The Grande & Fuego River

 

I woke up at a leisurely pace today. I knew 100’s of my closest’s friends would be out on the rivers. I knew that when I went to the Fuego River, I would not see a soul fishing, but I also knew that all the steelhead that comes into that river are strays! 

Made myself breakfast and a thermos full of java and hit the road at 0630. It was steelhead grey out this morning. The winds where light and that’s odd for this time of year. 

Then I showed up in the parking lot and holy sheep dip there was only two cars in the lot. Now, counting mine there was three. There were two guys getting dressed and they sped up when I drove into the lot. 

I started to laugh when I got out of the car. They looked at me like I was crazy. I already had my waders on from getting dressed at the house. The river was only 65 minutes from the house. 

I told them I will not race you to the river gents so don’t hurry on my account. I poured some more coffee into my cup.  I took a stroll down to the river and passed the two that were in such a hurry to get to the river. 

I found a nice beach with some nice current breaks and decent looking section. I struck up a conversation with a fellow steelheader on the bank.  We became quite chatty, and he said he would not be fishing much longer! I thought well this is really working out today.

I strung up my switch rod and then my west coast style eggbeater rod. Its an Avid St Croix and it’s a west coast style med-heavy steelhead rod. It’s been on some amazing adventures with me. 

After taking about an hour my new friend left. 

I would use 10’ of T-8 with my 440-grain head and swung for the fences. I would alternate with my eggbeater. 

The eggbeater was strapped with an 8 gram float and staggered split shot. I used flies on it also. Except with the eggbeater, I was using it for a drag free drift. I had no lookers and no takers on the eggbeater. 

I stepped onto a perch and the rock went out for 30 feet into the river. I would cover the water from top to bottom with in 20 feet and 45 feetish. I wound cast twice at each different horizontal differences. I would step down the river after every cast 10 feet and then repeat. I did this three times to cover the bubble and current seams. 

I chucked out my longest cast of the day. When I did this, I gave a down stream mend to send my tube fly into Mach 7 across the river. When I did this, I must of pissed someone off because when the fly starting to be in the hang down and just sitting there going side to side near the shoreline. I saw a boil near the end of my line. Before I knew what was going on it was over. 

The adult steelhead took the fly but starting thrashing at the surface of the water.  When they do this and not being able to apply any type of pressure on the fish it popped out. I yelled out fair enough and I picked up the beer can “that was not mine” and headed for the car! 

I pointed the Soob to the west and headed to the Fuego River.  After a 35-minute drive I walked about 2 miles out to get to the river and found it void of people. 

I am glad this river does not get stocked with steelhead because if it did she would be over run in a heartbeat. 

I swung for two hours in all kinds of water, and I still had hope, but the stars would not align for me this day.  Battered but not broken I started the trek back to the car.

Over Christmas I plan a return visit to NY. As long as they don’t get another seven feet of snow I will be on the shore of Lake Ontario somewhere.

Be well folks and happy holidays!

Sonder