Tuesday, November 8, 2016

Touring the RustBelt...#Tarplife Style

 photo PA283396_zpsmhzrgz9t.jpg
3,340 miles of windshield time...3 states and 1 sovereign Indian nation...5 rivers...and enough Great lakes steel to make it worth every minute of drive time and dollar spent.
Last year I made my first trip North to chase steelhead in the Great lakes area and quickly decided that this kind of trip needed to be a yearly adventure, which it officially now is. Just got back home Sunday from round two of the Rustbelt Steelhead Tour.
 photo PB033546_zpsln0whzmu.jpg
Last year was way too good for a first time steelheader... beautiful weather, a local house to crash in, rivers with perfect flows and cooperative fish. Those just aren't the typical steelheading conditions I've always heard about. Rain for days, blown out rivers, fish that just won't take a fly, that's what I thought steelheading was all about. Not to fear, the steelhead gods must have somehow sensed my angst and decided to have me pay a few of those dues on this years trip. It seemed that every day at least one of the rivers I decided to fish would be unfishable due to water conditions (this due to the rain that came in waves on a recurring pattern of every other day).
 photo PB023514_zps9lmld84a.jpg
Luckily the area I based in has lots of water choices within 100 miles in either direction. After checking the USGS gauges first thing each morning it was simply a matter of putting in a little drive time to find decent conditions.
 photo PB043578_zpssrp3cgtf.jpg
From the mudhole I called basecamp for the week, all five of the rivers I fished (and a few I didn't) were accessible within an hour or so drive if I didn't mind pushing the posted speed limit just a tad. The morning routine was to crawl out of the tent and make a quick hot breakfast, load all of the previously wet gear that had been drying out in the tent overnight back in the car, check the river gauges, make a tentative plan, point the car in that direction and head out.
 photo PA313424_zpsrgewqyt4.jpg
 photo PA303404_zpse56mcvpq.jpg
 photo PA313461_zpsj6kravlk.jpg
As it turned out, often times my first choice didn't turn out to be the correct one. When that happened I cut my losses and worked up a plan B, which occasionally didn't pan out either, requiring a plan C. Thus you see how the 3340 miles of windshield time were reached.
I admit that I was a little particular in how and where I wanted to fish. Some of the closer waters definitely would have fished well at times but because of the lack of good swinging water with the two-hander and the amount of fishermen I witnessed I was more than willing to drive somewhere else. The fishing might not have been as good but one thing you'll notice in most all of my river shots is a lack of other people. I worked hard at trying to find pieces of water that were in good enough shape to fish but weren't lined bank to bank with other fishermen.
 photo PB013468_zpst9v2csvi.jpg
 photo PB043557_zpswrdekeqa.jpg
 photo PB043559_zpsydbdwacv.jpg
 photo PB033543_zps0dkvf6ml.jpg
I started to say that this trip wasn't about catching fish, but that would be a lie. All fishing trips are about catching fish, if they weren't we'd leave all that expensive gear at home. Without a doubt, I could have caught considerably more fish if I'd been willing to share the water with other fishermen and chuck eggs under indicators. I have absolutely no problem with this type of fishing and have even been known to tie on the odd egg pattern myself when all else fails. I'm good with it...I just didn't drive 15 hours to do it. For me it was all about the two handed rod and trying to swing up a steelhead or two.
 photo PB043567_zpsy66eto7c.jpg
 photo PA313450_zpsod9pqult.jpg
 photo PB033538_zpszqrlmq6o.jpg
 photo PA313437_zpsnutgqm8o.jpg
 photo PB033539_zpszmvchkmd.jpg
The fishing itself is hard to put into words. I wouldn't say that the fishing was good, due to the fact that I had to work my ass off for practically every fish I caught. From the drives to get there to the long hikes in to find less pressured water and the often less than optimal water conditions, everything was a little tougher this time around.
What I can say about the fishing is that it was extremely rewarding. Every fish caught felt like it was the result of good planning and hard work. These fish were deserving of a good smoke and some time spent sitting streamside after landing one to simply enjoy everything coming together.
 photo PA313443_zpskqdkkmc1.jpg
 photo PB013472_zps3mlu9cop.jpg
 photo PB033517_zpskn4twhmk.jpg
 photo PB013491_zpsjj8k6kn0.jpg
Of the nine fish I landed during the week, I twice bested my largest fish from last year and ended up with one fish in particular that felt like the fish of a lifetime for this Kansas guy. While fishing one of the more famous local NY rivers I hooked up and landed a beautiful 32" wild hen. This one fish made the entire trip for me and it was hard to wipe the smile off my face for the remainder of the trip, regardless of what it threw at me.
 photo PB023500_zps844zrzwl.jpg
To make it even better I was fishing with a good buddy from the area who was there to tail the fish for me. While I admittedly enjoy fishing alone, there are times when it's nice to have someone there to share a great moment with and this was one of those times.
 photo PB023502_zps8hwpdpi5.jpg
 photo PB023501_zps26c7yjlc.jpg
While the majority of the actual fishing was done alone, I wouldn't have been nearly as successful without the help of several local friends who advised me on water conditions, sent me maps on river accesses and were always just a call away if I had any questions. That kind of knowledge is something you just can't do without when it comes to this kind of fishing and I owe those guys bigtime.
By the time the trip was over and it was time to pack up I really felt that I had accomplished something. I know they're just fish, and catching one isn't what most people would consider any kind of great feat. But for me it felt different. I'd driven halfway across the country with a truck full of gear and a basic plan and by some stroke of luck things had actually worked out nicely despite the somewhat adverse conditions.
 photo PB013489_zpsmhhsesqi.jpg
 photo PA263392_zpsi3fquu4n.jpg
 photo PA313439_zpsdr9fakdr.jpg
 photo PB033525_zpsiuka1m5o.jpg
 photo PB013464_zps5i25k0to.jpg
 photo PA313459_zpswwjel7zm.jpg
 photo PB013474_zpsdphonkjg.jpg
 photo PB013482_zpskrofqsbt.jpg
 photo PA313445_zpskpwsytvj.jpg
 photo PB033520_zpsqqpsgcwf.jpg
What can I say, the old blind squirrel scenario plays out again...
 photo PB043575_zpsfch9b27f.jpg
 photo PB033519_zps27aq1e2h.jpg

