06-14-2010, 09:00 AM
Went camping/fishing down at the Cowlitz River this weekend in hopes of cathing my first Steelhead. After waking everybody up trying to get ready...(including wife and 2 year old) And can you believe she asked who in the @%$! gets up at 0400 to go fishing! I had the correct answer but she was not going to get it....Anyway launched the boat in a once again swift gin clear river which seems to be the norm around here. Went up river to backdrift over some deep holes 1st hole nothing....2nd hole nothing...3rd hole whamo rod bent over and the fight was on. fought her for a bit then she took me through a tree top and over a gravel bar THEN she broke off emoBang . We did a couple more drifts , had lunch, more drifts then tick tick on the rod tip....I set the hook and almost had the rod jerked out of my hands...she hit the current and the fight was on once again...after about 3 mins she was done and netted.....whooooohooo my 1st steelehead. We guessed the weight at 7-8 lbs and since she was a hatchery fish we got eat her for dinner. Pic will be here shortly trying to get it from phone since I left the camera at the campsite...with the wife and 2 year old. As a bonus got to see another Bald Eagle do a fly by....