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Thread: The most frustrating feeling.

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
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    Carmichael, CA
    Posts
    57

    Default The most frustrating feeling.

    So there I was, sitting in a drift boat on the American, swinging flies for salmon, or maybe a steelhead, I won't be choosy. At this point I've been to two different accesses and on the water for about four and a half hours getting a shoulder workout in.

    All of a sudden I feel a bump, bump, yank and line starts getting ripped of the reel as I lift the rod tip and do my best to set the hook. I'm now smiling ear to ear and in my head I am jumping up and down and screaming with excitement! I begin reeling in as the fish moves toward me, then let the drag do its job as the fish fights. For about 45 seconds (but what felt more like five minutes) I reel the fish toward the boat. Then I get that first glimpse of bright silvery color under the surface, I'm anticipating a breach of the surface and hopefully some beautiful aerobatics, sadly there are none. I'm now watching this flash of silver twist and turn under the water and I'm trying to get a guess on size (maybe 24-30" but I can't tell) all I know is that on the end of my 8wt this fish feels nice and heavy. I'm keeping my rod tip up and waiting for the next run after it finishes its aquatic acrobatics.

    Suddenly my rod goes straight, there's no more weight, no more fight, and I've been shook off!!! My heart sinks and I yell out more than a few expletives in frustration!!

    That was my only hook up in about five hours of fishing! I couldn't even make out if it was a really healthy chrome salmon or a really big steelhead!

    Maybe I'll take my seven year old daughter out tonight and try it all again.
    Giving up on catching fish, much better at catching the trees behind me.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Carmichael, CA
    Posts
    57

    Default

    I wanted to cry after I realized I lost it.

    Last night my wife told me I should go fishing in the morning and that she would take my daughter to school. I was in the garage getting gear together before she even finished the sentence!

    This is my first year trying to target salmon on a fly and I was just dying to see if that was a salmon.
    I saw a few fish rolling today while I was out, looked like steelhead but I usually caught them out of the corner of my eye. I was surprised too because I saw most action after 10am.

    That tease creates a strong addiction!
    Giving up on catching fish, much better at catching the trees behind me.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Sebastian, FL, USA, Earth
    Posts
    23,837

    Default

    There are 'new to fly fishing people' who would kill for that experience......that feel.....that fight.


    I remember the fish I have fought and lost more than ones I have landed.

    ___________________________________



    30 years ago my brother Dick and I were on the Pit River at the top of a big flat run.

    There was a big dump that ran out into the long lakey run.

    I cast my two fly rig with dark shaggy Geller Isonychia nymphs.

    My line just went tight, then some big Pit River stain giant wild Rainbow trout took like a large Steelhead.

    The big pool was over 100 yards long and the fish ran way down it.

    I have to climb up on top of a giant rock the size of a garbage truck.

    To keep going down stream after this mythical monster I had to jump at least 8 feet to the rocks below.

    This hurt my knee but did not stop me.

    I started to gain line but this old dude must have wrapped me around a rock under water.

    Soon the line came loose and I reeled it in with only half of my leader.

    We will never forget that beast......

    ____________________________________
    This info is from my old memory so it is good but not perfect:

    CA DF&G biologist Bob Rostrom hooked, landed and measure a 28 inch Pit River Rainbow back in the 1970s.


    Here is info from Gordon Langenbeck's big database he collected over many years:

    Yes: Talked to Bob about this on more than one occasion. Here are my notes from 16 September 1973. It was 29"s and he took 3 other fish over 18"s. Was at Deep Creek. Neil Hansen took 32 fish to 17"s below this area. The big fish was released.

    ___________________________________________



    If you hook, land and measure a wild trout in California that is truly 20 inches long that is a big deal.
    Bill Kiene (Boca Grande)

    567 Barber Street
    Sebastian, Florida 32958

    Fly Fishing Travel Consultant
    Certified FFF Casting Instructor

    Email: billkiene63@gmail.com
    Cell: 530/753-5267
    Web: www.billkiene.com

    Contact me for any reason........
    ______________________________________

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Carmichael, CA
    Posts
    57

    Default

    Thanks for the story Bill! Nothing like getting to hear that the struggles of fly fishers haven't changed throughout the generations!
    Giving up on catching fish, much better at catching the trees behind me.

