One hit the North Coast, one the South — and the fins and fur flew.
Andy Schneider, our ace Northwest Oregon salmon-steelhead angler/writer, got into both brands of chrome while fishing the day after Christmas while Wil Askew, our Salem-based hunting writer, was on the scent of a very unique bobcat hunt on Christmas Eve.
Here’s Andy’s story:
Tom VanderPlaat and John Bond joined me today on a Oregon North Coast river trying to find some Winter Steelhead….and that we did!
The Steelhead bite started out great this morning, with a fish thrashing at the end of a plug rod well before we were prepared for any such ‘inconvenience’ as a fish. The bite was pretty consistent till about 11am then it just died?
While many boats passed us Side Drifting today, I just couldn’t get motivated to move around that much while bundled up for that brisk East Wind. So we took the ‘easy route’ and back trolling plugs today and….it worked!
The only other problem with catching Chinook in late December is that it’s awfully tough on Steelhead gear…we put those ‘Classic Glass’ Fenwick’s to work today!
CHINOOK AS BRIGHT AS THE CHROME ON SANTA'S SLEIGH. (ANDY SCHNEIDER)
There is something very satisfying about a multi-species trip, throw in some good company with good friends in the boat and it turns into a fantastic day. Probably my last fishing trip of 2009 and I couldn’t be happier!
Happy New Year to All!!!
As for Wil, he posted some incredible shots of the most gung-ho beagle of all-time, a bobcat hound that literally had to be cut out of the hollow log it chased the cat into. Check ’em out over on ifish.