16 comments:

  1. Wow, Jeff I don't care where you went, that's some great photography. Excellent write-up as well.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Howard. Trips like this are easy to write about as they tend to stick with you for awhile after returning home. The pictures...well, everyone gets lucky once in awhile.

      Delete
  2. That is the stuff. I totally agree that fish feel so much more valuable when you have to work for them. Steelhead especially.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Couldn't agree more. The harder they come, the more they mean to you when you look back on the trip. Steelhead are truly something special in my book after a couple of trips.

      Delete
  3. Glad to see you hooked up your way! Great photo's as usual.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Jerry. I didn't slay the fish or anything but I don't have any complaints either. For the type of fishing I was doing I'm pretty happy with the results.
      Sorry we didn't have a chance to hook-up while I was in the area...maybe next time.

      Delete
  4. Wow. Excellent! Those are so similar to those Kamloops Trout I used to chase back in the day. Jealous.

    ReplyDelete
  5. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Nice post - great photos - nice storyline. I really enjoy reading your site, added bonus was the steelhead content. I actually started reading it for the Missouri content. I travel that direction some time from Indiana for Trout. :)

    Not that there aren't other places to go but camping and fishing in Missouri can be very nice in early spring when it's still too cold to enjoy in Michigan

    ReplyDelete
  7. Sure miss not seeing Ol' Joe in these adventures. I know he's gettin old! See you and Ginger soon I hope.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Where have I been? I'm just seeing this NOW!! WOW! That's a stellar trip with some amazing fish! You earned every one of them! Fantastic!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Very Nice post. Thanks for share.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Well written post thanks for sharing with us. Keep it up Guys

    ReplyDelete
  11. Nice to see that you enjoyed a nice fishing trip in the great lakes chasing steelhead. However, if you ever go for a hunting trip, don’t forget to bring your own ammo. Assembling your own cartridges is possible by using a gun kit-progressive reloading press. Get a detailed discussion on reloading press.

    ReplyDelete
  12. This article is very good. I like it.Interesting post. Thanks for posting this.Please share more information.
    Oversized sturgeon in The Dalles Oregon

    ReplyDelete