Blog

October 24, 2011
Steelheading with our Better Half
Sam Wike

Cornfed and I decided if we are going to continue to spend our weekends chasing steelhead, driving all night, eating unhealthy, sleeping at the cheapest options, and sporting campfire cologne… we should probably see if the girls would like to participate. So we drove to Idaho last weekend with dog, girls, spey rods, and boat for the weekend. I had spent the night tying some patterns with some of the new materials we had in the shop, and had accumulated 3 flies to add to the box by morning (annoyingly unproductive at the vise that night). 
I initially assumed that spey casting in the cold would be somewhat frustrating, and a little difficult to get the girls charged up about… I was wrong. The girls took it up almost right away, and after a few short river side lessons we were fishing. I couldn’t believe how well they were casting for their first day, and asking all the right questions, stepping down through the runs with us, getting frustrated about getting low holed with us, and hooking fish with us.  Christie even swung her first steelhead, and although when we went to grab it we lost it on the bank, I believe it fueled the steelhead fever even more because walking out of the run she suggested that we forget about work and just become steelheaders. Pay would be less but I can’t say ideas weren’t running through my mind… like if teachers got off Sept, Oct, Nov instead of the summer months that would be tempting. 
Side note: I messed around that night with those new UV products from Spirit River. The intruder hair and the guinea both look really good swung, and although I only ended up with a couple of flies to try, 2 of the landed fish this weekend were on flies with those materials. I often wonder how much the fly matters when steelhead fishing but then again… there’s confidence in fishing what you know works. 



  



 

Tyler Palmerton - 2011-10-24 20:26:58
Sam- As a recovering addict from Steelhead and one who scraped together a living guiding for them in my home waters, I beg you to reconsider your job options. Chicks think it's cool until you hit your mid-thirties you have nothing to show but a car payment, your buddies couch, killer pics and unbelievable stories. I personally think you could get by with 3 flies all different sizes and colors. If you see anybody who has fished for steelhead long enough in the PNW they might have pretty fly boxes but usually only a handful make it into the starting rotation for the "World Series". Having faith in the fly and believing it will produce is good mindset, when I'm targeting chrome with buddies we always fish different colors, might be the same fly but different colors. It's a never ending Q&A with lots of input from all sides of the equation. A little tidbit, old Frank Moore on the North Umpqua has fished on the river for over 60 years and for summer steelhead he has two patterns....Yes Two....Speed and presentation to him are more important than anything else!!
Samuel Wike - 2011-10-24 23:21:47
Haha... thanks Stiffler... I think I will keep my job but sometimes it seems like the best thing to do is just fish. Good insight on flies! We are just going to have to get our steelhead fix by driving over the passes right now... and some of the drives we have been on have developed in to some pretty awesome/dangerous/interesting traditions.
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