Assuming I don't get out again, I've caught my last fish of 2009 this morning. It was a nice Steelhead from an Indiana creek. As usual, Al and I were walking into the woods just as the sun was peeking over the horizon.
Fishing was slow but I managed to land the only fish I hooked, not counting the dozen or more smolts I caught and released. The fish broke the line as I was reaching for him, but I was quick enough to get a hand under him and lift him out of the water before he got away from me. I set him down quickly in the snow and then found out the hard way that the memory card for the camera was still in the PC at home. My spare card was in my car, but we didn't have my car. That left me with only my cell phone to take the a couple photos before releasing the fish.
Al hooked 5 or 6 and landed 2. It was a tough day for both of us but still nice to be out despite the cold. The air temp was in the single digits when we left, and made it up to the low 20s according to what we heard on the radio on the way home. The wind chill stayed in the single digits all day. We had to put up with ice in the rod guides all day too. I kept chemical hand warmers in my gloves and that kept my hands warm enough to get through the day.So with this probably being my last trip of the year, Happy New Year !
Impressive fish, Bill! Small stream steelheading is something that I would really enjoy. Most of the Steelhead out in Idaho are from much larger river systems.
ReplyDeleteHappy hook ups in 2010.
That's way too cold for me.
ReplyDeleteTight lines