SH day 2

      I headed up to the canyon so that I was there at daybreak the wind was blowing and there was a pack of dogs that gathered as I pulled in to park. Three were hound dogs, and the other 3 were just scruffy lookin. The biggest one of all the meanest lookin showed me nothing but teeth as I started to get out of the truck. I opened up the door and he lunged at me snapping and growling. I pulled my legs back in closed the door waited a few moments and started out again same thing. Too early for a dog fight.

     Then headed down to the Arrowhead it was just getting light out and I didn’t need my headlamp. I suited up pieced the Winston together put on the Nautilus. Tied on a DDP booby fly and headed out the water is low and clear. I head up river and half way across in knee deep water I strip out my usual 15 to 18 strips and get ready to fling my fly. Just at the edge of the ripple as I’m stripping in I get a rock, haven’t really done a cast yet, and bang my line goes tight. The head shake and my line is ripped through my fingers to the reel. Turn out to be a wild buck about 8lbs.

   Thirty minutes later half way thru the swing just about the same place the tickle and tug.  Lift the rod set the hook and out of the water comes one mad acrobatic crazy peel some line heading cross river up and out of the water again my running line is just about gone. She slows and I’m able to gain line back, just about to the Scandi head she takes another short run, shaking her head. The long rod is bent and she is holding tight in about 2 foot of water. A few moments later I’m able to move in beside her grab my leader place my rod between my legs and grab her by the tail. The hook is buried deep in the center of her lower jaw. I need my hemos to remove it we struggle I go down to one knee in the water as the river is flowing past me I can feel my side getting wet. The hook out finely and I hold her by the tail she is beautiful bright and maybe 7lbs.

    Even tho I’m a bit wet down to my wading belt and slowly down my leg. I work my way back towards shore swingin the booby and get a take at the edge of another ripple. I lift the rod set the hook and the game begins again only this time it doesn’t last very long, first good pull and then nothing, my line come sailing back the rod straightens back out, loose line.

Should have checked the leader. 

   Tie on another fly fling it out, on the fifth or sixth cast another take only this time it’s heavy and doesn’t want to move at all. I know its not a rock, rocks don’t shake, it’s could be a stick, but I don’t think so  then It moves out of its hole and into the stronger current I can see its back and dorsal fin Chinook Damit anyway. I battle it for close to 30 minutes finally able to drag it up onto shore. Pull my hook get a bloody finger and push it back into the water I turn around to look at my fly and get a splashing as the big Chinook hen swims away.

     I have to cut this short I need to head up river to meet up with Gary and Scott. Today is Scotts day to Hook and Land his first Steelhead Can’t wait to get that picture for him.