River's been real good to me lately...
Only had 2 hours to make it happen today.
Went to the bar and ordered steelhead.
Damn Bartender gave me a salmon... a big, red one with a nose like ALF.
Amazing to me that these fish bite a silver plated piece of steel but bite it they do.
I was thinking about my 3 seasons of fishing spoons.
Of all my hookups, Only ONE ever stuck outside a steelhead's mouth and only ONE ever foul-hooked a salmon (under the chin). Hundreds of other hookups have all been in the mouth.
Of all the methods one could possibly use including swinging flies... I would say that spoons (when fished properly and with a single, barbless hook) are the safest bet for not hurting fish.
Why does a salmon or trout bite a spoon?
Perhaps they strike out of instinct or territoriality. Maybe, they see a silver or gold flash and it appears as scales of a bait fish which if left unchecked would pose a threat to their offspring.
Whatever the case, if you don't have a few in your bag of tricks, you're missin' out.
One of the many things I'm discovering about fall-run steelies is that they will move a lot further from their hold to take a spoon than a winter fish.
This logically is due to:
A) They are still in feeding mode, gaining nourishment that will sustain their milt/eggs as they approach the spawning season in February.
B) The water is warmer so the fish's metabolism is higher and it has more burnable energy to travel greater distances to get a meal.
C) The river is extremely low and clear so a spoon dipped in 24 KT gold or Sterling Silver will flash under water and be seen from a much greater distance than in more typical, higher/murkier flows.
D) There is no distraction of mating behavior nor redd-building because that doesn't happen until winter.
Whatever the reason...
I found another bar and the bartender understood my needs.
I said, LOOK MAN!"
She said, What Chu' want?"
"One aint enough man ya' better make it three..."
I had the salmon stink off my spoon, and had moved out of the water holding salmon and in to the water holding the species of choice.
I went 3/3.
The first two fish were only about 2# but I had to pay attention to land them.
I think they'll make a cute couple...
My final hookup was 'Fish of the Day'
An absolute screamin' bullet that swam straight at me, then rushed 30 yards out, jumped twice, rocketed back at me again and then started swimming in tight circles as she jerked her head sideways trying to throw the hook.
It wasn't gunna' happen tho, no F'in way. She was hooked from the inside out and from the top side down and that's the best way for a spoon hook to hang and hold (for the fisherman not the fish).
I estimated 4/5#. I thought about roe for a second and then dismissed the thought and gave her back to the river.
Today was a live and let live day....
Mark
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