Earlier this month, we got an email from Pete, one of the Caddis Fly’s customers, about an awesome fish story. Check out the email, pasted below with a photo.
Hey guys, my name is Pete C. and I’m a regular customer at the Caddis Fly in Eugene for the last eight years. I just wanted to drop a quick line to say thank you for the absolutely professional and courteous help you’ve offered me over the years. I have been assisted with numerous purchases including two rods, a reel, waders, boots, and countless flies, fly-tying materials, boxes, gloves, and great conversation. I have gradually become a more successful fly fisherman, including steelhead, bull trout, brown trout, and beautiful rainbow trout throughout Oregon’s scenic and ahh- inspiring fisheries- in large part to simple discussions about entomology and fish behavior at your store. So, with that being said I wanted to share a super cool fish story…
The first week in March, my brother and I went to the Hileman tributary of the main stem Willamette off river road close to where I live. It was partly sunny, around 60 degrees- the warmest day of year. We had some success on caddis emergers- I made my way upstream and found a sweet riffle diving into a large holding pool where I landed a couple nice rainbows on the same pattern. Then out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a fish slurp a mayfly of the surface, then another- so I casted my dry fly caddis emerger to it and on the second cast I hooked in to a 30 inch 8 lb hatchery steelhead with my four weight Sage 490i rod and tapered 5x tippet line!! 20 min. later I landed it and took these pictures!!! Sweet!!!! Thanks for all your help and annual free beer!!
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2 responses so far ↓
1 Karl Mueller // Apr 17, 2008 at 5:33 pm
Nice work Pete!
That must have come as a bit of a surprise.
2 Jake Chambers // Aug 21, 2008 at 5:58 am
I have been meaning to comment on this for awhile. I am Pete’s brothers, whom took these pics. He did not do this experience justice. Not that it matters, because the fish story is in proof of the pics.
However, I must say that I was about 300 meters downstream of him, when he hooked this steelhead on a dry-fly w/a 5-weight. I heard him yelling for me. My thought was I don’t want to run up there for a 14-16 inch trout pic. But, his yelling was persistent!
I reluctantly scampered up the gravel bar, hopping brush and boulders, finally reaching his riffle.
My first thought was, oh Pete, you have a big pike minnow or species of Willamette sucker. But, when I walked out, the first thing I saw was a nub of an adipose and trout-like features. Second thought, oh $heet, that is a steelhead.
My final thought was, how proud I was of my little brother at the time. Because, at that moment I realized he listened to what I and others have have suggested over the years about fly-fishing (not that anything “important” or anything that “matters” was said at the time).
Also, he found himself among the fishing world (judging by the smile and enthusiasm he expressed during the “battle”).
But, more importantly, it was the “first” time I realized he was my brother and nothing can ever change that. (some will know what I mean, it is not that I never realized that or respected everything that he is as a brother). I know I have recognized this fishing accomplishment and the excitement of that day, with a cheer of beer and good conversation. But, Pete is my brother!!! Congratulations, Your brother, Jake
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