well, i had to give it a shot, i've never fished the skykomish and yesterday was my first trip ever. well, even though i didn't land a fish it was one of the best winter steelhead days i've had in a long time! I hooked 5 winter chromers and not a one made it to the bank! i was useing bobber and bait and hooked 4 and then ran out of eggs so i tried a jig and hooked my 5th fish on that, the 5th fish making it almost to the bank before she decided to swim free. the only reason i can think of for not being able to keep the fish on is the fact that i wasn't setting the hook as hard as i normally would, don't ask me why i think it was just i was new to the river and wasn't in that hooksetting zone that i normally am. i won't make that mistake next time! tight lines everyone, and make sure to set the hook extra hard!

Reading your post was like deja vu...I floated the Sky yesterday with a buddy who is a strong advocate of baitless fishing. To add to the irony, I couldn't find sandshrimp anywhere. I started out drifting a Wigglespin with yarn and shrimp oil, expecting a slow day.
I hit 3 fish in the first 500 yards and lost all 3.
0 for 3.
What is Reiter putting in these fishes mouths? Titanium? Hook looked like it might have taken a little ding so I changed it out.
Then the weather got better and we didn't hit another fish.
I've never lost 3 in a row before.
I am usually playing the fish from the bank. Does the elevation of the boat make a difference?
I'm guessing it was the hook but my experience was so similar to yours that I felt compelled to reply.

i don't know what it was, but my only guess is that i just wasn't setting the hook hard enough. but, i did stop and buy some new hooks on the way home. I don't know if i've ever lost 5 fish in a row, was surely frustrating, but on the other hand i haven't had too many days of winter steelhead fishing where i can say i hooked 5 fish. was sure fun though, only wish i could have brought a couple to the bank. well, there is always next time!

I wouldn't worry too much, sometimes it just goes that way. I was out the weekend before Thanksgiving and went 1-4. Frustrated, I made a few mental notes about what had happened.

Next weekend we went to the same river, with the same gear and I went 7-8. After thinking about it on the way home, I came to the conclusion that nothing had changed except my luck. The bite, hookset, gear, was the same. The cards just fell differently.

The good part is, you're still smiling even after losing 5 fish.

Sorry to hear about your loss. Also fished the Sky Saturday, had a great day hooking 3 and landing 3. One of those lucky days. Last week I couldnt get one into the boat lost 2 for 2. Not sure what was different, but thats fishing.

heck ya i'm still smileing! like i said i haven't had a metal head day like that for quite awhile! the best part was that i had never fished the river before. I think that was the most shocking thing for me, going to an unknown river (to me) and hooking fish my first trip, dosen't happen too often. sure made for lots of knee knocking excitment. long drive though, not sure i'll be able to make it down there again for awhile.

God made them with STEEL and named it steelhead.

Sky must be hot

[ 12-10-2001: Message edited by: UltimateFeashKacher ]

I always like to say:

"It's better to have hooked and lost, then not to have hooked at all."

To me, that's the best part about fishing. The bite and hookset. I just love feeling that "bite" on drift gear and setting the hook. Anything past that is just gravey.