Oh man...you lucked out today! My daughter went to a friend's house and was going to stay until 8. Later in the afternoon, my two boys were talking about my fishing and I asked them if they wanted to see what it was about? "Sure." So, we head to the river. Now, they are 7 and 9 and I figured actually getting a steelhead was not in the cards as I attempted to show them the ropes as best they could handle.
We get to the river and I selected a spot with easy access. We walk over some rocks and it's slow going. Then, I pick a nice set of riffles and we get to work. I hand the rod to the 9 year old and I figure I'll point out where we're going to cast and I'll handle the trigger finger on the spinning reel, while he flips the rod (with a little guidance from me...my hands along his). Lure hits the water, I take up slack and he and I hold rod/reel together, letting the spoon drift along...I tell him what the rock bumps are and we work to lift the spoon a little. Rinse, repeat until we cover the section. Then we move a bit to cover the next section and switch over to the 7 year old...same thing. We work the entire riffle, alternating, then wander OFF to find a new section when it's covered.
And they are troopers. We spend about 4 hours up and down the river. They only asked once, "When are we going to catch one?" I laughed...told them that unfortunately, these fish are tough to catch and remember all those days I don't catch one...it's like this a lot. They really enjoyed the 'stealth' part of some sections where we're ducking behind bushes when cover is needed due to proximity of where the fish are probably holding. They even tucked leaves from trees and bushes into the holes of their hats...LOL. Good stuff.
So, it's tough to get a good drift going while trying to help them...even though I'm holding the rod along with them...but no worries, I expected this. What I didn't expect, happens about 6:30 p.m. The spoon is drifting...probably a little too low as we're hanging a bit in some rocks along the way, but then I feel what I first think is a rock...but it actually gives a bit, a split second after the bump, almost like when snagging up on a branch...but, there ain't no branch in the water here, as I fished this exact section this morning...same place I got a hit, in fact. In that split second of give, I pull! Of course rips the rod out of my son's hands, but there is a good reason...fish on! Steelhead jumps and I yell to my youngest to come quick!
The plan was to have both of them fight the fish, trading OFF so they both get to see/feel what these things do on the line! As the fish is running away, peeling the drag, I tell my startled 9 year old that I'm sorry for yanking so hard but it was because of the fish and I go to hand him the rod...just then slack....nothing!
Oh no! I reel in and I was disgusted with myself...broke at the knot. I can't even remember my last knot failure...total bummer. My oldest boy says, "That's OK...at least we found one. Oh, and we have one in the freezer too." LOL Yes, I guess we do.
So, rippin'...all that to say, you lucked out twice today...slightly different circumstances and my two hookups today might have meant you gained no ground
lol! I am coming for you!
A bit of thrashing, then the fish heads down to the rapids. We're about 20 seconds into this fight when it flings itself out of the water while running through the rapids and spits the hook. <sigh> Bound to happen eventually as I'm 4 for 4 over the last 4 weeks, eh? And for good measure, the fish leaps one more time after it came unbuttoned just to say, "See ya!" LOL
