What is the ONE fishing rule or practice you swear by? Carved in stone,never to be deviated from? Mine would have to be NEVER...EVER let someone else tie your knots. I've seen this happen too many times and it's resulted in lost fish! So what is yours?

1. Don't go without a hook file. EVER!
2. Any question about the leader? Change it.
3. Do you feel like you are going to catch a fish with your next cast? If you don't, you are right. Move or change tactics so you can be confident.
4. Always have a net in the boat big enough for the biggest fish in the river.
5. Somebody helped you learn how to catch fish. Make a point of sharing that knowledge with someone else at least once every day on the river.
6. Whenever possible, avoid return deadlines. If I tell my wife I'll be back when the fish stop biting", she knows it will be after dark.
7. A good fishing buddy is difficult to find. Learn to recognize the good ones and don't screw up the relationship.

I agree that making sure your knot is good and your line is not nicked up is the number one rule.

My pet peeve is to be organized and ready to fish before you get to the river. I make sure I'm dressed for fishing, have my vest all set up ( and on), and fishing pole all set up. All I need to do is get out, grab my pole and bait, and go fish.

Sorry, STEW, I must not know how to count.
(OSU alum)Hope I didn't screw up yer thread.

Snapset, great post! You didn't leave enough valid ones after that, so I will think of some silly little things that people often forget, and
could ruin the day without them.

- Wear pants
- Take a fishing rod (I actually forgot once -
never again).
- One word: eggs!
- Long rope (to hang yourself if you backlash more
than once - makes you more careful).
- High heel shoes (felt soled boots slip out from
under you on muddy slopes - I know! - and the
heels dig right in, that's what I've heard ).
- Bozo mask, to friggin fit right in at the Pacific City 'ramp hole',
and a lot of other crowded spots!
- Duct tape, to cover your license plate - and many other uses.

[ 11-15-2001: Message edited by: RT i ]

Always have plenty of leaders tied up in advance. When one has cold fingers is no time to have to tie them. Also agree with the "don't let anyone else tie your knots".

Never horse a fish after just losing the last one....Never horse on a losing streak.

the only good fishing partner is my dog spend the first 15 20 minutes on the rivers just taking a deep breath and getting to be onr with the river

Always pack out your trash! This one action,if done by everyone, would have the most positive effect on the resource and the overall quality of the fishing experience for everybody. Walk your talk, pack out your trash!

Always replace bent hooks. Ive lost too many fish on hooks Ive tried to "fix" after being bent.

Be observant, watch what others are using (especially if they are hooking up) and don't be afraid to ask questions. Seems to me like most fisherman are more than willing to share thier success and what they are using.

Be flexable, don't be afraid to try something different.

Good luck and tight lines, Jeff

I like to wash my hand's with joy soap before riggin up whether it's Steelhead fishin or salmon
fishin in the salt.I alway's wash up first,it has made a big differance in the past couple years.
Good luck,
STRIKE ZONE

1. Never try to untangle a rats nest around your terminal gear. It can take years. I always cut the hardware out and re-tie (with your pre-tied leaders).

I agree,definitely bend your own knots. have confidence in your fishing spots and dont be lazy change your leaders if they get chafed.We usually use 25- 50 mono for leaders for our fishing., usual every 3 or 4 fish

ALWAYS re-tie the knot on your plug clips before every trip!

I lost a big steelie on the Hoh a couple of years ago and a pretty nice sized silver this past Sunday. What's worse is the damn fished jumped a half dozen time right in front of the boat and we could see and hear the plug rattling in his mouth.

Kev

[ 11-15-2001: Message edited by: Kev ]

I have a fresh mono fetish. I usually respool my 2000 spinning reel with new line every 3rd trip. Baitcaster probably every 6 to 8 trips or if lose more than say 20% of my spool.

I do this for a few reasons. I can't stand a level spool that is not fully loaded. Fresh line casts much nicer. Hidden abrasions deeper in the spool may not always be detected until a fish takes you there.

I've had people comment that my practice is a waste of money. The way I see it the money that I save buying bulk spools offsets the cost in the long run. I can go a long time with bulk spools of 8,10,12& 15 #.

And yes animal lovers, I always dispose of my spent line in a responsible manner.

FJ...out.

I cut my leader after catching a fish so I do not reuse it and I retie my knots after catching a fish on a plug.

Giz..

Release Natives!

(but not this much rain)

Ditto GutZ, if it's got an adipose fin, it goes back in the water, no exceptions If it was played hard, take the necessary time to revive the fish.

Check twice before hopping out of the boat. I've had two too many dunkings in cold rivers. And no, I'm not a smart man.

Have everything ready to go before a fishing trip. All in one spot or in the car.

Have your vest all organized ready to fish.

