The First Chrome We Never Forget...

Well, I think the best way to start this blog is talking about how I caught my first Steelhead in Southern Ontario. This is actually a good example of how to proceed when you are at a certain place that is new for you. The fastest way to get into some good fishing is hiring a guide, of course. But most of the time, if you are moving to another country for an extended period, you will be spending a lot of money to settle things down and it will be hard to afford what guides usually ask for. You will need to figure out by yourself…

When I first came to Canada I didn’t have too much time to enjoy the fishing opportunities that Southern Ontario had to offer, and the weather was also not very cooperative. I came to study English for three months in the 2006’s winter. I could barely understand what the salesman at Bass Pro Shops was trying to tell me. All these MNR regulations seemed so complex and I didn’t even have a car. I was told to go to Credit River where should be some fishing running in the winter and the water had not froze up yet. It took me a looong trip to come from Thornhill to Erindale Park by Go Bus plus TTC. Believe me, that was far!  I was fishing with my bait casting outfit, throwing spinners with a 17 lbs 6’ft rod that I used to fish for Snook in Brazil. The result was obviously very disappointing. But I saw some guys, fishing with a centerpin outfit in one of the most famous Erindale Park pool and catching these beautiful rainbows, that I have only seem in international fishing magazines sold in Brazil. I promised myself that if I ever returned to Canada, I would catch one of these big rainbows. Two years later, here I was with my fly rod.

Winter Credit River anglers

My wife and I were going to live in Barrie for one year, because she was going to study there. I was apllying for the work permit. With an address in hands, a study permit and some cash, we opened a TD account and I also got a library card. One of the things that I like the most in Southern Ontario is the library system. You can order a book everywhere in Southern Ontario and they make it available at the closest branch for you to pick up. I still remember the books that I ordered: Steelhead Dreams, by Matt Supinsky; Best Streams for Great Lakes Steelhead, by Bob Linsenman and Ontario Blue-Ribbon Fly Fishing Guide, by Scoth E. Smith. Unfortunately this last one it is not available in the library system anymore, but it still possible to find some copies being sold around. Additionally to these books I bought a Southwestern Ontario Backroad Mapbooks, (by Mussio Adventures) and acquired a hardcopy of the Ministry of Natural Resources Fishing Regulations Summary that came with my Non-resident Conservation Fishing Licence.  These authors and references became my indirect guides and I was finally feeling ready for my first FALL STEELHEAD RUN!

I started fishing some Georgian Bay tributaries because they were my closest options. The first key factor that I had hard times to figure out was the correct speed of the drift. I didn’t like the idea of having weight attached to my leader or using sinking tips because I was still improving my casting abilities. I have just learned the double haul and other cool casts and I was stuck with the idea of distance casting, a mistake that most beginners make. Now I know that in the most of Great Lakes Steelheading situations, it is not actually necessary to cast far. Accuracy is more important. There is obviously some big streams in the Great Lakes system where it is possible to swing a fly for Steelhead. It’s even possible to swing flies in small streams as I would later realize, but in my opinion, for someone who is hitting this creeks around for the first time, it will be more efficient to get familiarized with Steelhead nymphing techniques.

I can still remember that beautiful afternoon on the mouth of the Beaver River. It was middle November and Steelhead was in full run. As soon as I arrived I saw two old style fishermen on the head of the run with their long spinning rod curved all the way down with acrobatics giants rainbows at the end of the line. My body was shacking frenetically, a mix of the chilly weather with my anxiety. I would probably not have any better chance to catch Steelhead during that season anymore, because I was renting cars to hit these spots and my budget was becoming very limited. I was also going to start my first job in Canada soon and I had that type of feeling “It is now or never!”. I was mistaking the casts and getting snagged all the time, everywhere. My hands were freezen up and I wasn’t used to that feeling. The drift was too fast and the day was getting darker. “I won’t make it” / “Não vou conseguir” – I thought. I decided to reset everything. I stopped and set up a rig that I can still remember. It was a 9ft Super Orvis 2x tapered leader (shortened a little bit, probably around 0x diameter) + split shot + double sturgeon knot + about 2ft of Super Orvis 2x tippet material + Bass Pro orange Woolly Bugger + about 18 in of the same tippet material (all that I have at this moment) and a pink Glow Bug attached at the end of the rig. Now we are talking. I pretty much dropped it in front of me in a hole out of the main current and leave it almost sitting there, kind of higgh sticking a VERY slow drift. I felt a little hesitation, which I thought it was a snag in a rock or something and I was just picking up my line to cast again when this unbelievable force started to take my line all the way down the current in an incredible speed as well. It was already dark and I couldn't see exactly what was happening at the end of my line and I all that I wanted was to land it. For me 2x was a light tippet during this time and I didn’t want to force it, afraid to break the line off. “I must land that fish, I must land it!” / “Eu tenho que trazer esse peixe, eu tenho que trazer!”. And I finally make it. GLORIA! My first Steelhead, still one of the best that I ever caught, it took the orange Wooly Bugger…