Steelhead trip

[Machias]

Well despite tough conditions yesterday, bluebird sunny skies and low clear water, it was an outstanding day.  The river was also pretty crowded and tons of bank anglers.  My friend John Hays and I managed to catch and land 4 steelhead and one squaw fish.  My first steelhead was only a foot long, but my second fish was a fiesty 33 incher, tad over 13 pounds.  John caught a pair of beautifully marked 8ish pounders, one wild and one keeper.  Temps were in the lower 50s and little to no wind.  Awesome float down the river.





Fish coming to the net



John's first fish



John's second fish



We had other competition on the river, three otters





My second fish

[mulehunter]

  GREAT FISH!!!   Nice!!!   NO SNOW in Idaho for me to run lion!     At least you have a BLAST TIME Machias!!!

Mulehunter 

[Machias]

Scott there was NO snow, but the guide, Bryan Miller says his friend has hounds and they have treed a couple bobcats this winter.  They can get into snow about 20 minutes outside of Orofino, but it is really crappy snow.  They have not cut a lion track all winter!  His friend was bucked off his snow machine due to so many wolf tracks.  He said one section of road had so many frozen wolf tracks it made the road really rough. 

[mulehunter]

Thanks for infos. I had fun recently in Idaho at least I treed some!  I am sure you like my story!    Great Fish!!!! Keep fishing!  I heard Bear is OUT last monday.    I am excited...

Mulehunter 

[fishcrazy]

ClearWater?

Love that country!!!

Kris

[cohoho]

Very nice, beautiful looking area....

[Machias]

ClearWater?

Love that country!!!

Kris

Yes Clearwater, sorry I forgot to mention that in the first thread.  

one more photo

[gramps]

Thanks for sharing Fred...
haven't fished up there for a long time...may have to go back now.

[rasbo]

looks like a blast Fred...Come on June :drool:catfishing

[bowhunterforever]

Looks like a fun trip! Were did you guys launch the boat at and float to?

[hogsniper]

Beautiful fish fred!  Congrats on the great trip!!!   Thanks for sharing!!!

[Machias]

Looks like a fun trip! Were did you guys launch the boat at and float to?

Not exactly sure but it seemed we were about a 20 minute drive past Orofino.  We ended up floating about 11 to 12 miles of the river.

[bigdave]

Beautiful fish Fred.

I love that river.

[robb92]

man I miss the Pacific Northwest!!!! Thanks for posting the pics!!!

[ribka]

Beautiful fish
What did you pick them up on?
How was that section of the river you floated? Is it doable in a drift boat?

Were most fish in the deeper runs?
Thanks for sharing

[jackelope]

most all of the clearwater that I've seen is drift-boat friendly. there's a few spots that are long runs between launches that would make for a reaaaallllll long day, and there's been times I've seen icebergs the size of my driftboat floating down the river.

[jackelope]

P.S. beautiful fish by the way...
looks like a great day on the water. What launches did you guys put in/take out at Fred?

[Intruder]

Nice.... luv that area!

[Machias]

Beautiful fish
What did you pick them up on?
How was that section of the river you floated? Is it doable in a drift boat?

Were most fish in the deeper runs?
Thanks for sharing

We were drifting eggs clusters.  We were in a drift boat and you could float pretty much the whole river in the Orofino area.  We launch about 20-25 minute drive up river from Orofino.  I went with Bryan Miller two years ago and we drifted the section of river downstream from Orofino.  Lots of great places to bank fish as well.  The fish were in deep holes and in little pockets, but we had our best luck in probably 4 to 6 feet deep runs.

[Machias]

P.S. beautiful fish by the way...
looks like a great day on the water. What launches did you guys put in/take out at Fred?

It was just a little concrete slab, I think it had an outhouse and that was it, only one other truck where we lanched but there was probably 8 bank fisherman just below the launch.