Have a bunch of leaders with nothing but hooks. Who knows what they are biting when you get there. It is much easier putting them on once you are there than trying to pull off corkies and yarn becaue it's a different color or having them all rigged and having so many different leader styles that you need an additional back pack of leaders.

wow, good question. Is anybody out there superstitious when it comes to fishing? Ive got a routine that will help your catch rates increase by 47.5%. The first step is simple and not as important as the second process. OK, first step is getting your crap(gear) out the door, forget about what shape its in or if your eggs are freezer burnt. OK, now the process:

Upon entering a crowded section of river:
1) Clap your hands three times to get attention of fellow fisherman
2) Reach down and take a pinch of sand
3) Sprinke sand down the front of your waders
4) Do the "icky shuffle" (bounce on one foot approximatley 3 times and then immediatly repeat with other foot.
5) Yell a bunch of gyberish nobody will understand

- Proceed to river

NEVER leave fish to find fish!
This is my brother in law to a T right MAjor Brown..
If someone catches a fish he is ready to go.. like there is only one bitter per hole...

TH

www.thcustomrods.com

If you say you are going fishing with me ya better show or you will never be invited again. If you can't make let me know the night before.

1. always have plenty of leaders.
2. Gear is always inspected, prepped and packed the night before.
3. If meeting fishing partners; explain that they get a 10 minute grace period to show, if not, you are leaving, no ifs ands or buts, i will never be late to the river!!(have left plenty of friends before)
4. Always carry TP in the backpack

This has happened to me twice now. Everytime I don't bring toilet paper I always end up having to go once I get out fishing. The one time I had to go so bad that I just threw my rod and tackle box into the bushes and ran as fast as I could without letting loose. I was only about 6-7 minutes from the toilet paper in my car, but it felt like an eternity. Anyways, always bring TP with you!

~ Dr Pepper

Dr. P,

That's technically refered to as the "procrastinated 'tape' dash".

All of us have been there, done that. And we don't learn. Kinda like the Saturday night party drinking - "Oh gawd, I'll never do this again". Ah huh.

You absolutely WILL NOT catch a fish sitting in front of a computer talking about it.

Wild steelhead should absolutely be released.

Any other "rule" has an exception or twenty.

Fish on...

Todd.

Hook file....... never leavehome without it. This is my answer to the original post....

RT... Why are your posts better when they appear after midnight? JK

Fish Jesus... Don't throw away that old line when you re-spool...Most times most of that line has not seen the sun or the water... wind it on to leader spools..lots cheaper that buying them and saves the land fills...

Dr. Pepper.. I hear ya....years ago and I mean 15 plus, in a hole called two bit soen here in Oregon ther was a great bite, soooo I launched the boat about 2 hours before o dark thirty (don't do this anymore) to get a good spot for the next day.... well about an hour before light i had to shi#. not a matter of when, but where.... ended up using shrimp containers..... some freinds still remind me of that once in awahile........ to this day. I never go fishing without some Bu$$ wipe in my back pocket

[ 11-16-2001: Message edited by: Fishbait ]

nobody baits my hook but me.

Shrimp containers? You must have great aim. I'd need a rear view mirror to pull that one off.
I'm not even trying picture that one!
Was your shooting percentage worthy of a tryout for the Sups?

FJ.. out.

So Fishbait, that bankie that told us he saw you using dollar bills to wipe your a$$ was telling the truth! Gee, biz must be real good, eh? Yay for those low interest rates. So one of your absolutes is to bring 'dough'; one way or the other.

As for better posts after midnight ... an absolute also. The family and pets are asleep and most guys are off their computers. So I have my thoughts and the BB to myself (except for playing games with Petz ) ; along with working on my book and other projects between posting urges.

RT

[ 11-17-2001: Message edited by: RT i ]

RT 1, Fishbait quotes: I had to take a shi#. Not a
matter of when but where to go, ended up using shrimp containers. What are people to assume?

If Fishbait wanted to say that he used shrimp containers for a** wipe then why didn't he just plainly state that?

FJ...out

I'll be honest here, I can't believe guys get caught up in little things. gear fishing for steelhead seems to have changed a lot since I did much of it (the 80's). It seems that run timings are much much smaller and decent fisheries are few and far between.
I remember having it not be uncommon to catch several fish a day. The rivers here in southwest washington, other than the Kalama and the cowlitz basically suck!

My biggest piece of advise is fish rivers that don't suck!

FJ, I assume Fishbait meant he wasn't about to leave the spot in the '2 bit' hole they had earned, just for a sh!$. So I think he used the shrimp containers as miniture latreens right in the boat. Containers plural - probably a lot of them in quick change fashion; like an old 'I Love Lucy' show. The only thing I'm wondering is if he had the sense to put the shrimp elsewhere first. Not sure with Fishbait ...