First blood!

[rippin fish lips]

So after loosing 6 summer steelhead in the month of May, Yesterday i tagged my first summer of 2012/2013. It feels so good!

Before i went out the door, i grabbed my pen and shoved it in my pocket, I was feeling good, it was the perfect morining on the water and we were the first boat on the water. About 3 hours into the float i throw on a spinner in a tail out first cast and fish on!!

This fish wouldnt move out of its holding spot, she instead thrashed around until she couldnt take it anymore. She started coming my way, got her to the boat, only for her to make a blistering run (never heard my drag peel so fast. This fish was gone, out of sight in less then a second. Look at my pole, follow the line to see it tangled into some sticks with her still thrashing tryin to spit the lure.

Got her out of the brush, we had to fight her about 50 yards down river through some rapids and into the calm. No net steelhead, no bank to dock either. Buddy bill grabbs the tail, then the belly and tossed her in the boat over he head! It felt so good, my arm has never gotten so tired so fast from fighting a fish.

She was a hot fish for sure. Guide saw me holding the fish up after we landed it, he rowed over to us to show ppl from minnisota what one looks like. He gave me a lot of credit and i hope to see him out there agin, he was a cool nice dude.

Behind me is perfect water to fish for these fella's.

26 inches and prolly 5-6 pounds. She was heavy!

 

[eugene1]

Good work homes, About time!

The first one of the year is the best

 

[colt]

Sounds like a good fun time fishing!

Congrats and keep catching more!

 

[jabs67]

Sweet steel!! Great job!!!

 

[troutdude]

Nicely done bro; tagged n' bagged. A booteefull Feesh fo' sho'!

 

[DYJ]

The waters warm and the levels dropped... we lost one last night and seen another landed on the bank. Hopefully we don't see much rain tomorrow and this bite keeps up. Nice job rippin'

 

[hawgcaller]

Nice!! Great job! My and a buddy went 2 for 4 last night. I was very surprised that 3 out of the 4 were super hot fish. Quite fun!

 

[bran_man]

Nice fish Tanner! Way to tag one even with no net or banking. Tailing from a boat can be pretty tricky and always sketchy! Ha ha good job!

 

[TTFishon]

Nice job Tanner!!! That's a nice one for sure!

 

[waco]

Man you got your self a beauty!! About time to start ripping some fish lips again! :lol:

 

[cowboysfan]

congrats on the first, real nice looking fish!

 

[dtikey]

good job Tanner and cudos to bill for the tail job.Glad to see you fineally got one to the banks or Bills hands I should say.

 

[ChezJfrey]

Sweet!

I know how frustrating it is to lose a few hookups in a row, so I'm glad you could close the deal on this one!

Though this thread has me a bit down...I came down with a cold the other day and I'm still trying to shake it so I was not able to get out today. Guess I'll live vicariously through you other folks that are out there for the time being, so thanks for posting

 

[bran_man]

Sweet!

I know how frustrating it is to lose a few hookups in a row, so I'm glad you could close the deal on this one!

Oh I def know the feeling too! I started last summer season with losing 8 summers in a row! All lost on bobber and jig! I was so mad I swore them off until this year again ha ha. Then I landed my first 2 summers on bobber/ jig so I guess I'm ok with them again ha ha. Just gotta keep your head up I guess....

 

[Toyracer38]

Gratz Rippin! That's one of the ones you will remember for a very long time! Well done!

 

[rippin fish lips]

Oh I def know the feeling too! I started last summer season with losing 8 summers in a row! All lost on bobber and jig! I was so mad I swore them off until this year again ha ha. .

Looks like we started last summer out the same way!! I lost 8 summers last year before landing my first. This year... i lose 6, then tagged one,,,, and went out again today...

And lost my 7th steelie!!! Was a brief hook up, felt a tic, set the hook, wait a second, and fish comes out of water once, and spits my lure right away. The 10 other people on the bank saw it... I played it smart and fished the far side of them, i had a feeling they spooked the fish to the far side so i waded to it and bam got a hook up... ill count it tho!!

I have landed 1 out of 8 summers hooked this year, i am feeling pretty confident on summers now, i just needa work on getting them to the bank, or getting better hook sets!! haha

BTW, 1 of my goals was to tag a summer before June this year. and i did it,1 goal down and plenty more to go!

 

[dtikey]

with all the fish your hooking and looseing on lures I was just curious if you carry a file with you tanner. If you are fishing your spoons and spinners right they are going to have contact with the rocks and you might keep a close eye on how sharp your hooks are.I am constently useing a file on my gear just to make sure I get that penatration.

 

[hawgcaller]

with all the fish your hooking and looseing on lures I was just curious if you carry a file with you tanner. If you are fishing your spoons and spinners right they are going to have contact with the rocks and you might keep a close eye on how sharp your hooks are.I am constently useing a file on my gear just to make sure I get that penatration.

I second that. This is my first year throwing hardware up in the rivers (other than tidewater). I have noticed my hooks are getting dull sometimes before I even touch a fish.

 

[rippin fish lips]

with all the fish your hooking and looseing on lures I was just curious if you carry a file with you tanner. If you are fishing your spoons and spinners right they are going to have contact with the rocks and you might keep a close eye on how sharp your hooks are.I am constently useing a file on my gear just to make sure I get that penatration.

I never thought about carrying a file while on the river. I will have to go buy one now and sharpen all my hooks!! Yeah my spoons and spinners are always makin contact with the rocks, you aint in the strike zone if you are touching the rocks here and there! Time to go spend some cash on one!

 

[ChezJfrey]

I never thought about carrying a file while on the river. I will have to go buy one now and sharpen all my hooks!! Yeah my spoons and spinners are always makin contact with the rocks, you aint in the strike zone if you are touching the rocks here and there! Time to go spend some cash on one!

Yes, get one! I carry one and notice that I often have to sharpen them up. Especially with the larger hooks (1, 1/0+), if they are dull, I'm betting it's more difficult to get good hook penetration unless they are super sharp.

I check the hook point and leader condition quite often; good insurance for when you get a hot fish on the line.