Went out in search of some Steelhead off of one of my favorite beaches, started fishing at 4pm...Headed out for the first time this year, and it only took 45 minutes of casting to hook and land one...Definitely not how it normally goes, usually it takes a lot of time on the water, but hey, I'll take it....

Casting the normal saltwater steelhead rig, a nice steely slammed my rig in about a foot of water right at 4:45pm on an outgoing tide as it was getting dark...The fish hit and took off for deeper water, taking off a good amount of line. Fish on!...Don't stand right at the waters edge while casting for these guys! I like to be a few steps up the beach to avoid spooking any fish. These guys often cruise within sight, sometimes in a foot or two of water and making a small wake when swimming down the beach.

Landed the fish just in time after a nice fight, with some acrobatic moves...A nearby sea lion found his way to the general area of where I was fighting my fish....I dragged the fish up outta the water onto the beach, then went down to tail it and pull it up higher on the beach....Just as I grabbed the fish and pulled it up the beach so I could bonk it, I heard the Sea lion snort and look at me, wishing he had got to my fish before I landed him...That sealion was no more then 40 feet off the shore, boy those things are annoying, glad he didn't get to my fish sooner!

Fish taped out at 29" by 16" inches, putting it somewhere between 9 and 10 lbs...Not a bad fish at all, hatchery too, so its gonna be on the BBQ tonight!

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