Green River Chrome

• Date: Saturday January 19, 2008
• Where: Green River
• Flows: 650 CFS
• Temps: 30 to 40 degrees with rain

I decided to head out and fish the Green today. I got to the river around 2:30 and was fishing shortly after. This was my first time fishing the Green this year and the water was in perfect condition. Armed with the Loop Multi 6wt I headed up river traversing through logs, boulders and blackberry thickets. I came upon a run that looked ‘fishy’ and began swinging through it. I had forgotten how tricky it was to wade this section of river and had to look each time I made the steelhead two step. Without any luck swinging I switched over to an indicator set up. I worked the same run and after a few casts I was rewarded with a submerged indicator. As I set the hook I felt the head shakes however it didn’t seem like there was much weight at the end of the line. That’s when the fish went ballistic and shot across the river taking me into my backing. Next, it shot back at me and I reeled like a mad man to keep tension on the line and keep the fish on the reel. My rod was buckled over and this was when I was wishing I had brought my 8wt… Next the fish got pissed off and decided to shoot up river with me in hot pursuit banging my shins on boulders trying to keep my rod above the fish. Oh yes, now I remember this feeling, this is the reason why I spend days on the river in freezing conditions without so much as a strike… Now it all came together and I was getting closer to the prize. I started to feel nauseous as I continued to fight the fish I don’t know if it was the hangover or the flashback of that big wild Sauk steelhead I lost last time… Now it was time to bring in the fish but there were boulders so I was trying to position myself so I would be able to land it. Just when things were coming together my line went limp and the fish was gone… I brought my fly into see what happened and my leader broke. I’m chalking it down to the steelhead kicking my ass. Can’t wait for the nightmares tonight, but I’ll be back!