at coho fishing but put things together this year and ended up with a couple dozen ho's and an odd chinook or two. I was running out of kitchen passes but needed to get one more buddy a trip out. I called Sam and told him Saturday would be it. The boat was going in the garage for some maintenance and I sorely needed to get some work around the house done.

I'd looked at the forecast, didn't look good, but headed upriver anyway. We ran out to the Klickitat, dropped a couple of plugs, and commenced to fishing.

End of the first pass, made the turn and my rod goes off. "Take it, Sam" I figured our time on the water was limited and didn't want Sam going home fishless. The fish was small but hot, nearly jumped into the boat twice, but I got it in the net. No skunk today!

Made another couple passes but things were deteriorating fast. A buddy in another boat was just letting the wind blow him along (at 2 to 2.5 mph!) and was getting fish, but he had a closed bow boat that was bigger than mine. Time to bug out.

Swung by Bob's boat and yelled a bit of encouragement at Grimm Reaper and then got out of there before things got even worse. Got home and parked the boat, figured that was it for the season.

I reckon it would have been but I woke up early and couldn't go back to sleep. Finally dragged my carcass out of bed and went downstairs. Penned a note to the wife and grabbed the waders, a handful of plugs, and the spinning rod.

Went to the Lewis, hucking plugs. A few dark fish rolling, saw another guy throwing plugs hook up on a bright fish. Encouraged, I kept casting. Finally threw one plug a little harder than usual, trying to get it all the way across the river. At the top of it's arc a seagull appeared out of nowhere and grabbed the plug! Holy Smokes!

There was enough slack in the line that the bird was able to drop the plug without getting hooked (I was running a single hook) but the line wrapped around the bird's wing. It helicoptered down and crashed into the water, protesting the entire way.

Not nearly the fight I'd expect out of the bird, either. I reeled the gull in easily enough then pinned it down with a tree branch while I unwrapped it.

Went back to fishing and was considering bagging it. I had reeled the plug all the way in, had my rod tip down to the water and was going to flip the plug up and out when a silver grabbed it. Hand to hand combat! Nothing like fighting a fish with 2 feet of line out. The fish was able to take a bit of line but not much so I loosened the drag to get the fish to run a bit and give me some room to fight it.

The fish charged back, two laps around a sunken log, under an overhanging limb, back out and then another charge by me before it finally rolled over and gave up. A nice native, I flipped the hook out and sent it back on it's way.

Made a few more casts but I was satisfied and ready to leave. Figured that was as good of a way as any to end the season....but then realized I have this Friday off!

So yeah it may not "quite" be time to rack the rods, but it's getting close. One more trip....

regards,
aw

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"I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully." — George W. Bush, September 2000, explaining his energy policies at an event in Michigan.