Can your wife do this? (Bull Trout Trip VIII)

Don't be fooled. Just because my novice fly-fishing wife caught two really nice fish does not mean that it is easy to do - especially on this river. I have friends who have fished this river many times and not caught anything - ever (accept for maybe small whitefish and bows), or if they have its only been one or two large fish out of all the times they have fished it. I've had her on the Metolius once every winter since we have been in Bend. That's three times. She has never caught anything on a fly rod without me standing behind her, holding her hands, helping her cast, mend, set the hook, etc. This day was different. I coached her for 30 minutes on casting and mending. Then I put her in the sweet spot and tunrned around to do some fishing of my own. As soon as my back was turned, I heard her making a fuss over something. I turned to see her rod (my 6/7 wt. Redington) keestered over, jerking around like there was a fish on the line. The fact that I was in shock is evident in the first words out of my mouth: "Is that a fish?" Duh, it's a fish - unless rocks, sticks, logs, license plates and nasty old boots fight back when they are hooked! So, I sprang into action..... I walked back down river to her side... and just stood there. Usually I help her fight the fish or just hold onto the rod, but she seemed to be handling everything very well. There was nothing for me to do. I just sort of stood there, giving suggestions now and then, watching my wife catch the first fish of the day. And was it ever a beauty! 25 icnhes long, weighing 5 lbs, this bull tout was the result of my wife casting, mending hooking and landing like a pro! Not bad at all!

Needless to say, I was busting at the seams with pride. She was pretty thrilled herself. Let me emphasise once more that this is not something any old fly fisherman can do. It just doesnt happen. Skilled fly fisherman can fish this water and walk away skunked - and they do - all the time. I hooked two fish, one of which found its way to the net (Annie netted my fish for me - should have seen it. Just like a guide!). It was a 24 incher, but sort of skinny and scrawny. A nice fish, but not nearly the fish she had just caught.

We fished another hour and decided we should get back home to pick up the little guy from mom and dad's. I made a perfect cast, mended, and handed the rod to my new fishing buddy. But I hesitated. I said to her, as I took the rod back, if you are going to hook a fish, I want it to be on your own cast and mend. I pulled the line in and again handed her the rod. Since we were about to leave, I decided I wanted to get some pictures of her casting. As I began digging around for my digital camera, she makes her first cast. Before I can even get the darn thing out, she's got another fish on.. by looks of the bend in my 9wt rod, it's another dandy. She's so good at being patient and letting the fish run, then picking up line when the fish is not taking it. She performed like a seasoned fisherwoman. About 5 minutes later I netted another nice bull trout, just shy of the 25 inch mark, and just girthy! What a pig!

I keep quoting something she said while she was fighting that first fish. "Now I see why you like this so much," she said. Do we have a convert here? She had a blast yesterday. Now I just need to put her on a steelhead. Although these bull trout are big, strong fish, and difficult to catch, steelhead are often bigger, stronger, and fight harder. The only downfall being that you have to go further to find them, and although the fights are often spectacular, they are generally short-lived. Everything has its pro's and con's I guess.

Anyway, I think we have awoken the fishing senses in a certain young lady. Here's to many more days of fishing with my eternal fishing partner, and to many, many more Tight Lines!