27 inch Klamath Steely smiles are the best!

Photo Credit: Scott Caldwell

by Scott Caldwell
2-24-2021
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Blue skies and big Klamath Steely smile have been what's up the past 3 days on river. 

Since it snowed about 5 days ago mother nature has completed switched gears and brought out the sun an 70 degrees. This seems to happen almost every February and this year has been no exception. 

The Steelhead fishing has been all about quality fish the past 3 days. Sunday was Father and Son on the and the guys both landed a 5 pounders in the 20 plus inch class. 

Monday and Tuesday I was fishing with my client John Kern who usually brings the crazy winter weather with him. Not this time and neither of us complained.

John caught and released 8 Steelhead over 20 inches the past two days the biggest measured 27 inches and was in the 8 to 9 pound class. 

John's Steelhead was his personal Klamath best and was also the best Steely so far in 2021. This fish was everything fisherman we love about Steelhead!

This bruising buck smashed a 3.0 maglip and instantly when ariel letting us know he was big. He then made multiple drag ripping runs. It was during  one of these runs this fish must have run into an submerged tree branch near the bank because as the battle near the end he show himself with this branch attached. 

Go figure how he didn't come loose ?  John continued to expertly handle this hard fighting fish and we got him into the net branch and all. Another classic John fish fighting experience. 

We pulled the beast out of the mess snapped a few photos and sent him on his way. Hard to beat a 27 inch smile like that!

This fish like all the others were caught while slowly back trolling 3.0 maglips lathered in Pro-Cure garlic plus. The Klamath river is very cold right now and these fish are sitting tight in spawn mode. We are starting to catch females that have spawned but we are still catching some that haven't.

The key during this time is to go slow.  These fish are not chasing baits so maglips work great at getting in their face irritating them into biting. It takes patience right now but the rewards are darn nice fighting fish.

These fish will all be coming out of spawn mode soon and they will be hungry and looking to fatten back up here in March.

Give me a call 530 905 0758 or book online at Caldwellfishing.com