Steelhead Big River

The backround for this story is that three of us drifted about a five mile section of Big River (2 fishers, one siteseer/photographer), and my faithfull "fish terrier," Yosh sitting on the front hatch of my scupper pro.  My friend Tabi has caught a few steelies on the Mattole, but never by kayak, and I have never caught one with hook and line.  Essentially, we don't know what we're doing.  Doug, the "photographer," is paddling an old slalom boat with no spray skirt .  Tabi and I are on sit on tops.

We were trying to back troll wiggleworts into holes and pools by letting out line in front of us and back paddling to make the lures dive when we got them over the right spot. The trick, as it was explained to me, is to get to shore once you hook up and play the fish from there.  I got two nice strikes within about twenty minutes, but they didn't take.  I was thinking we were really going to score, but things slowed down after that.

After an hour or so, Doug swamps his boat in a small strainer, nothing dangerous, but as he's ringing out his clothes I decide to walk upstream and try this nice looking hole.  I'm standing about waist deep in the tail out of the pool, letting the ww drift down into the riffle below, not at all paying attention.  Suddenly my rod is practically yanked out of my hands.  I've been told that catching a SH is like hooking into a freight train.  Boy, I felt like I hooked into the downtown express; this fish was moving.  I'm yelling to my buddies, who were about 75 yards downstream, that I hooked into a dandy when the line just goes limp.  I was so disappointed, lost another one. So I'm reeling in my line wondering whether I still have my 5 buck wiggle wort when I realize that the line is not downstream from me, but up.  The fish had swam right up the rapid, past me, and into the pool above me, and he was still on!  He made 3 big runs in the pool going for logs and other things to wrap the line around.  Somehow I was able (or lucky enough) to finally land him.  Steelhead are amazing.

I was pretty far from my boat and on the wrong side of the river, so I had to release him without weight or measure.  He felt like a solid ten lbs.  Check out my blurry pictures (my photographer swamps his boat and has a shaky hand).

Anyway, we had a great day on this beautiful river. It would have been nice to catch more fish, but at least I got a taste.

Nice fish don't you love the way they hit wee warts.

nice fish! looks pretty sizeable to me.

Nice report and pics! Can't beat the scenery of river fishing. NICE FISH! Congrats!

Awesome Dave.  I was hoping youd score...this is going to be a banner steelhead year.  The hatchery by our house is so full they are relocating fish...crazy!

Nice fish don't you love the way they hit wee warts.

Nice fish you got too!  I was clowning around wearing that old hardhat I found (laying on the bank).  The fish hit so hard it knocked the hat off my head.

NIIICE FISH!!!!
Where do you launch from and where do you take out?
The ocean has been so miserable I cant dive so I need to get some kind of decent sized fish action in.

I was clowning around wearing that old hardhat

Pescadore don't you know that fishing for steelhead is serious no clowning around allowed.
We steelheaders have an image to protect.

Cool report and beautiful fish.

Pat

Nice fish, thanks for the reminder of how beautiful NORCAL is... 

Where do you launch from and where do you take out?
The ocean has been so miserable I cant dive so I need to get some kind of decent sized fish action in.

Tote, sorry for delay on the reply.  i was up in Seattle for a week. I went to a bar (cowgirls) where all the barmaids and ladies in the bar dance on the tables and the bar itself......no kidding.

The place we fished is unfortunately not open to the public.  it's owned by a timber company, which I work for,  so I've got keys.   I'm thinking about doing another run the weekend after next and wouldn't mind company if you're interested.  The paddle is nice (about 5-6 hours), but the logistics suck.  You have to park one rig downstream, then drive 30 minutes upstream to the launch site.  Its all logging roads so its kind of a truck deal unless you have a rig with high ground clearance.

If you want to fish Big River without worrying about private property, you can float down from the upstream end of the new Big River State Park to the mouth at Big River Beach.  Drive up the Little Lake Road from the town of Mendo to a group camp called the Woodlands where you can launch.  This is an AWESOME paddle, but eat your Wheaties because it's at least 10 river miles.  If you went this weekend, from the reports I'm getting right now, you will catch fish.  Check your regs to see what section is open.  Also, don't do it if the water isn't green.

Here's another report I just got:  The PBers are getting salmon just north of Mackerricker state park.  Launch at MacKerricker beach (5-6 foot or less swell) and paddle slightly north to 50 - 150 ft of water.  Follow the PBers.  Don't do this in over 6-7 ft unless you like punishment.  no salmon stamp needed.

Tote, sorry for delay on the reply.  i was up in Seattle for a week. I went to a bar (cowgirls) where all the barmaids and ladies in the bar dance on the tables and the bar itself......no kidding.

Cowgirls is like 6-7 blocks from where I live in Seattle.  Yup ... NICE PLACE!   

http://cowgirlsinc.com/home.html

-Allen

Cowgirls is like 6-7 blocks from where I live in Seattle.  Yup ... NICE PLACE!   

http://cowgirlsinc.com/home.html

-Allen

Allen, yep, that's it.  My wife would be real interested in that picture.  I kind of glossed over that part of the trip for some reason.