With not much happening in the Tri-Cities area, a couple of Yakamanians and I headed down to the mid Columbia to fish the mouth of one of the tribs for steelhead and maybe a Chinook if we were lucky. After Mr. Smallbladder squirmed in the passenger seat for a couple hours of driving, we arrived at our destination.

We opted to start of trolling and were quickly rewarded with a nice native steelhead. After re-deploying lines, we picked up another one within about ten minutes. I thought we were in for a busy day. However, the bite slowed after the second fish. We kept at it with bites coming sporadically in flurries with boats around us. A couple hours in, we get a really good bend in one of the rods.

First Fall Chinook of the year in my boat!



The wind picked up, but we kept with the troll making a few passes with nothing to show. With the slow action, we decided to try and drum up a food bite with one of the guys cooking some breakfast burritos. We made it through a full skillet with no signs of life. One pass later we get to bonk the first steelhead of the season on my boat:


Not a monster by any means, but it's smoke up fine.

As three o'clock approached, we considered the prospect of a long drive home. It was time to make the troll back to the launch. For the entire day, the boat had consisted of one person catching fish and two spectators. On the final approach, I felt a thud transmitted to the hull. I looked over and saw that same rod folded over. I put the kicker in neutral, and we two spectators started clearing lines. At that point, one of the other reels started screaming. Woo hoo, first double of the year.

After 140 feet of line peeled off the second rod, we watched a big steelhead tail walking in front of the nearest boat. I grabbed the nets and got ready to for whichever fish would give up first. The first fish stayed closed to the boat with short runs and sat on the bottom. The steelhead went on another 5 runs complete with cartwheels and tailwalking, but she was the first to give in. I wish we we would have gotten pictures, but it was a quick unhook in the water and time to tend to the second fish.

She dogged us for several minutes until we finally giving in, and I netted the second fall Chinook of the season.





I still haven't caught a king since May. It's not all bad being a spectator though. It gets me excited for this upcoming fall.

That...is a pretty awesome day.

Fish on...

Todd

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHlguhVH-f0

All was good until I clicked on the wham song.Good luck,

SZ


PS, nice day of fishing.

+ 100 Berzillions.

A tail walking steelhead! I've caught a lot of fish but when you hook a summer run that fights like that is there really a more exciting fish? Bonefish, Tarpon, Permit and so on. Awesome fish but....a tail walking summer run....that will always be on the top of my list. Looks like you guys had a good day. I'm envious.

Never in my life have I had a steel head slam down my rod with such WILD athority! I knew a personal best would happen sooner than later in your boat, I just didn't think it'd be a steelhead in the middle of August. Fish left me shaking! HUGE summer run native hen, no pics she was pissed, we did the right thing, such a feeling!



Say what you want about the music, but it worked that day, so, it's only weird if it doesn't work right? Lol had an absolute riot that day! Can't wait to di it again!

I forgot to mention George Michael was our secret attractant. Secret is out now.

That double really made my season. Yak-Fresh was literally shaking when I I tried to hand him pliers so I decided to unhook her. The other guy in the boat catches a lot of fish each year, but that one left him shaking a little too.


Proud moment for the guy on the tiller.