Steelhead Smackdown!!!!!
This past weekend was just a blast catching quality steelhead. Friday I met up with fellow Creek Candy Bead Company Pro Staffer Anthony Jewell and his buddy Henry. After missing two big browns in Mckinley Marina, we made a run down to the Root River. Despite the water still being dirty from the rain eariler in the week they both managed to stick two thick steelhead.
Saturday I ran a full day with Matt, his brother and his dad. I had already planned on having to deal with heavy foot traffic but I was not expecting 3-6 guys in just about every hole. I set them up on one of my favorite holes and after working for about an hour and landing a few stocker brown trout, Matt finally drew first blood with a chunky buck steelhead to start off the day. Shortly after that we worked a few more holes with no avail before I made the decision to hit another hole that has done well for me. As we were walking in, a previous client was walking out and told me he had missed two really nice steelhead in the hole. After missing a few fish, I took Matt's rod to show him the drift I wanted him to work but a little brown trout had other ideas. I handed it off to Matt's brother and we put the second fish in the net. We worked the hole for a few more minutes before I decided to bring the guys to my favorite burger shop in Racine. After having lunch at Keweepes, I told them what my plan was to end out the day but while taking a drive past a park in the lower section of the river, I saw no one was at an area I've done very well on tough days. We spun around and made our way to the rivers edge. I told the three of them if the fish are here it shouldn't take long. I couldn't have been more spot on as Matt missed a few before his brother bowed up with a 9-10 chrome steelhead. After that fish their dad told me his feet were getting cold so I advised him to go sit on the shore and warm up and I'd keep fishing for him. It didn't take long before my float slammed down and another chrome bullet came jumping out of the water. I walked the rod back to their dad and he did a great job fighting another 9-10lb 31'' steelhead.
Sunday I spent the morning with two gentleman who wanted to learn how to fly fish for steelhead. After showing them how I rig my fly rods, the roll casting lesson started. It took a while but after a few hours they got the hang of my style of roll casting. Even though fishing was tough and they missed a few fish they both were happy to land two stocker browns.
Monday I met back up with Anthony and Henry further North and needless to say it was a steelhead smack down. Out of the first hole we started in, we went 5 for 8 in the first hour. After that we moved down river and I proceeded to roll another really nice steelhead and landed a small buck brown. Anthony's goal for the weekend was to tie into a quality brown and after telling him to slide down to where I was, I instructed him where to work his float and on the first cast his float laid over with a nice 7-8lb spawned out brown on the other end. While working down river we ran into another guide with two clients who had a pile of steelhead on the bank and out of respect I opted to head back to the vehicles and move up river. The next spot we went to it didn't take long for Henry to bow into a tank of a steelhead on his first drift that got the better of him and broke his line. My third drift yielded a beautiful colored up male steelhead. For the hour we worked this hole, Anthony landed one and missed one or two, Henry broke yet another whale of a steelhead off and I missed two others. After lunch I took the guys up river to explain how I fish where they had explored on Sunday. As the sun started to fade and the temps started dropping we called it a day.
With the cold snap moving in, it is looking like this will be the last week for the rivers before they ice up. I am on pins and needles waiting to see if I'll be able to run a trip Saturday and Sunday.
