Charlie caught a steelhead

Charlie caught a steelhead with a herring Saturday.

Here's Charlie!

Got my license this morning and a dozen roach minnows, and headed down to the pier for a couple of hours. The browns are in and so are the smelt. Charlie had just gotten down there too. I haven't seen him for a couple of weeks and he had plenty to tell me about. He said he had been in the hospital again recently, has a clogged artery in his neck and he's going back in for another surgery. The dude is only 60 and has had everything from a hip replacement to a steel plate in his head, but thankfully he's still able to fish.
Charlie is a legend of sorts on Pratt Pier and one of those people who seem to know everyone in the neighborhood. He has been fishing the pier for over 20 years and is somewhat of a guru to just about everyone who has ever brought a pole out there. He introduced me to fishing with tawilis, which is some kind of smelt or small fish that you can get at any of the Mexican markets around Rogers Park. Apparently everything from Browns to Rainbows bite on these things.