Primetime Kootenay lake is on. Excellent fishing for Gerrard's. Water temp is in the low 50's which is prime. Most days out getting fish over 10 lbs or multiple fish over 10lbs.

I had Randy and Vicki up from Spokane, and of course first thing in the morning I'm telling them how great the fishing has been. Ya! most days getting rainbows over 10lbs, should be a great day! So out we go and I set up the rods. Nothing for 3 hrs, and I'm starting to look a little silly. Oh well, wasn't the first time, and won't be the last time I'm sure. Just keep on talking Brad and don't let them see you sweat. Randy called it bonding time.

Then we get one around 3lbs, so that breaks the ice. Great here we go, the bite is on.

Nothing for a couple of hours. You got to be kidding me. Well hang on guys it's going to be an evening bite I guess. So we wait them out.

At 3:00pm, the guide is getting a little grumpy, and tired of changing out flies, apexs and plugs, when the root bear on the planer board pulls back hard, and my song starts playing on the Shimano. A great battle, with lots of arials, and we land a 9 lb rainbow. Great, awesome, now our spirits are lifted, but it's still not over 10lbs. So I fix up the fly and put it back out on the board. Ten minutes later the exact thing happens, and we land a 7 lber. This catching is more fun than fishing, lets do it again says Randy!

So out goes the root bear on the planer board. It seems to be the flavor of the day, so I put one out straight behind the boat. Ten minutes later the root bear straight back starts ripping, and then it shifts into second gear, and starts screaming. We got a big one I yell, and hand the rod to Randy.

What a great battle. Lots of power. This is obviously the big fish we've been looking for! After about ten minutes of fighting on the top, the big fish goes deep. Before we know it the fish is straight below the boat. Randy looks at his line counter, and it show's 180ft. straight down. The big guy just holds there, and won't come up. It takes alot of work and about another 10 minutes for Randy to work him up again to the surface. We see the big red stripe on his side, and then he tears off again. Randy works him back for one last time and I slip him into the net. Now that's how you end the day!!!!!

We take some quick pictures, and Randy says.... I knew a guy years ago that told me he released a 20lb rainbow from Kootenay Lake, and I thought he was nuts!! But now that I've seen one of these beautiful monster rainbows, I want to let him go back too. And with that we put him back and let him swim for another day. Thanks Randy and Vicki!!

Lets go fishing!! Drop me a line and we'll plan a great trip, and a great adventure! Maybe we'll even get some bonding time in. Ha!

Tight Lines ... Brad Stubbs
www.kootenaykingfisher.com