TwoHeadsBrewing
Well-Known Member
Ok, I thought it would be cool to start a thread for sharing stories...so here's mine:
This actually happened last week, but it was the highlight of my weekend and a great memory. I took the wife and 3 kids up to Feather River canyon, just to get out the house and enjoy the day. I brought two fishing rods and my tackle box just in case...and am so glad I did! We pulled off the road along the river, and had to hike a couple hundred yards to get to a nice spot by the river. Fish were jumping in this great hole...but the riffle was too far out to reach with my spinning reel, so me and my oldest son (9 yrs) took off up the rocky shoreline to get to a better spot.
We ended up having to hop rocks somewhat into the river to get a good shot at the hole where all the fish were jumping. On the way, I noticed that a mayfly hatch was going on (mental note for when I bring my fly rod). So I was helping my son heave a big Panther Martin spinner out into the current, but no bites...no wonder since they're all hitting stuff on the surface! Anyways it's a few casts later when this big old cloud opens up and it starts raining on us. I cast just one more time, start bringing the lure in and BAM! I get a bite. I set the hook and give the rod over to my son to reel it in. The only problem is that he's reeling this fish in over a very strong current, and the fish is using every bit of that to it's advantage. My son can barely crank on the reel...then it gets crazier!
The rocks we were on while dry were a great footing for casting, but quickly became slick as snot with the rain. So here we are...fish on the line, rain getting harder every minute, and my son starts slipping off the rock in the current. I grab him and have him sit down on the rock to maintain some sort of traction...but he's still slipping off some. I'm even more in the middle of the current, and I start slipping off. I'm thinking I can't fall in here...or I'm floating downstream a LONG way, with my son right after me! Throughout this whole deal, I'm still telling my son "Keep reeling buddy! Bring it in, I got you!". My son finally gets the fish in - a nice 13" wild rainbow trout. I help him get the hook out, and my son releases the fish back into the river. By this time, we're totally soaked and my wife has no idea where I am...I figure we better get back and hit the road.
Ha! Easier said than done, with all these slippery rocks and us in the middle of the river. We end up half crawling, half sliding our way across the boulders but we get to the shoreline. We make it back...gather up the wife and two other kids who are also soaking wet, and get back in the car. What a great day! We were soaked, my son and I had a great bonding experience, and we couldn't stop talking about how we almost fell in the river! Ahhh...fishing! Get out there and enjoy the day!
Here's to summer!
This actually happened last week, but it was the highlight of my weekend and a great memory. I took the wife and 3 kids up to Feather River canyon, just to get out the house and enjoy the day. I brought two fishing rods and my tackle box just in case...and am so glad I did! We pulled off the road along the river, and had to hike a couple hundred yards to get to a nice spot by the river. Fish were jumping in this great hole...but the riffle was too far out to reach with my spinning reel, so me and my oldest son (9 yrs) took off up the rocky shoreline to get to a better spot.
We ended up having to hop rocks somewhat into the river to get a good shot at the hole where all the fish were jumping. On the way, I noticed that a mayfly hatch was going on (mental note for when I bring my fly rod). So I was helping my son heave a big Panther Martin spinner out into the current, but no bites...no wonder since they're all hitting stuff on the surface! Anyways it's a few casts later when this big old cloud opens up and it starts raining on us. I cast just one more time, start bringing the lure in and BAM! I get a bite. I set the hook and give the rod over to my son to reel it in. The only problem is that he's reeling this fish in over a very strong current, and the fish is using every bit of that to it's advantage. My son can barely crank on the reel...then it gets crazier!
The rocks we were on while dry were a great footing for casting, but quickly became slick as snot with the rain. So here we are...fish on the line, rain getting harder every minute, and my son starts slipping off the rock in the current. I grab him and have him sit down on the rock to maintain some sort of traction...but he's still slipping off some. I'm even more in the middle of the current, and I start slipping off. I'm thinking I can't fall in here...or I'm floating downstream a LONG way, with my son right after me! Throughout this whole deal, I'm still telling my son "Keep reeling buddy! Bring it in, I got you!". My son finally gets the fish in - a nice 13" wild rainbow trout. I help him get the hook out, and my son releases the fish back into the river. By this time, we're totally soaked and my wife has no idea where I am...I figure we better get back and hit the road.
Ha! Easier said than done, with all these slippery rocks and us in the middle of the river. We end up half crawling, half sliding our way across the boulders but we get to the shoreline. We make it back...gather up the wife and two other kids who are also soaking wet, and get back in the car. What a great day! We were soaked, my son and I had a great bonding experience, and we couldn't stop talking about how we almost fell in the river! Ahhh...fishing! Get out there and enjoy the day!
Here's to summer!
