Upper Russian 1-25-07 (non-yak)

I hit the river at 7:30 this morning in search of my first steelhead......ever! I fished for about an hour when I saw a nice sized steelhead jump out of the water about 20 feet down river from where I was fishing my wiggler. I threw a long case and started the slow reel and WAM! Fish On! It pulled kind of softly at first, then it was game on. A couple of times it felt like a nice size striper as it ripped line off my Shimano reel. I lightly tightened up the drag as the steelie continued to pull. After about 5 minutes, the native buck called it quits and succumbed to my efforts.

I held the reel in one hand as I snapped a couple of photo's of my first landed steelie before I pulled the hook and released him without injury. I looked at my Wiggler and saw the contorted hook and it dangled, lifeless and nearly bent straight. I took the long victory walk back to my truck and pulled out my pen to place the big "1" in the win column of my report card. That's when I discovered that during the struggle for victory, the foreign made safety pin that held my fishing license on my waders had detached it's self and headed for freedom down stream. I went back and searched for the license and errant safety pin, to no avail.

Ah, the bitter sweet victory..........

   

Beautiful fish.  I'm still waiting on my first.  In some ways I really like the feel of stalking a fish species for a few attempts before finally catching one.  It makes that firsts fish that much sweeter.

Sorry to hear about the missing license, bummer.

Brian

 

Yes!!  Colors are amazing on that thing.  Its stripe is redder than a squirrel's ass during berry season!!

Hope you kept your license carbon copy.  With the copy in hand, you can spring for a replacement for under $10.

beautiful fish Mahi, nice coloring and spotting. I lose my license every year and have learned to keep the carbon copy safe at home. Why no yak?

Hey Mahi Mahi,
congrats on popping your cherry!!! Warning: steelheading can be addicting... 
I lost my license first day out of the shoot this year    The plasic tube came off while I was walking the river. Gotta buy a new steelhead card, and bay and delta stamp and 8.75 for the license. I went to R.E.I. and sprang for a heavy duty license holder. Should be the end of that. Keep hittin the river. You'll never see a better opportunity on the flowing mud hole.

It ended up being $14.80 for me new license and steelhead report card. Another $1.40 for my new license holder, which came with a cord that goes around my neck. The next time my head will have to come off before my license escapes me.

CHEERS!

Alright DAN!!!!!  Congrats!

Good show Dan!That was a beautiful fish.This is truly a phenom year for Russian river steelheading.

Way to set out and CONQUER you quarry!  Nice pics to remember the occasion is a plus in my book.
Thnx for sharing your conquest Dan.
I got to get up there and give this a try before there is nothing left but"you shuda been here" stories as I kick myself in the #ss.

Very nice fish!  What color!!!

Quick Question..  Upper Russian meaning above Cloverdale - Hopland? 

Quick Question..  Upper Russian meaning above Cloverdale - Hopland? 

I'll narrow it down to within Mendocino County. Is that fair enough?

And Thanks all!

CHEERS!

Congrats on a beauty!

Nice Fish Dan 

'll narrow it down to within Mendocino County.

Spoken like a true Steelheader