3/12 American River

[Kurt P]

My buddy and I started the day nymphing and since I’d pre-rigged my 5 weight yesterday with a Skwala nymph (we’d been planning on hitting the Yuba today, but redirected due to reports of muddy water there), I figured I’d just loosen up with a few drifts before changing flies. On my 3rd drift a hot steelie hammered the Skwala (go figure), screamed down river, turned and went aerial as it passed me ripping up stream. It looked to be about 20 inches, too much for my 4X fluorocarbon tippet. Within 10 seconds he cut hard and snapped off the fly. Heart pounding, I changed tippet, tied on the same Skwala pattern and…nothing. Spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon changing nymphs, coming back to that same Skwala time and again, but no more hits.

We headed down river to a nice run for swinging flies. I changed reels to my intermediate sink tip and made a few passes down the run with various flies. On the third pass I got a nice pull, and drifted the same spot twice more, but nothing. I took a half step down stream, cast across and the fish took the fly hard, right in the heart of the swing. She put up a great fight, fooling me into thinking she was a wild fish, but when I finally got her to hand, no adipose fin. At a few ticks under 22 inches, she's my best fish, to date.

The river was pretty crowded in spots for a weekday, but everyone was very courteous. Beautiful weather, spending time with a good friend, lots of wildlife (even saw a mature bald eagle cruise by) and two nice fish on, getting one to hand. All within 30 minutes from home. Hard to beat a day like that.

Get out there and enjoy this wonderful river!

[bonneville54]

Bravo!

Thanks for the inspiration...

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Congratulations Kurt.......

March/April/May can be really great with spring-run Halfpounder Steelhead.

We have had enough reports now that everyone should get out there.

You can fish anything from a #4/5/6 weight trout outfit up to a Switich or small Spey rod.

Take any fly rod out there with a floating line, 9' 2x leader and any size 10/12 nymph you have in your box. Woolly Buggers are good too.

With the sun going down at around 7:30pm many could get out there after work now.

This could be going on in dozens of low elevation Valley rivers.

[mr. 3 wt.]

Nice pounder Kurt! Don't let hatchery fish fool ya. A lot of them fight every bit as hard as a wild fish at times. Especialy as bright as this one. Up on the T, hatchery fish fight no different than wild fish. They are all fighting for they're lives.

[Mik]

Wild or not...always a great fight! Nice report.

[Ryan Miller]

Kurt,

That is a great looking fish, I am glad to see you got into a few brights ones!

Thank you for your waving me in on those runs, I appreciate it, I will always do my best to return the favor.

We had a good day, hooked a few, lost a few, landed a few... I would say there are a few "bright ones" around. Still some decent winter fish around as well.

Thanks again,
Ryan

[Hairstacker]

Congratulations Kurt! Really enjoyed your report -- always fun reading about "screaming" fish. :D