10/1/15

The Last beach, although convenient, was to busy for my liking. Time for a new location. Not feeling very optimistic. I access the new to me beach, sighting one other fishermen! That limited optimism immediately reduced below what was barely noticeable to begin with.

No idea where to begin fishing. It is high tide, limited back cast distance available. I survey the expanse of beach to my right and to my left, same back cast distance as far as I can see, and literally started where I entered the beach.

During my first cast, I recall the many birds flying, and swimming. Add to that the constant bobbing of Sea Loin heads not that far off my beach location. A gear guy could cast that far.

First cast, line loop tangle, takes a minute to unravel the mess inside my stripping basket. That accomplished, I began stripping in fly line to make a "real, worthwhile cast"! What the heck is all that swirling on the surface 20ft in front of me? Bam, big tug and immediately, all my fly line leaves my reel, and clears the rod tip! I did not give up all this line willingly, plenty of pressure as 85ft plus some backing played out.

Reeling some of the fly line back onto the reel, the fly line was pulled clear of the rod tip again! This is weird to experience, since the fly line is so much thicker than the backing, and a different color!

Reeling line in, 1/3 of the fly line is back on the reel. The pull feels.........sluggish...........almost like there is no longer a fish, more like dead weight of a some sort. I walk into the water hoping to find whatever is causing the sluggish line feel. While reeling in line, and stepping into ever deeper water, I notice under water is a stump of a rotten pier that my line has done a right turn around. Placing my rod tip into the water and clearing the line from the pier stump. My line tightens and slowly raises off the waters surface. A trail of weeds drapes on the fly line at 10 or so separate spots. I am thinking "wow, this looks like a clothes line of weeds".

I begin feeling the slow tail beats of the fish! The weight of the fish is noticeable as well. I continue reeling, the fish is noticeably tired. Reeling continues, manually feeding fly line back and forth onto the fly reel, like one must due. As I am slightly distracted by the largest Coho to date. At this point a strain if felt in my wrist, from the weight of the fish, and prolonged fight.

The fish is visible, in the calm water near shore. Dragging the fish uphill onto shore, places a deep strain in the 8wt rod. The fish lays on the sand, exhausted, not moving. The single fly angler happens by, and remarks this is the largest fish he has seen taken from this beach this year. I remark, describing the epic battle this fish had, and that this was my first ever visit, and first ever cast on this beach. I won't describe the facial expression, but let you interpret what that might look like. Stunned, with color loss will get your imagination started. This feller showed me his fly and I shared mine. He mentioned not having much luck to date, and that this was his home beach. That feller left the beach for the parking area and to get ready for work.

30 minutes later, another fish on, just as large as the first. But comes unpinned. Wow, my low optimism for this beach has increased exponentially since first arriving. Thinking this has been a stellar day, I cast on reminiscing of the fish action so far on the new to me beach. 15 minutes later I get a third good tug on the line, and a hook up. This fish is beached rather quickly. I am stunned, and in disbelief. Walking off the beach with 2 fish.

To be continued..........

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