first halfpounders(?) on the swing

[Mike Churchill]

Hit the UC Davis Research property on the Yuba Saturday on a CFFU outing. The weather was surprisingly pleasant, a great lunch was eaten in good company, and we even caught a few fish. All in all, a damn good day.

The highlights for me were catching my first ever fish swinging. One to start the day, one to end it.

In the morning, I waded across a small side channel to an island to start the day. I had a beadhead crystal bugger left on from my last trip to Lake Amador. After working out some line, I swung it down and across the fast water into a slightly slower current. I stripped partway in and paused to get my loops of line all the way into my stripping basket with the fly still about 20 feet downstream. While I was looking down, from the corner of my eye I saw a splash in the direction of my fly, which was just under the surface.

I thought, was that really a fish missing my fly?

So I stripped it twice and wham, fish on. It came up and took the bugger right at the surface.

The fish was about 15 or 16 inches and very thick and healthy. A faint pink stripe and lighter colored than others I have taken from the Yuba.

I thought for a moment that I should just quit immediately because the day couldn't get any better. (Did I mention I landed the fish while talking to two other fishermen who pulled out their cameras?)

The rest of my day was fishless until last light. I spent 45 minutes or an hour hurling fly after fly at a nice fish that was rising every few minutes in the middle of the river to nothing I could see. Finally I tied on an unweighted size 4 black bugger and started swinging it on the surface. As the light faded, the fish rose farther downstream than he had been, and my buddy asked if it was in my range. I stripped out more line, tossed it down and across, and then started laughing my ass off when the fish slammed the fly as the line straightened, then exploded into the air three times.

This one was a little bigger: 16 or 17 inches, and very thick. Same looks as the other.

Made the walk back upstream in the semi darkness very enjoyable.

Mike

[BigOkieWhiteBoy916]

Congratz Mike You're ruined!

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

That is what we call fishing for the grab.....

All the valley rivers will have some small Steelhead in them in the fall and spring.

I usually fish early or late in the day with a floating line and wet fly but overcast or shade will help too.

After you have had a couple of smashing grabs you get really addicted to this type of classic Steelheading.

Congratulations and thanks for the post.

[Mike Churchill]

Thanks, Bill.

I get many hours of enjoyment vicariously fishing through others' posts. I've also learned a hell of a lot from reading the board and from attending two board trips to the Delta.

It's nice to be able to add one myself.

I've been hooked on the grab for a long time. I really haven't indicator nymphed at all because I prefer to see the fish hit a dry (or popper) or feel it hit a streamer or stripped nymph.

I'm taking Ed, Scott V., and Paul Egan out Friday to chase some stripes. I'm hoping Paul can show me where and how to get some on top.

Mike

[pvsprme]

And that's what it's all about! My steelheading is limited to skating or swinging nowadays, there's just nothing like it. Indicators are for girls and newb's, IMHO.
Good on you, Mike.
Next time you see one behaving like the latter fish, try skating a dry over him. It's like the grab squared.