Friday, September 2, 2011

August -- 2 trips to Klamath chasing Steelhead



I got up to the Klamath River twice during August with the first trip being documented in this blog. I made it up two weeks later (and two weeks ago) and put 4 hours in at Blake's Riffle. I got on the water at 4:15 and fished hard to 8:15. The trip was eventful for a number of reasons.

One, I took a hiking staff with me into the water. It worked great but I thought I could collapse it and put it inside my waders. As I fished I felt the next best thing close to having a stick "up my rear". It didn't allow me to bend or twist. I then got a good idea to slip it through my wader straps and sit along my back. That worked out great. However, the short time I had the pole in my waders created a LEAK in then, right about hip high ---- aarrgghhh.

Two, I fished everything I had -- fast and slow water versions of the Silver Herniator -- Assassin's, Copper Assassin's, Brindle Bugs, small black Wooly Buggers. Nothing worked. Then, at 6:45, the sun was off the water. At 6:50 my Assassin got smashed by a half pounder and I got it to the net. The next five casts were struck by a fish with no hookups ...... then nothing. A spin fishermen caught a large half pounder, about two pounds, but he wasn't happy because it wasn't an adult (both of my half pounders this year didn't weight 1/4 of the fish he released lol). I stayed on the water for another hour and then left.

I am planning on heading up this Saturday, and hopefully some fish are hanging out around Blake's Riffle. I plan on using a full floating line with a sink tip on it during the day -- to get the fly to the bottom throughout the drift since they haven't been taking regular swings during the daylight hours. Regardless, it will still be fun.

I have posted a picture of the Klamath River that I downloaded from the net. It is of an unclaimed mining area but it looks a little like Blake's Riffle. One has to walk out in shallow water for 75 or so feet to cast out to the deeper water. The golden colored rocks are beautiful but pretty slippery and I find that without a wading staff I almost fall two or three times on the way out to "fishing water". I will get a picture up of Blake's Riffle soon -- my camera is in my car lol.

Take care all,
Shane