The water temps are starting to rise and the fish battles are reflecting that. Quite a few chromers starting to show up...most of them have won. Not uncommon when fighting a fresh steelhead in tight quarters. They usually find a rock or submerged tree to break the tippet. Also plenty of winter and early spring fish mixed in. Here are some hero shots from a few of the battles won by the fisherman, and a few fish portraits. And one returning home.
With steelhead, I always catch and release. Its not that I don't enjoy eating them, especially the fresh ones, but I don't want to drag them around the river, keep them cold for the drive home that is sometimes over an hour, and then clean them when I get home. I'm too lazy for that. Plus it gives someone else a chance to catch them.
The steelhead run has been going gangbusters here too for the past month or so. Right now the water is too high and dangerous to fish.
Vito, awesome pics. Man you really know how to get on those fish. During highschool and college I lived very close to a large river that was easy to wade and fish. I had an absolute blast fishing that river. Those times will forever be etched upon my soul. I remember days that I would enter the river at 10am and not get home until 9pm.
Last spring I said I'd get to the tribs. in the fall, in the fall I said I'd get there in the winter or spring, now, I don't know when I'll get steelhead fishing again, but your pics. keep the fire stoked.
