I’ve been looking for new water. I am targeting quality over quantity. If possible, I want to ping only wild fish.
To that end, as I journeyed to the Salmon River, I stopped quite a bit, visiting en route about 12 spots. If one looked fishy, I fished it. If it didn’t, I moved on.
Many rivers I tagged long ago on Google Maps. I may have read about them in a book or heard about them from a friend. Then, I would look at Google Maps to find structure, bends and likely parking spots.
One unstocked stretch looked particularly promising. A friend told me about it. (Per my personal policy, if someone shares with me a fly or a spot, I won’t share it with others. Their secrets are not my secrets, and so, I won’t name the river.)
I fished it for a few hours, and it was very cold and windy. Then, I saw this.
It taped at 22″ and is a wild fish. In fact, it is the biggest wild fish I’ve ever landed and is just shy of my personal best, a 23″ old broodstock trout.
Honestly, my hands shook as I took the pictures. It was a stunning hen. I was exhilarated and relieved.
My Thomas and Thomas Contact 1133 #3, with its much-stronger fighting butt, had no problem quickly taming the beast.
Thankfully, my knots and 5x fluorocarbon worked as planned. Thankfully, when the fish darted towards structure, I held it back.
And, thankfully, immediate and downward side pressure, the George Daniels fish-fighting technique, let me pull the fish above me right away, so that I had the upper hand. Then, I put the bend to the rod’s butt end, with more side pressure, to quickly tire the fish. It worked!
What a morning! Here are two videos of the nice brownie.
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Beauty. Congratulations. Nice job with a 3 weight.
Thank you! That fly rod is beast.
Congrats on that big fish Jo! Nothing better than almost breaking your pb on new water.
Thank you!
Awesome fish! What fly did you use?
A streamer.
I know I already said it, but geeze that is a pretty fish!
Thank you!