I made it out for my first hunt for the luminous Steelhead. Reports seemed promising, and 2015 had been a very successful year of fishing for me. Hoping for even better in 2016...
Location: Hwy side on the Sky. 8:00am at the river. I have always gone down the river from the trail. This time I went up the river, away from people and for the adventure and exercise. Surprise: the rocks were not slippery at all, perhaps the earlier, raging flood waters sand blasted them clean...? In summer, as soon as I put a wet boot on the dry, moss covered rocks, they were slippery as ice. Great exercise. I went about a mile to what must be big Eddie, or at least it was a large curve in the river.
Conditions were snow mixed with rain- I was soaked on top, but layered, hands quite cold. My waders were great though, feet a little cold in the icy water. No fish sightings, no bites, several lost jigs to river rocks. Tried floating jigs in pink, orange, red, black, purple combinations, tipped with shrimp, then corky and yarn for a bit. Quit when my hands could not tie knots any more. Not the day I had hoped for, but great to tune my skills on the river and to explore a new stretch. I am looking for a new waterproof top and fingerless gloves.
Happy fishing!