Windy day with YGF

With some debate on whether we should have went or not, Ivan, author of Yukon Goes Fishing, and I headed out for a few cold and windy hours on the root. We were in search of some pike and big browns. This was my first time fishing with Ivan, although I had gotten to meet him a few weeks earlier. Ivan is full of knowledge and I enjoyed talking with him and picking his brain about different techniques and places that he's fished. I always enjoy the learning aspect of fly fishing, and yesterday I learned a lot.

Both Ivan and I stuck to streamers for most of the time. In the first section we fished, I was fishing a pretty decent sized articulated bunny leech when something smacked it in fairly shallow water. I fought the heavy and non sporadic creature for about 10 seconds and then my line shot back into my face. My leader had been sliced through. A pike is what I guessed, but I'll never know. I was at fault for the loss and I wished that I had my 40lb. mono as a leader rather than 3x tippet.

I continued to fish. Ivan had disappeared which led me to believe that he was at least seeing fish on the side braid that he was working. I had one more grab on a streamer but missed the fish. The weather was becoming increasingly worse and there was a constant blowing wind which made things even more miserable. I found some nice pike water pretty far downstream and worked most of it (this time with 40lb. mono) with no strikes. I think it was a little to cold for the pike to be very active. I headed back upstream and found Ivan who had missed his fish....a big brown of about 20 inches. He was pretty frustrated, but I was glad that I maybe had brought him some luck, considering all that I hear about people who fish with Ivan is how they are brought great luck by fishing with the man. He did manage a few 14 inch browns on the braid also.

Despite both losing good fish and having sub-par weather conditions, it was great to get out on the water after more than a week hiatus from what keeps me alive. I enjoyed fishing with Ivan and learning from him. He sure has a lot of knowledge and I know there will be more fishing outings with him in the near future.

This weekend feels like an Idaho weekend. My sister and Tom want me to come down to land steel. Easier said than done. Nevertheless, I'll be chasing one of my main goals of the year! This should be good...