Beginner's Luck!

<2/19> I joined Steelhead fishing trip to W_River near La Grande OR. It was my first try for Steelhead. Yokoyam3, Maestro and Hide already came there on 2/18. I left my home at 6:30AM, and arrived Motel about 9 o'clock. It took about 3.5hours(There was time difference also).
When I arrived there, there were wild turkeys in front of Motel. They seemed to be familiar with people, didn't look like wild.

We moved to the river about 10 o'clock, but it was so cold and there were much pieces of ice on the water. Although I tried to cast, the nymph fly didn't go under water but on the ice. So, we had to wait until ice were melted.

After a while I tried again, but it was same result. So I decided to go down the river.

I found good hole, and did the first cast. Then my indicator looked like stopped and faded, so I hooked it. After that I felt strong tug, and the big one jumped a little. It must be Steelhead!! I was so excited!

Though hooking seemed to be succeeded, I'd never felt easy. It's tug was so strong and took a very long time to pull it close to me. Usually I used a landing net, but it was of no use for Steelhead. Finally Yokoyam3 helped me to push the fish on the ice, and I really got it! It was my fist Steelhead, and looked so beautiful. I was deeply moved and became absent-minded for a while. One of my dreams became true! There was nothing to say!!

27.5inchs(70cm)!!

<2/20>In the morning, there is also ice on the water, and It was difficult to do fly fishing. So we moved more down the river. At that hole Maestro and caught good ones, but I caught only one white fish. So Hide and I decided to return upper the river again as a last chance.

I caught good one at that hole. It was not so big(18inchs/45cm) but so beautiful and did good fight. It might not be Steelhead, but it was not important for me. I was happy to see it, which looked really beautiful for me.

I think I never forget this trip. I would like to try this river again in a short time.