3-12-04 - Dawn over a frosty Pike River...

Can you say "COLD"?!

3-12-04 - My fishin' buddies are INSANE!

Waters Fished: Pike River
Fish Caught: 0/0 - 1 foul personally
Outing Date: 3-12-04
Weather: COLD
Air Temp: 11F
Water Temp: 32F
Water Level: dropping, 30 cfs
Water Color: Visibility back to about 1 foot
Fish Species: Steelhead
Pattern Fished: Various Egg Patterns - small on light tippet
Pattern Color: mixed bag, seems like they're still on Pink
Fishing Quality: We were stupid to be out...

How much of a report can I really make out of 45 minutes of fishing? Hmm...well, FAT, Gerry, David, MP, and Frank Nardo were crazy enough to head out despite the 11F air temp. Yeah, I'm tossing myself into that crazy lot of anglers, we were downright INSANE to be out...and surprisingly we STILL weren't the only one. Yo, who you callin' HARDCORE? MP? That's right, MP!

Why the heck was I out? Well, first, a promise is a promise. Second, it's not that often that Nardo and Gerry can make it out. Despite being uber prepared with the termal shirts, heat packs and more, this was one insane morning to be fishin. I had to come back and throw in two things...first Mr. Green didn't make it out intact; one frostbit finger was his battle scar for the day. Which brings me to the AWESOME FIND Timmmaaay turned us all onto the day before - the hottest darn handwarmers that aren't chemical throw-aways. Jon-E style Handwarmers (they sell for like $15 each + shipping on eBay). Don't know how long this link & sale will last, but right now they're $2.99 EACH at RestorationHardware.com!

Within 45 minutes, I had fouled one steelie, Rich got one Fair, Gerry Fouled, I think David and Nardo went without hookups of any kind. After my foul fish and my leader transforming within minutes to 1/4" thick bead chain, I was done. I couldn't get the ice off my line; slush ice was flowing in downstream. The ice was acting like floatant...I think I had a dozen splitshots on and STILL couldn't get a fly near the bottom. 6:30 am, and already time to get off the water!

I guess one of FAT's friends showed up, because their 10 more minutes turned into probably 30 while I waited upstream (and they landed another fair steelie), but hey I was nice and toasty warm, in the car. This was one of those days where you're out simply to build out "steelie karma" for later!

  MP