First (ever), second, and third steelhead

[charles]

Went out on the American this evening to a new spot. Talked in the parking lot to another flyfisherman named Brian, who tipped me on the good spot for steelies farther downstream (thanks for the tip Brian, you saved me from another skunk). Went down to the water walked out to a likely looking spot, not expecting to catch anything :roll: (like all the times before) and casted out my royal trude to start the first swing. The fly hit the water and didn't even sink before a steelie rose and took the fly (on my first cast :D ).
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x168/charlestnt/IMG_0019-1.jpg
Three casts later another one on and landed.
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x168/charlestnt/IMG_0022.jpg
About five casts later a third one on and landed.
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x168/charlestnt/IMG_0023.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x168/charlestnt/IMG_0025.jpg
Are you kidding me :lol: , I have been skunked in my last 15 or so outings on the American over the past year and a catch 3 adult steelhead in 15 minutes. Long story short no more fish the rest of the evening, lots of them rising but no more takes. Met two other nice guys before i left.

Earl, Rod; look forward to seeing you guys out there agian.

Thank you Peter for taking time away from your fishing to take pictures

[Darian]

Congrats Charles!!!.... Looks like you're hooked now (pun intended 8) ). You've confirmed the rule that says the more time you put in, the better chance you have of catching something.... :D :D :D Keep it up, now. 8) 8)

[David Lee]

YEAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH !!!!!!!!!

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

I couldn't be more happy for you !! Every dog , they say ...... !!!! That HAS to feel great !!

David =D>

[Hairstacker]

Congratulations Charles!! Really great to hear your persistence paid off, good for you! =D>

[craigfalk]

Congratulations. Those are some beautiful fish. I'm sure you'll be back as soon as possible. It's great to hear that other fisherman help each other out. I know I love to see other guys catch fish almost as much I enjoy catching them myself! Craig

[Bryan Morgan]

Congratulations Charles, very nice fish ! :D

[590Mike]

Outstanding effort on staying with it. That's part of the steelhead fishing quest/curse and just when you least expect it. Now if you feel one eye start to twitch when some one mentions steelhead fishing,don't worry it will pass. Well that's what they have been telling me for years.

Definitions of a steelhead:1) Reallly big trout with a really bad attitude. 2) Yu dirty rotten @#@$%. (family board and all). 3)" That fish is crazy" usually after it turns and heads right for you. 4) A sporting game fish which hold little or no regard for the flyfishers delicate ego.

[nrthcsteel]

Hey Charles. CONGRATULATIONS!!! Great looking group of fish. I see you have now experienced that strange steelhead phenomenon where you can go hours and days and days... with out so much as a pull and then its like within an hour or even a few casts you cant seem to keep em off the hook@! Strange how that works. Suppose it may have a little to do with stepping into a run full of bity fish but neverless seems to happen often, although NOT ENOUGH!!! Good to see your hard work,dedication persistence and time on the water finally paid off for you. Id say you were more than deserving. Id put down some good money that right now your probably knee deep in a steelhead run somewhere,hope its a bity one. speaking of which only a couple of days left Im off to the river! Congrats again. Kevin

[charles]

Thanks for all the congrats guys! You are right (David)every dog does have its day, and yesterday was this dog's day! I chaulk it all to dumb luck, blind faith, and being at the right place and the right time ( oh-yeah and reckless fish)!

Once again thanks for the congrats guys,
Charles

[mr. 3 wt.]

Nice job dude! Perhaps next season when things are ripe we'll get you into some chromers somewhere!

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Good job Charles,

March/April/May seems to always be good for a mixture of fish. Resident trout, fresh small halfpounders and a few smaller adult fish which we think are the original strain of American River Steelhead.

We usually get some caddis activity in the afternoons about now on most all valley rivers and streams if we are not having a lot of flooding, like this spring.

There are usually plenty of little 'Chromers' out there too.

We just need to get more people out there.

This would be the lower Yuba, Feather, American, Sacramento and others.

Just go out about 3:00pm and fish the riffles like you were after trout.

Seems like we are having some kind of trout/halfpounders in these rivers almost year round now? Mid-summer porbably isn't good though with all that heat.

[Nip Hadlock]

Great looking fish! :thumbsup:



Resident trout, fresh small halfpounders and a few smaller adult fish which we think are the original strain of American River Steelhead.



While mentioned from time to time we don't discuss resident trout much here...has the population always been there? Are these steelhead that never get out to the salt and spend their lives in the A?

I've always imagined the A as a mostly transitory fish water...never thought much about "Rezzies".

Noone seems to catch trout...only steelhead? :?

If the second pic had been labeled as a trout from another peice of water I would have bought it...

Having a rezzie population to target between runs or as a fun by-catch would be great news! Bill? Darian? Tristan? Somebody? :confused:

8) ....still great looking fishies Charles! 8)

[Scott V]

Nice job Charles, I knew you would get into them. Feels good, don't it. I plan on being out every night this week starting tomorrow.

[Kevin Goding]

What squawfish aren't considered rezzies? J/K. I'm sure there are a few rezzies in the lower American but probably not too many because of the summer temp regime, especially in low flow years. Anything around to above 25 degrees C would stress/kill the heck out of most salmonids in the area. That's why most of our native salmonids are adapted to not be in the lower rivers during the summer, because they would either be too warm or dried up. Seen too many smolt kills while taking samples in valley streams during the summer to have hope for any fish still in the system after June.

[Adam Grace]

Good Job Charles! Congratulations