Well, I have to admit that I was taking a chance fishing on Salmon Creek, especially with the recent high and murky water (Salmon Creek takes awhile to recover from blown-out conditions), but it paid off very nicely. I figured that if I didn't get anything fishing the creek then I would skip on over to Klineline Pond to catch a few evening rainbows. Well, I fished up from the Klineline bridge hitting variouse holes with a bobber and jig and got a nice 16" cutthroat halfway up to the second bridge. Already counting the outing as a success, I continued making my way around the big pond/pool to the head, where a few nice looking runs awaited. I knew that steelhead would hold in these pools for awhile and I decided to take a chance and work the area hard with the jig. After crossing the creek into a fishy-looking run, I flipped my 1/4 ounce pink/white jig into the head of the run and let it slowly work it's way into the holding section of the pool. I guess the slow presentation worked because after about a 45 second swim in the water, my bright orange and chartruse float suddenly shot underwater. I set the hook, thinking that a massive cutthroat must have grabbed my jig, but upon feeling the strong bucking, twisting motion of a ticked off steelie, I was kinda shocked to say the least. Two leaps, three strong runs later I beached a six to eight pound hatchery buck on the beach, the pink and white jig firmly anchored in it's jaw. After dispatching the fish, I tossed the jig once again into the pool and two casts later connected again with a hatchery steelhead of about the same size. This one was a female so I decided to release it. Several more casts yeileded nothing so I switched to a mepps spinner and caught a little 13" cutthroat. With darkness falling I packed up my fish and headed to the car, getting some wide eyed looks from the diehard locals fishing Klineline as I walked by. God I love this sport...For anyone interested in fishing Salmon Creek, look for holding water and large eddys. Use bright flies, jigs and lures. Since these fish do not recieve much pressure from the angling community I would forgoe the use of bait. Move up or down the creek searching as these fish won't be stacked up like you see in the bigger rivers, but there are a few still in there. Tight Lines all.
