Thursday, March 18, 2010

Why Are Steelhead So much Fun

I have recently wondered why I do not post more on this site. I guess i figured that no one read these, however after seeing someone else's i can see that people do read. I live in TN and all i think about all year is when i get to go back to PA and hit Steelhead Alley for 4 days of hardcore all day fishing. I also realize that i have to start tying all the flies that i can right now because i will have about a million breakoffs. About 45% will be fish the rest are rocks and other fisherman that see you catching fish and get to close to you. The funny thing is that when i was growing up i lived right in the middle of Steelhead Alley and did fish or think about it as much as i do now. I have a 8lb 25" Brown that i caught with my grandpa mounted on my wall. What i did not realize at the time was that it was going to be the last one that i caught with him. To this day when i walk in my office and look at it i remember that day. (I have it in my office at work because that's the only place that my wife will let me) In the last two years i have been very successful at landing many Steelies with my fly rod. I try a different rod each year. Last year i caught a 27" 8lb on my Orvis T3 9' 5wt, I had 45 minutes of painstaking fun. Also last year i caught 3 or 4 on a 9'6" 6wt that also took awhile. Last thanksgiving i caught the one in the picture 28" 9.5lbs with my new toy a 11' 7wt that i now plan to take every year. So with all that to say why are steelhead fun? I would say because at any moment you can get that one strike that will take you to your backing in a matter seconds. That one strike can also last only seconds because of the way that these fish fight. You also have to take into account that once a year these fish run out of lake Erie and are one hard to fool and with all the fishing pressure they have at times irregular feeding patterns. The weather plays a part in the fun as well. You have to rain in order for the fish to make their run, however to much rain makes for bad fishing. If you have ever been to PA around Thanksgiving you know that Snow and multi layers of clothing go together. All these factors add to one the greatest things a man can do, take on a Steelhead and pray that it comes out in your favor. I have more pictures of fish that my brother and i caught now that someone is reading this i will post them.