Eel River update

[Rick J]

Hit the river for 2 days with Bruce. Ran into Jason and his buddy at the Wagonwheel in Garberville at breakfast and Jason had a fish on the day before.

The river was fishable but pretty high with marginal color below Benbow on the first day but clearing and dropping pretty quickly, as the second day visibility was much imrproved. I was the lucky one on this trip as I managed a fish each day.

The first fish was a 27" wild female
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/DSCN1796.jpg

The fish on the second day was a screamer - she hit on the dangle in very slow water - she was 30" and heavy - around 11 to 12#

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/DSCN1803.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/DSCN1805.jpg

Bruce and I were throwng 12' and 15' T14 tips and using intruder and tandem leech patterns - not the easiest of things to cast but Bruce makes it look easy - I am attaching two video clips of Bruce casting

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/th_DSCN1800.jpg (http://s15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/?action=view&current=DSCN1800.flv)

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/th_DSCN1801.jpg (http://s15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/?action=view&current=DSCN1801.flv)

In the winter, I prefer to make my cast then take my steps down to help things sink. Generally in the fall I take my steps then cast - you can see Bruce stepping down after the cast in both clips

All in all, a great trip!

[matt johnson]

Real NICE Rick J!

Those two chromers on the swing would make my winter. You make it look easy!

Enjoyed the videos a lot. Great documentation of how to set up/sink your "junk" in the winter. It took me way too long to figure out some of those maneuvers on my own. Matt.

[jlmelend]

Awesome post Rick and Bruce...especially the vids. Very informative for newbies like me.
Those chromers are beauties!

[Jasonh]

Good work Rick! My friend Will Johnson and I were unable to connect with any fish the last few days. I was fortunate to hook one thursday afternoon but lost it after a few headshakes. Oh well, thats winter steelheading! Love the pic of the second fish, a true wild eel river chromer! Keep up the good work.

[nrthcsteel]

Good job Rick. Beautiful fish! Well Jason dont feel to bad I fished hard all day saturday and sunday with no success, at least you got a few headshakes! River was in pretty good shape and as Rick said getting better quickly. Now have to find an excuse to get out of work for next week..... Kevin

[Hairstacker]

Wow, nice fish Rick, great job! 8) 8) 8)

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Thanks Rick and Bruce

You're my heros.

That should be good now if it doesn't rain a lot more soon.

[Rick J]

Nothing easy about it Matt. I was just very lucky and likely will go the next 10 trips without a grab - but if it was easy, I would not be doing it!!

My previous post of an article on how to catch steelhead is a good one to help your success by reducing the number of casts from that 1000 casts per fsih. I think the two main points are being on the water at the right time. It is not easy to get off when the fishing is right - Bruce is lucky in that he lives close and can get away often and his season so far shows it with a 34" fish on Christmas Day and a 33" fish on New Years!

The other key element is focus!!! It is hard to keep focused through 1000 casts but you have to fish each cast and believe that this cast is the one that will get the grab! Fish it all the way though until it stops moving on the dangle! And as Bill states: It helps to hold your mouth just right :)

A wild winter fish on a fly is truly a remarkable feat and I feel blessed any time I manage to hook up, even if it is just for a heart stopping head shake as Jason experienced on Thursday!

[David Lee]

The other key element is focus!!! It is hard to keep focused through 1000 casts but you have to fish each cast and believe that this cast is the one that will get the grab!

You can carve that one in stone , Rick !!

I've been telling people for years - I'm actually suprised when I finish the retreive and don't have a hit . Even on the 'bad' casts .....

Great job !!!

David =D>

[Adam Grace]

Awesome steelead Rick, good for you. Thanks for the pics and the video clips.

[Dustin Revel]

very very nice

[Rick J]

Well Bummer - this morning the gage predictions looked good for Saturday but just now they changed and looks like the river will blow - guess the predicted showers are now predicted rain!!! :(

http://ahps2.wrh.noaa.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=eka&gage=mrnc1&view=1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1

[OceanSunfish]

The other key element is focus!!! It is hard to keep focused through 1000 casts but you have to fish each cast and believe that this cast is the one that will get the grab!

I've done another kind of fishing that required that kind of focus. This is one of the things that I enjoy about fishing and drives me to keep on fishing. Without that "belief", I might as well go do something else.

Great pictures and video. Thanks for sharing.

[lee s.]

Thanks for the pics Rick. I used them to show the GF what real steelhead looked like as opposed to what we did on the Trinity this w/e.
One does need to get the Trinity experience over with though. :wink:
.....lee s.

[Rick J]

http://ahps2.wrh.noaa.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=eka&gage=mrnc1&view=1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1

I hope the reason some of you might not read this until tomorrow is that you are fishing today!

My first comment on how to improve your chances to hook a steelhead above - being on the river at the right time - is biting me right now! Wish I did not have a job :cry:

[nrthcsteel]

Hey Rick. Heres a shot from yesterday.Taken so quickly cant believe it actually kinda came out OK. Yeah Id say a flexible work schedule will DEFINATLY cut down on the 1000 casts........ Now for another 1000......

http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc120/keving71/eelsteel.jpg

[Jasonh]

Thats a beauty! Great work. I knew i should have gone up and fished the last couple of days before it blew again. Oh well!

[Rick J]

Kevin - VERY COOL - truly a gorgeous fish

Rick

[wjorg]

http://ahps2.wrh.noaa.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=eka&gage=mrnc1&view=1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1

I hope the reason some of you might not read this until tomorrow is that you are fishing today!

My first comment on how to improve your chances to hook a steelhead above - being on the river at the right time - is biting me right now! Wish I did not have a job :cry:



Its hard to have a job after starting a Steelhead addiction.....

[Rick J]

Anyone up for fishing thsi weekend :lol: I figure 40 feet of T14 might work

http://www.cnrfc.noaa.gov/graphicalRVF.php?id=MRNC1

[nrthcsteel]

Yeah Ill see you there Rick! Ive done a little modifying to your tandem tubes. there now the quadruple tubes. 4 1"sections of 1/2" copper pipe filled with lead. I figure with the 40 feet of t-14 and maybe three 650 skagits looped on side by side we could probably toss some SWEET LOOPS! Those steelhead wont know what hit em (LITERALLY!). Kevin