Fishing is much more then a summertime activity. The truth be known, summer is not the best time to catch fish. The water is warm, which forces the fish deeper, in search of higher oxygen levels.

It was on one of those “other then summer days”, that this story took place. Winter had set in. It was a very cold day on the river. The crowds were gone. Just the diehards were out that day. I was breaking the ice out of the top eye of my fishing rod. I had been fishing from the shore for about an hour. Even with three layers of clothing, the cold crept in somehow. I had not even one bite that morning. You guessed it. I was Steelhead fishing.

Steelhead don’t run in large schools. They have been out in the ocean for a couple of years. Their goal is to make it back to the spawning grounds where they originated. Many of the others have been eaten by sea lions of other predators. Others were caught in the nets of the commercial fishermen. They were tossed back into the river, because the netters were not allowed to keep them, but the net had done its damage. Most didn’t survive. Only the stronger and luckier fish make it to spawn.

I had tried a number of previously productive holes, but still no bites. On the way back to my truck, I tried a spot I had walked past many times before. I had never seen anyone pull a fish from the area, but it was on the way back. I tossed my line in and allowed it to drift down the river. That section was narrow enough for me to fish the far side of the shore. I felt a bump, but I was sure it was just a small fish. One of those bait thieves, those young fish, which are about 3” long. Not exactly why I was standing in the cold. I checked the bait. Sure enough it was gone. I re-baited and cast out by the same area. There was that bump again. This time I tried to pull it away from those bait thieves. As I lifted my rod, I felt another bump, so I tried to set the hook. This was no bait thief. This was a 12 pound winter Steelhead!

My heart started to pound with excitement. I forget all about the cold. All I could think of was my rod pulsating and the fish on the other end. I could tell this fish was in great shape. He pealed some line off my reel as he ran down river. Winter Steelhead are different then their summer brothers. The summers launch out of the water like rockets. They may jump three or four time before you land them, or they get off. It’s common to loose about half of the Steelhead you hook. Winters tend to stay in the water more. They are looking for a log or rock on which to saw off your line.

I was fortunate that day, no logs and the water was only about 3-4 feet deep. It took me a few minuets to turn his head and bring him close to shore. Once he saw me he took another run, but up river this time. I was hoping I could stop him before he got to those large rocks.

I was successful in bring him to shore. What a beautiful fish. There was only one problem. He was a native fish. He still had the adipose fin. He wasn’t raised in a hatchery like most of the Steelhead these days. He needed to be released to spawn and carry on his lineage. He gave me an exciting fight, but I released him with sadness.

Others may have kept that fish. No one else was around. Who would know? I would. The fishing regulations help preserve the fish for the future. Without honoring the rules you are not a sportsman. You are a poacher! I haven’t been back to that section of the river for a while. Maybe I’ll see if I can find his offspring.

By Ken Bear Cole

Fishing with Bear LLC