Steelhead in Solitude

Early this winter I fortunately found a weekend to visit my grandmother who just so happens to live within minutes of some good steelhead water.  Funny how the coincidences just happen to pile up sometimes.  :)

This particular stretch of water is a very popular early spring fishing destination when the water temps begin to warm after the frigid winter.  But for now the temps haven't gotten cold enough yet to push the fish back down river into the warmer deep pools.

In the spring a typical day starts well before sunrise as you and whatever posse might be down there with you get to the most likely honey hole and lock it down with sheer force of fishing combat tactics.  The idea is to physically occupy all the good fishing spots in the hole and hopefully prevent any other anglers from encroaching.    

This is an early winter weekend, however, and there is not another angler in sight as I drive up and down the river.  After a light rain last week the flows are ideal for wade fishing and the water has cleared.  I have my choice of the best holes and furthermore the best spots in each hole.  If any fish have come up I will have a decent chance to catch them.   

I realize the irony of the fact that I desire solitude yet I am one of the masses that actually help to evaporate that solitude.  But I am fisherman and solitude, like like old Walter, is just one of those things to pine for.  

All told I end up hooking 3 large B-run steelhead landing only one.  While the temps where cold the fish fought hard and were large.  But without a doubt the best part was not seeing another angler while I was fishing.

An early winter steel head caught without another angler in sight