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.
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