| The Biggest Fish in the Lake |
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It was late in the 2004 Fall Steelhead Season, and the fish had been running really, really big. Several local bait shops had weighed many fish in the 11 to 15 # class as well as a few over 15 #. My job as a Steelhead Fly Fishing Guide had been fully occupied with fishermen a bit miffed by the relative paucity of fish compared to the runs in recent memory. A precious few, however, had been blessed with exceptionally large fish. One fisherman had been blessed with not only many, but also large fish despite the low fish numbers and despite his relative ineptitude in his first fly fishing venture…understandably, perhaps, a Roman Catholic priest---a Jesuit no less! Although I have lost my youthful enthusiasm for many of my endeavors during recent years, steelhead fishing remains a significant exception. Because of my intense love of the sport, and even though I had guided eight straight full days, the day in late November began like any other. Although part of me wanted to stay in the sack, I arouse well before first light, dressed, and walked out my camper door to try the big hole behind Folly’s End’s Fly Shop. After a few dead drifts proved fruitless, I changed patterns. Further down stream I watched as a few fish promptly ignored at least a dozen presentations of another half dozen new patterns. While I continued working my way down, a fish porposed in the next large hole in view. As I cautiously reached the hole, a brown picket pin was carefully drifted into the headwaters. The calmer waters of the hole suddenly erupted with the head and shoulders of a giant fish. Feeling the violent pull at my rod tip, I reacted, pointing the rod toward the fish as I had done so many times before. He gray-hounded away, but suddenly circled, heading upstream much faster then I could regain slack. As he passed, an early ray of sunshine over my shoulder illuminated his dime-sized left eye seemingly reflecting bewilderment at the current happenings. His line-screaming run continued as a passing fisherman took one look and yelled, “That’s the biggest fish I’ve ever seen in Elk Creek!” Already down to my backing, I hastened after the trophy "steely" to see him surface in the next hole upstream…so far away, I mused. At the head of that hole a second fisherman echoed, “That’s the biggest fish I’ve ever seen!” Unfortunately, that proved to be the last sighting of the biggest fish of this day, since he got free moments after that last jump. Whether or not he was the “Biggest Fish in the Lake,” remains to be seen, since the giant fish had gone his way leaving only the thrill of it all…until the next time. |
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