Heat and Serve!

In this day and age, we like things fast....we like things hot. That is why we have microwaves and slogans like, "Your way right away.

Well, todays steelheading was what I like to call heat and serve. They were smokin' hot and ready to serve, and believe me when I say they were eager to please.

For several weeks now there have been fish around as some others have said. However, we don't care to broadcast that to the masses as the pressure gets high enough on it's own. So, we have been waiting for that moment when the race is on....the moment when the rains come and set the steel free from the lower river domain to infiltrate the inland waterways. This past week it happened across the region and fish are now distributing themselves well throughout many river systems.

My partner Greg and I were on the water well before sun up this morning as we prepared to fish and shoot some film. As we stood streamside talking, you could watch fish in the low light ripping up the riffles as they wasted no time in traveling up stream. That is always a cool sight to see.

The fish caught today were HOT, HOT, HOT!!!!! Not only were they hot, but they were nicer size than we had anticipated. Check out the photographic proof below to substantiate our claims.....

GREG WITH A NICE FISH THAT PUT A HEFTY BEND IN THE ROD

THIS IS A MUG WE ALL LOVE.....THE FISH THAT IS : )

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL

A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT SHOT TO KEEP THINGS FRESH!

THE STEELHEAD ARE BACK AND WE ARE READY!

Like most every trip out, today was an opportunity to try some new fly patterns that we have been tying up. However, the steelhead sensation (as others called it last year) did find it's way to our lines at times.....it's the newer hot tube fly known as the "Ice Man Minnow Tube." It banged numerous fish today and continues to prove itself a deadly part of the SAO arsenal! Oh, and there are new ones close to debut soon enough!

AN ICE MAN MINNOW IS HAMMERED BY CHROME!

The largest fish of the day didn't get photographed. Yeah, I can hear you all now......but wait a second before you start busting me with the whole "Sure you did" stuff. We didn't photograph it.....however we did film it in high def!!!! Sorry though....you will have to wait for the film to be shown later.

Having said all that though, the following fish pulled a close second and was absolutely, as they call them in Alaska, a toad! He was big, thick, and full of sass!!! His girth was incredibly impressive. The photo below shows the fish laying in the water naturally, so that people can't say we worked the angle or pushed the fish to the camera......this was truly a big hog!!!

THIS FISH WAS A HOG.....THAT FLY FISHING FOR TROPHY!

And then comes the photo that can lead to question. However, since we already substantiated the fishes massive girth and length in the previous photo, here is a more artistic approach to capturing a cool moment.

NICE FISH GREG....HERE'S TO MANY MORE....

So, in closing, we are here to declare that Steelhead season is officially open at SAO. Although our guides have been out for weeks scouting and catching, we now know that there are enough fish distributed around to make it a fishable event for those interested.

If you are interested in coming back to fish with us, or giving it a shot for the first time, give us a shout! We still have limited availability and would love to share the water with you!

Until next time, may the early bird get the fish.......Woooohoooooo!!!! Game on!!!

Patrick "Flybum" Robinson

Head Guide

Steelhead Alley Outfitters