My perfectly executed circle spey sends the line out, it swings round enticingly enough for the fish to take notice and take the fly. I am attached to a sea run rainbow trout, a steelhead.
I’ve never caught a steelhead but that’s how I would hope it would go and it is how I have dreamed how things might happen.
It is without a doubt one of the trips that is near the very top of my bucket list and you never know it might just happen one of these days but in the meantime I can dream just a little.
I was recently fishing with my pal Toby. It was just a few days into the season. The snowdrops were out and it was just about 0 degrees c in my car when I was driving to meet him.
We were fishing for salmon. We didn’t have high hopes but it was just good to be out on a different piece of river and we are both firm believers in the old “if your fly is in the water” adage.
So we start fishing. The water and air temperatures are cold. This is how I picture things must be like for steelheaders although I am sure they have to endure much more extreme conditions than these.
The rig we are fishing is more than a nod to steelhead fishing. An 11ft 3” switch rod, skagit line and super-fast sink tip.
The fly may be a little different to the Popsicles and Leeches that are favoured in the Pacific North West but the orange conehead I’ve tied on might just stand a chance on rivers like the Deschutes.
We fish the pools and cover the water. We both have small leaks in our waders that are big enough to let us know water is getting in but not big enough to stop us fishing.
Each cast is made with as much optimism as the last. We carefully vary the speed and depth our fly is fishing to make sure we leave no stone or rock in this case unfished.
The afternoon sees the temperature drop some more. I make another circle spey and at first can’t work out why the line hasn’t shot out to where I hoped it would go. It is only when I look at the rod rings I see they have frozen.
We fish on a little longer but decide we have given it a good go and call it a day.
It may be considered a little lightweight by die-hard steelhead fishermen but I see it as a small step in my preparation for the day I try the real thing.
Pete Tyjas, wannabe steelhead angler.