We all like stories and pictures so here you go. This is from the 30th of last month on the North Fork Nahalem, low and clear conditions with a moderate overcast sky. First off, driving out to the coast range with a head cold SUCKS! It took a lot of effort to constantly clear my sinuses and ears. So annoying but I'll live. I leave the house at 5:30 this morning to do the 1hr 20min drive out to the Hatchery at NFN and without any real excitement arrive and start walking down to the river at 6:45.
By the time I get there, there's one guy on the dock and some others unloading their pontoon. The guy at the dock asks me for a pen....huh!?! You already caught one!?! Yup, he's got a nice 8lb hen sitting on the rocks. Using glow in the dark corkie charged with his camera flash. (That's annoying after 3-4 flashes). Congratulations to him, he says corkies have been the thing so I tie up the drift rig.
I get bored with that quickly and switch to the bobber rod. He tells that jigs aren't working here but I fish it anyway with no luck....funny thing is then he switches out to float and jig and minutes later Bobber down! Sheesh man, that's crazy, we've been here maybe 45 minutes. Once he was done with his limit, I continued to work the float (even used a jig he gave me) but I'm just not feeling it. (Sorry Chad
) So, I switch out to ol' trusty. Based on the light levels and water I decide that a #4 Silver/Silver R&B with black tape and tube would be the ticket. A couple of casts in and I hook up but the fish is off quickly. Alright, it will work. About 5 casts later, I get a solid tug (snag)....wait, why is the snag taking line and going up river!?! HOLY is this fish taking line. I suddenly think to myself "maybe I shouldn't be using this 7' Procaster" as this fish is just a true brute and there isn't anything I can do about it. The line gets lighter and I realise the fish has turned downstream I reel to keep pressure on the hook and the fish shoots across the river flashing all the way. I have already tightened the drag once, and now I'm tumbing the spool too, the fish flashes again, and now we all know why it's kicking my butt....I've caught the tail. Down river it goes and I'm just still holding into this fish with all my strength and finally the spinner lets go. I try to catch my breath but I can't. So that's what's so awesome about these fish!!! I inspect the lure and the line. All good. BTW, 30# braid and 15# UG rock!
So I get back to it and start working the area again, load load load BAM! There's a fish! This one is a bit easier to control so I believe I've hooked it in the mouth. I get a nice site of the spinner hanging out of the front of it's mouth as it goes into a flash spin twirl jump jump summersalt roll. I tell Carl (one of the others on the Handicap dock) to go ahead and net it quickly because I don't want go home without any meat. After a few little runs (drags still tight) I'm able to turn the fish downstream into the net! SCORE!!! I've offically landed my very first Steelhead! I'm fricken stoked. I do the business of cutting the gills and tagging the fish and get right back to it....10 minutes later and a couple of 5 second hookups and I've got my second fish and it's just as crazy as the other two. This is what I'm talking about! None of this casting for hours at empty water. The only thing that sucks is I've now caught and tagged two fish and it's only 9am. I'm done for the day and everyone is asking me about spinners, I gave the one I was using to Carl and hand out about 5 more and then get to the business of packing the fish and getting home nerves still jittery and big smile on my face.
I left the camera at home but here's two pictures, any guesses on the weight? LoL I think they're both 20lbrs! HAHAHAHA! (reference to some crappy ifish bashing)
The both dropped their eggs on me but man did they fillet nicely!
Backyard shot:
The Sink shot:
say no more! 
