River Journal December 06, 2018

River Journal December 6I hesitated to go with the temperature being at -5 this morning at the house. I promised though to take my buddy who has never landed a steelhead. This will be his third year trying. With three layers of clothing, neck warmer, and wool hat we decided to go later in the day. I arrived at his home around 8:30 at – 4 degree and took our time driving. I hate ice. On our travels, it was a good call to go slow as we saw a spin out of two vehicles on the opposite side of the highway. Finally arriving at the river around 10 am it was only minus 1. I really wanted Randy to get his first steelhead so I set up his gear and showed him how to position the Steelybead bead and tie on the ghost shrimp. After two miss casts, he lost his shrimp so he came out of the river to re gear. I was already set up and he wanted to tie on the shrimp himself so he said to go in. You don’t have to tell me twice. In I go casting. I make the cast watching the float as it’s indicating my pencil weight was tapping along the bottom. Halfway through the drift the float dove under and I set the hook. I felt nothing but the head of the shrimp was gone. I looked at Randy and he was still tying up his set up. I said there is one there for you but he said go ahead he wasn’t ready. I made sure the float drifted in the same zone. All tensed I made sure I picked up the slack and the float didn’t disappoint me as it dove again under water.With full force, I set the hook and she was a beautiful doe that broke the surface of the river. I brought the Lucky Strike Bait Works rubber net this time so the catch and release steelheads would be in good shape to survive another day. We landed it safely. Randy was ready to go in and made the perfect cast. I guide his drift to the same zone where I got the hit. The same thing happens to him. He had a bite but only the tail was left so oozing guts and told him to throw it back in. It was a good call as he hooked into a big summer run doe. We safely landed it.Turned out to be a fantastic day as we hooked into 6 and landed them all safely with the rubber net. His smile was all my reward other than he could not stop talking with excitement. This is why I love being a mentor.The gear used Amundson Outdoors Kudos Casting rod, 10mm Steelybeads, Ghost Shrimps, Lucky Strike Bait rubber net, and # 4 egg hook.