  5. #5

    Default

    I moved away from the Olympic Peninsula nearly 4-years ago.. You just made me homesick!

    The bump, bump, yanks are difficult hook sets. Swing the rod parallel to water and towards shoreline (if you're not doing it already). That should help land of those slacker/lazy fish...
    You shoulda been here yesterday!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Garden Valley
    Posts
    1,076

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Bill Kiene semi-retired View Post
    There are 'new to fly fishing people' who would kill for that experience......that feel.....that fight.


    I remember the fish I have fought and lost more than ones I have landed.
    So true! That initial jolt of energy connecting to a fish is powerful, and highly addictive. The ones that get away only grow in significance over the years; memories to be shared and cherished for years and years later. I was recently fishing in Alaska with my Dad, and we both had some very wild hookups that simply could not be tamed. Seeing a big strong fish cartwheel away with my best fly just added to my respect and reverence for them. Honestly, if we landed more of the really big fish that we hooked I think a lot of the excitement would be lost. Sometimes the fish win, I’m cool with that...
    JB
    "Lord help me to be the person my dog thinks I am"
    - unknown

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Posts
    1,067

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by lcpl.allan View Post
    So there I was, sitting in a drift boat on the American, swinging flies for salmon, or maybe a steelhead, I won't be choosy. At this point I've been to two different accesses and on the water for about four and a half hours getting a shoulder workout in.

    All of a sudden I feel a bump, bump, yank and line starts getting ripped of the reel as I lift the rod tip and do my best to set the hook. I'm now smiling ear to ear and in my head I am jumping up and down and screaming with excitement! I begin reeling in as the fish moves toward me, then let the drag do its job as the fish fights. For about 45 seconds (but what felt more like five minutes) I reel the fish toward the boat. Then I get that first glimpse of bright silvery color under the surface, I'm anticipating a breach of the surface and hopefully some beautiful aerobatics, sadly there are none. I'm now watching this flash of silver twist and turn under the water and I'm trying to get a guess on size (maybe 24-30" but I can't tell) all I know is that on the end of my 8wt this fish feels nice and heavy. I'm keeping my rod tip up and waiting for the next run after it finishes its aquatic acrobatics.

    Suddenly my rod goes straight, there's no more weight, no more fight, and I've been shook off!!! My heart sinks and I yell out more than a few expletives in frustration!!

    That was my only hook up in about five hours of fishing! I couldn't even make out if it was a really healthy chrome salmon or a really big steelhead!

    Maybe I'll take my seven year old daughter out tonight and try it all again.
    That was actually a happy ending for me... I thought you were going to say you landed a pike minnow (aka, Squawfish). It's the ones we lose we remember the most and keep going back for

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Sebastian, FL, USA, Earth
    Posts
    23,837

    Default

    We are all so lucky to have memories of fly fishing wonderful places and the old friends we fished there with.

    The first time I watched the River Runs Through It movie I thought of fishing the Pit River many years ago with my brother Dick, Vince Dutcher, Galen Geller, Paul Keel, Phil Romig, Neil Hansen, Skip Orr, Alan Barnard, Paul Johnson, Ron Hayashi, Don Rotsma, Bob Gianoni, Mel Jeffs and George Innes.

    The many Fall evening around the campfire at Deep Creek camp ground are some of my best memories.
    Bill Kiene (Boca Grande)

    567 Barber Street
    Sebastian, Florida 32958

    Fly Fishing Travel Consultant
    Certified FFF Casting Instructor

    Email: billkiene63@gmail.com
    Cell: 530/753-5267
    Web: www.billkiene.com

    Contact me for any reason........
    ______________________________________

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