Played hooky this morning- it was just too nice out to drive to work. I was on the water at 6:00, and paddled about 1.5 miles upriver to where the kids and I have done well. I snuck as quietly as I could up to a stump below a cool tributary where some bigger fish hang out. I launched a big tube up against the stump, and right away a fish thumped it. I set the hook- and---- nothing.
Drat!
I tried again, a fish took again. I set the hook and this time managed to sink it in an 11" fish. This was the biggest fish I've caught so far this year on the river. Not bad, but I'd seen a good 15 inch fish there the day before while biking, so I was a bit disappointed. More casts led to nothing. Oh well, you win some you lose some.
I decided to keep going upriver just to explore. I'd never been past this spot on the water. I blasted through 3 or 4 pretty nice holes, but only saw 12 inch fish and big suckers. It's very clear, and though the river is 50-80 feet wide, it's only about 15 feet wide in the deep spots- which are no more than 5' deep. I can see pretty much everything.
I keep going through skinnier and skinnier water, in some places slipping through boulders in seams that barely fit the boat. It's really not looking promising, but I keep going. Then I see a big log in the water in a rocky area at a bend. Hmmm... Looks fairly deep- at least 3 feet or so. So I throw a nose-hooked smoke with purple flake 3" stick-o to the head of the hole. Almost immediately, there is a take. I set the hook, and it feels decent. I bring the line tight, then grab the paddle to stay out of the bottom part of the log that the stream is pushing me into. The fish comes to the surface and boils, and WHOA!!! that is a BIG fish. I don't really believe my eyes, and right away I realize that there is no way I'm going to land this. I'm being pushed into a big snag, and as the fish is upcurrent of me I'm pulling it right into the snag- where it will easily wrap me up and pull off the 6 lb braid and tiny size 6 hook.
I crazily alternate between reeling and paddling with my left hand to keep the boat out of the wood. The fish for reasons I do not understand is fighting more or less straight upcurrent from me, so it's fighting both the current and my ultra-ultra light 6' Lamiglas. Twice it goes all the way under the snag on downstream runs, and I have to fend off the wood with one foot while holding the rod underwater to keep the line clear. Both times the fish runs back upriver and clears itself. The fish never jumps, but it boils several times giving me good looks at it and keeping my adrenalin pumping. After what feels like 5 minutes of "this fish is going to break off any second" I am in total disbelief when I see that I've worn the fish down, and that I'm gaining control of it. I very quickly get it on the surface and keep it there, drop my hand down and lip it. I really can not believe what I'm holding. I put it to the ruler on the side of the boat- it's a solid 17" fish- in great shape and with awesome color. I've never seen a fish anything like this in this river.
I have the camera handy, and quickly take a few shots. I'm relieved when she swims off strongly, right under a big rock in the deepest part of the hole.
I've caught bigger fish, but none that I felt like I'd earned quite as much as I did this one. What a great way to start the weekend!!