1st Time Steelheading

I finally made it out to one of the local rivers on Saturday to try my hand at Steelheading. It was something that I wanted to try for a very long time but just haven't got around to.

I have been to several rivers in the area and have watched closely and stolen things with my eyes, along with asking questions of some of the river anglers. Like with all things, especially fishing, some guys have been very helpful but the majority of them have been very rude, evasive and quit cold when it came to answering questions.

That all changed this past weekend when I was fortunate enough to get out with Mike, who was going to show me the basics of Steelheading. We agreed to head out and he showed me how to float fish along with adding some of the priceless knowledge and information he has gained throughout his river experiences.

It was a blast. When we got there conditions were not ideal as the cold weather from the night before caused some ice to form around the edges of the river and there was also quite a severe ice/slush flow coming downstream. Conditions were not ideal but I was used to it and it reminded me of ice-out Pike fishing. Something you just deal with and try to avoid as you are casting.

I of course looked like a total NOOB showing up with my 7' spinning rod where everyone else had a centerpin, but I was not going to let that deter me. The weather started out cold with a light wind but it got much warmer as the day progressed and it was quit beautiful to be at peace with mother nature and take in some of her beauty. It was however frustrating to see all kinds of fish being caught around me, yet I had nothing to show for. Mike had a clear plan all day and that was to get me a fish or two. His hard work and efforts paid off eventually.

We tried various pools along the river and to make a long story short, I caught 3 fish in total. The first was quite small, maybe 8 or 9 inches. The next two were bigger, a few pounds each. I also got to try a centrepin and caught a fish on it. Was very impressed with the free drag system they offer.

All in all, a great day with a great guy. More fisherman should give back. Again can't thank Mike enough for his tutelage.

While I may have got a grasp of the basics of float fishing, I have many more years of learning and studying to go as I try to master the rivers and conditions they present and as I continue to take up Steelheading.