The letter of the day is "S"

[umichjesse]

If last Saturday was an episode of Sesame Street, the letter of the day would have been "S." We had snow, surfers, Lake Superior, a.k.a. "the Big Sexy," snow shoe hares, ships, and of course steelhead.

It all started earlier in the week. Word on the street was that the run had started full bore on the southern North Shore streams. The streams were hitting 40 degrees and the fish were snapping. Too bad work require me to wait until the weekend.

As it often happens, our beautiful spring weather turned nasty over night. A huge front blew in, turning the Big Sexy into a surfer's paradise and plummeting the stream temps back to the low 30's.

Being steelheaders, we weren't going to let the weather deter us. Four of us hit the road Friday after work for the 2 1/2 drive to the lake. As we drove threw snow flurries we passed numerous cars whose roof racks were recently carrying skis and snowboards, we're now carrying surfboards. I35 had two pilgrimages of slightly crazy, but fun loving groups, steelheaders, and Lake Superior surfers.

5 a.m. Saturday, we stepped out of buddy's house high up the hill above Duluth, we were slapped in the face by a strong wind blowing 3 inches of new snow all over the place. What were we getting ourselves into? I slid threw a couple of intersections just trying to get down the hill to get on 61. Thanks god were were the only crazys driving those streets.

The weather made picking our location easy. We needed to climb down in a canyon as far from the lake as possible. We drove 30 miles north east for just such a river. We got to our parking spot after it was already light. Normally there'd be 10 trucks here by this time of morning. Today there was only one care with two sets of foot prints leading into the woods. Sweet! The fish might be turned off from the cold, but at least we won't have to battle the crowds.

As we had hoped, when we scrambled down into the canyon, there was no wind, and we were greeted with a beautiful winter wonderland. Now if the fish would bite, this had the making for an epic day.

Adam fishing in the blizzard:

Mike was a rookie steelheader. I told him it took me over a year before I landed my first one. I told him the water might be too cold for flies to work. I told him to enjoy the scenery and put in some time to build up karma so his next trip could be successful. He caught the first fish...

Soon we were all hooking fish in that winter wonderland. It was a day that all of us will remember.

Adam:

Tony:

Chrome:

Group Shot:

The only one not loving the snow was this poor snowshoe hare, who turned brown a few weeks too early.

Tools of the trade:

As the day wore on, more people showed up and we got hungry. We decided to leave the fish, which can come back to bite you. We drove a few miles up the road to eat lunch and scope out another creek. While I was making my sandwhich I snapped a picture of the huge taconite ship cruising the shore:

Then I looked down at the river and saw an interesting sight:

About a quarter mile off shore a reef was creating a nice 10" barrel roll and these guys were loving it. I had seen the surfers before, but watching them paddle right up the river was knew to me.

Out in the distance you can see a surfer in front of the beginning of one of those huge waves. Those guys are tougher than me, thats for sure...

After BSing with the surfer, I thought I might as well see if there were any fish in the brown water below. On my second cast, my fly stop on what I thought was a rock. I tried pulling it free, but then the rock shook his head. After a less than thrilling, but fun due to his sheer size, battle, I had looperzilla to shore. I don't like loopers, because they cross breed with the wild steelhead and make lazy slooper children. But I do love eating loopers so I was quite happy to find him on the end of my line.

We stopped at a third river that afternoon. Then snow was melting and the fishermen were out in full force. It was crowded, but it was loaded with fish. I stayed away from the popular holes and fished the fast pocket water and rapids. I hooked up numerous times but kept losing the bright missles and they flew up and down the rapids and wrapped me around boulders. The other guys were more successful in landing there fish. Adam, Tony and Mike all landed fish. For his first day ever, Mike looked like a pro. He even provided dinner, a nice hen looper that was delicious on the grill.

What a day!

[umichjesse]

About a quarter mile off shore a reef was creating a nice 10" barrel roll and these guys were loving it. I had seen the surfers before, but watching them paddle right up the river was knew to me.

Out in the distance you can see a surfer in front of the beginning of one of those huge waves. Those guys are tougher than me, thats for sure...

After BSing with the surfer, I thought I might as well see if there were any fish in the brown water below. On my second cast, my fly stop on what I thought was a rock. I tried pulling it free, but then the rock shook his head. After a less than thrilling, but fun due to his sheer size, battle, I had looperzilla to shore. I don't like loopers, because they cross breed with the wild steelhead and make lazy slooper children. But I do love eating loopers so I was quite happy to find him on the end of my line.

We stopped at a third river that afternoon. Then snow was melting and the fishermen were out in full force. It was crowded, but it was loaded with fish. I stayed away from the popular holes and fished the fast pocket water and rapids. I hooked up numerous times but kept losing the bright missles and they flew up and down the rapids and wrapped me around boulders. The other guys were more successful in landing there fish. Adam, Tony and Mike all landed fish. For his first day ever, Mike looked like a pro. He even provided dinner, a nice hen looper that was delicious on the grill.

What a day!

[reinhard1]

great story and great pictures as well. good luck.

[OnAFly]

Wow! Great pictures!

[Odonata]

That was a great day from the sounds of it!

[basssmasher*]

I've never flyfished or caught any trout or salmon but am vacationing in tofte in June, wanna guide me??? Lol

[itchmesir]

surfers?... im lost

[Nate McVey]

Nice day Jesse, thanks for sharing. I sure do miss living near Lake Superior and watching those surfers on the super windy days. Those guys are nuts for sure!

[Scott M]

Great story and pics! Well done!