20 degrees Wind is blowing from the north 3-5 mph, with gust upwards around 10+ Sun is bright and coming over the ridge behind me and the river is dropping the color looks good, I'm dress for the cold weather.
With three layers, polypropylene base, Smartwool socks, heavy weight polar fleece pants and top, Patagonia DAS pants, and of course my Nano Puff pullover. Latex gloves to shield the wind, taped on the first two knuckles left hand so I can strip in line under my finger-less wool gloves, I wearing a polar fleece half Buff on my head and neck with a hat.
When I get to the water and have my rod rigged up, then I'll put on my waders, boots and my wading jacket to cut the wind.
I suggest don't put all is on until you get to the water and have your rod rigged up unless you want to sweat to death before you get there. I've done it in the past.
At first I felt like the Michelin Tire Man, but it soon all went away while I was standing in the water.
I walked up above the top of the run, waded out just below waste deep, striped out enough line to cover the top with a sixty foot cast to swing. The water only 35 degrees. Started my descent down river every third or forth cast I took two steps. At this pace it should take me close to three hours to work the run complete.
On my sixth or seventh step and second or third cast I get a tickle about halfway thru the swing just behind a boulder in the water. Not much but a tickle. I let it swing to the end with some hang time. Cast just above the boulder and just before strip in about six inches, just as my line goes over I let the loop go. BAM set the hook FISH ON!
He turns and headed towards me I strip in about 30 feet of line to keep it snug and rod bent, then the turn down river. Before I knew it the line I stripped in was gone and I was into my reel the drag set just about right I lay my rod to the right to the left to get it to turn and out of the water with a three foot back flip and splash my line goes limp. Just for a split second I lift the rod and he is still there and heading cross water jumping and peeling line, half ways across he starts to slow down. I'm able to pick up line on the reel slowly closer and closer to me there not much left in him I slowly work my way to closer to shore and after maybe twenty or thirty minutes he is less than forty feet from me. As I slowly pull him thru some faster water he gets that last burst of energy and does an short flip and head shake then comes right to me. A big beautiful strong wild Buck about 30 inches long still chrome and the color hue on cheeks gill plates are describable. As I grab him by the tail he gets that little bit of slack the hook falls out of the side his mouth.
I spent the next few minutes making sure he was strong and ready to continue his journey looking for that mate in the spring, and the long trek back to the sea.
I walked down river and found a place to set for awhile and reflect on what just happened have a drink and chew down a Cliff bar before I go back at it. CHASING THE NEXT TUG
After being out until shortly after noon the only thing I could say that was cold and not really that bad were my toes. My face was a bit numb at times. The wind stayed at my back it was hard to cast at times with the wind gust. I had on another fish, but didn't land it (got the rush) from the tug.
If you were to ask me if it was worth it?
Absolutely Awesome Time and heading back out tomorrow!!!
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| todays SH fly |
hook: Gama T10-6H sz 1 with the end cut off
body :Dyed UV polar chenille (uv purple) 5 wraps
then Dyed UV polar chenille ( uv fl.Fuchsia) 5 wraps
Collar 3 waps of Fuchsia UVGuinea
trailing hook: Gama octopus circle # 4 held on with 20 Dacron
Outstanding Greg!!
ReplyDeleteA fight like that makes braving the cold all worth it.