I had been planning this trip for a year. 2007 would be the year I try fly fishing for steelhead for the first time. In the spring of the year, I first visited the Trinity River. I drove to the dedication of HUD’s plaque. This took place at a spot called HUD’s Riffle on the Steiner Flat Road in Douglas City.
So it was with great anticipation that I planned my 1st steelhead trip. I had been tying and buying glo bugs, sz 12 red copper johns, pgw’s orangie bug, stoneflies, etc and reading all the Trinity fishing reports. I queried everyone who been up there fly fishing. My friends, Kate (aka K) and MaryAnn (aka MA) along with their 2 flat coat retrievers, Duke 5 yrs old and LuLu a 1 year old would be also making the trip. Of course Ruby and Vamp would be in my car. So 3 women and 4 dogs are off on their 1st steelhead trip.
The weekend before Thanksgiving I brined an 11 lb turkey. Just because we were camping on Thanksgiving doesn’t mean we can’t have turkey. On Sunday, We roasted the turkey at MA and K’s home. We also made a frittata for the trip. MA carved the turkey. It was so delicious and moist because of the brining. Everyone was place in zip lock bags for the trip.
My friends and I left Oakland at 8:30am on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. We stopped at the Safeway in Vacaville to pick up the last minute groceries and make sure MA has her Starbucks coffee. MA is not a morning person so she really needed the coffee actually we all did. We stopped at the Maxwell rest area so that the girls could pee and stretch their legs for a few minutes. Next stop was for breakfast at the Rollin Hills casino in Corning. MA had never been in a casino before so she wanted to explore. We gave her 20 minutes while K and I walked the dogs. OMG, all I know is that she spent $5 on the 1 cent slot machine and walked away with $35.
We gassed the cars up and headed up I-5 to thee Fly Shop in Redding where we picked up last minute item. In the ride through Red Bluff, stone from the gravel truck ahead of me made hard contact with my windshield. More to come on this later.
Finally we turned off I-5 onto 299 and headed up toward Lewiston. It was mid afternoon when we finally arrived at the LakeView Terrace RV Park. I was towing my teardrop and K and MA were staying in a cottage. We all unpacked and I unhitched the TD. I drove K and myself to Douglas City to see Steiner Flat Road area, where we were going to fish the next morning. You know that it gets dark early in late November, so by the time we hit the goat farm I decided it was best to turn back and see the area in the daylight. By the time we got back to Lake View, MA had started dinner. I notice that it was getting cold. I had been watching the weather reports for the past several weeks. And the lowest temp was 39 degrees at night. Little did I expect that 39 degrees wouldn’t be seen at night while we were there.
We had a great cheese fondue dinner with sourdough bread and mixed vegetables. MA brought her laptop and I had brought along the Lani Waller steelheading DVD. We didn’t watch all of the DVD, since we were so tired. We planned to be at Steiner Flat at first light. I woke up at 6:40am and rushed down to the cabin. Kate rushed to get dressed as so did I. MA stayed in the cabin to get acclimated along with Duke and LuLu. Of course, Ruby and Vamp would be going with me. What happened!!! It was so cold. It was 26 degrees, 13 degrees lower than the previous nights.
WE got to Steiner Flat Road by 8am Thanksgiving Day. We only saw 2 fly fishers on the way. I think that the cold snap certainly did affect everyone. I have been told that people would be sleeping in their cars next to their favorite fishing spots. We didn’t see any evidence of that. It was certainly very cold. I think that the cold snap did affect the fish on Thanksgiving Day at Steiner Flat Road. But we pretty much had the area to ourselves on Thursday for most of the day. We each hooked a steelhead on Thursday but nothing landed. .I hooked mine on a red copper john and K on a October Caddis. Even John and Ernie from The Fly Shop came to Steiner Flat Road and said it was slow fishing there compared to Junction City. 2 other men came late Thursday afternoon to Steiner Flat and even with spinning gear, they didn't catch anything. We fished until 4 pm and drove back to Lewiston stopping to check out the area under the bridge. We got back in time to have a great thanksgiving dinner of turkey, sweet potatoes, vegetables and wine. We continued to watch the steeelheading DVD.
Remember that hole in my windshield. Well it was only a hole but unknowingly I made matters worse on Thanksgiving when I turned on the car heater and the crack spread to 8 inches. It was 26 degrees when we woke up Thanksgiving morning so of course I turned the car heater on.. I spent Friday driving back down to Redding trying to get my windshield fixed. Guess what, the 5 glass repair shops I checked were all closed!!! I couldn't believe it. I drove back to Weaverville to check the areas out. K and MA went to Weaverville and also checked it out.
On Saturday, we drove down to the Junction City Campground and got rigged up for fishing. MA only had a 5wt while K had a 7wt. So K lent MA her 7wt. K decided to drive the area with Duke and LuLu, who loved being in the woods and cold water. While they both loved cold water, Duke certainly was in his element. Since the Junction City spot was crowded, MA and I were going to cross the river at a spot where their was a sand bar and fish at the other side. I was to lead the way. Both K and I looked at this crossing spot.
Guess what!!! Even though the water came slightly above my waist, and I had a wading staff, the current was too swift and carried me down the river in very cold, cold water. GOOD THING I ALWAYS WEAR A FISHING LIFE VEST!!! I was only in the water for about 2 minutes and 2 fishermen pulled me out of the water on the opposite bank. I was soaked because I wore the hooded COTTON (I know better, but had left my fleece vest in the TD- will never make that mistake again) NCFFB sweatshirt under my waders and wading jacket. It soaked up water like a sponge and caused everything I was wearing to be thoroughly wet. I was soaked to the bone. Of course, I must tell you that I didn't let go of the 2 fly rods that I was holding in my left hand. I took off my wading shoes and waders to see how much water was in the waders. I turned them upside down and not enough water to fill an 8 oz glass came out. My wading belt was pull tight but the COTTON sweatshirt did me in. Of course, I was talking to the guys who rescued me and asking them if they caught any steelies. They were from Modesto and hooked steelies on sz 16 red copper. O f course the steelies straightened the hooks. I asked them to walk me across the river and back to my car. They did and I gave them size 12 tungsten beaded red copper and sz 6-8 glo bugs and several other flies so that they could land the steelies.
I always have a complete change of clothes in the car along with thermos of hot soup, along with 3 fleece blankets in the car. That doesn't even include the hat, gloves, wool socks, hand/foot warmers, etc. So I changed clothes, drank the hot soup waiting for K to come back. I also had energy bars in my waders’ pocket along with unopened hand warmers and a loud whistle. I even had a bottle of 1995 Rosenblum Cab in the car along with the wine opener. The flask of brandy had been left in my teardrop. I guess you could say that I was prepared for the spill.
Luckily, I was none the worse for the incident but I will NEVER complain that I look like the Michelin man in my life vest. I will also never wear cotton again while fishing. With my wading jacket on, I would have been warm enough anyway.
Also my girlfriends are both getting fishing life vests for Xmas.
I can't wait to go back next year, probably in October 2008.
Loretta
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Isn't it crazy how dogs will go in that cold water? Snicker loves it. Thanks for the report; I was wondering how you did up there.
Glad you had all that 'unnecessary' 
extra stuff in the car - whatever happened to the windshield?? 
