Okay, it's and average day on the river. Water conditions are good, fish are in the river, (someplace), your on the bank not in a boat.
First, how do you choose a section on the river ??
Second, how much time do you spend working a hole ??
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Please indicate if your on the coast, in the southwest, northern, eastern or Puget Sound region of the state as I think it makes a difference.
I am in Puget Sound, and I truly think I'm loosing it because I have not hit a fish this year.
J.D. Love, if you see this, it is your old buddie from long ago and Leckenby asking.

First I will fish at a location that I have been told about or have fished before, knowing fish could be there.


Time spent on a hole? I belive it depends on what type of presentation you choose. Spoons work faster in good water. Slow drifts and eggs take a little more time.
I spend no more that half hour at a good sized hole. But if I see fish at holes rolling and finning.
I will spend 2 hrs if need be.
I am also in the Puget Sound region and have not done too well this year.
I think some of our P.S region rivers need to be shut down for a few years. No nets and sport fishing!I hope the rivers will pick up but the numbers of fish just are not there. Tightlines.

Steelheader #1,
I fish mainly the Wynoochee, Humptulips, Satsop, Queets, etc... I fish quite often and consider myself pretty good at it. I rarely go home without touching a fish. I don't fish all the light for winter runs, I fish 12 pound main line and 10 leaders, I usually run #2 hooks and real small baits. If the water is clear I fish 4's. I can usually pick up fish when no one else can. I go by one rule of thumb and that is don't pound a hole if you don't see fish caught withing the first 2 hours. You have to be versatle. Don't just fish eggs and a cheater all day, if eggs aren't working move onto shrimp or artificial bait. I like to fish holes that there are no real signs of previous fishing. If I can see fish in a run but can't buy a strike, I leave that water and fish another run for a while, then go back to the previous run and see if I can't get those fish to pick up something. Another thing is, that if you see people snagging fish in a certain run, those fish are going to be hard to pick up. Also try new things, perhaps try a Steelhead Solution rag or jig, hehe just a thought.

Andy

Rivernut,
I am all for shutting certain rivers down for a few years, but not all the rivers at once. Ask Bob how he would feel about that one. I also feel that no matter how hard we try to improve our fisheries, we are fighting a non stop battle with not only the Indians, but the comercial, and to make the matters worse, now it looks like the Fish and Game. The Chehalis river program sucks, and will continue to suck for many years to come! The Wishkah river fish, salmon and Steelhead smolts aren't released at the hatchery anymore, they are released at the net pens at the mouth, now I have heard they are cutting the Wishkah completely out of the Chehalis program. What a bunch of crap. A river that only gets 35,000 plants anyways is getting shut down? What am I missing? Am I the only one that feels this way? just my 2 bits about the State way or handling.

Andy

First off, I choose a section of river that I already know well, if I am fishing local rivers.Local for me by the way is NW Oregon coast. I spend 2-4 days a week fishing so I have favorite spots on most of the rivers I fish. Alot of times knowledge of which areas fish well at a certain level is important, that is #1. I do not flock to the crowds-they can have the hatchery water! My thing is to stay mobile!! I never fish a hole more than an hour-period!! Unless I am hooking a fish every 15-20 minutes or situations warrant the time.That is rare. I too rarely come home without having had something pull on my line-but, I know when to stay home too!! Versatilty/mobility is the key to my success. I often times carry 2 poles so I can fish jigs,bobber and bait, spinners/spoons,drifters whatever I want without having to spend to much time re-rigging my outfit. TIP: Fish the ugliest water w/yarn-only costs you a hook and the fish gotta come through it! Sometimes that the only fish of the day.

Crayfin

I am a maggot only half the time. If I want a wilderness experience, I'll take a boat ride down the river. But, as a maggot in December and January I usually "make like a tree and grow roots," i.e. pound that hatchery gate until something breathes my offering in. Sometimes If it gets a little cozy, or if I have grampa crossing my line, I'll meander down to the tailout for a sabbatical. Yet I firmly believe in pounding the "meat" of hatchery holes. Occasionaly I'll see some dude working the odd water catch the odd fish. But that is more often than not the exceptional fish rather than the rule. Places such as the confluence of the Hump/Stevens Creek, Calawah/Bogey ponds and Rieter; very rarely will I pound these areas all day and not get at least a strike.

On the peninsula I'll usually go 16 lb Ande mainline and 12 lb ultragreen leaders with 2/0 Gammies. I always use bait with a rag or cheater to top it off. In town I'll scale down to 10 lb Stren mainline and 8 lb ultragreen leaders with a #2 or #1 Gammy. Corkie/yarn with or w/o bait and floats and jigs are usually the ticket. The reason for such big stuff so early in the season on the peninsula? I have had too many hatchery infiltrators rip me a new one while playing around with the peninsula's brats.

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." -- Mom

Steelheader#1
I live in S.E. Wa, and primarily fish small rivers (Skookumchuck size). to pick an area, I have about a mile long stretch of several rivers I have gotten to know intimately. Every rock, slot, tree limb etc.Alot can be said for knowing where the fish will be on a small river.
I move along fairly quickly, and target agressive fish. Try to move either bait or lure through every two feet of fishable water, and if nothing happens, on to next spot. Get a lot of fish between holes in small moving slots.

hey Steelheader#1, just spend time on your river of choice. In my opinion your best bet if you are unfamiliar with the river, is to choose a method that allows you to cover water fairly fast targeting the more aggressive fish. Before you make your first cast take note of the water height, visibility and temp.what about the current weather pattern? think of as many variables as you can and refer back to what you've read in magazines, what other fishermen have taught you, and your own past experiences. then focus on covering as much water as you comfortably can.
I fish the North coast a lot and even though I know the rivers well I still prefer to cover the water fast 90% of the time. I live in Puget Sound area and fish as many of them as I can too, therefore other than the Sky I don't know any of them real well. tip: unless the water is low and clear and the sun is bright, you will have better sucess fishing lures that trigger aggressive reaction strikes like spinners, spoons and plugs. These types of lures are also condusive to fishing faster and turning over more rocks. Good Luck!

Thanks to all.

Great advice and a timely question since some of the more popular terminals have been closed due to poor hatchery returns.

My observations:

My home river is the Skykomish. Pick a river that consistently holds a lot of fish and learn several holes on that river rather than fish many different streams. Although this cuts down on variety, knowing a single productive stream very well will pay off more than knowing several streams not so well.

At the terminals, grow roots and don't be afraid to pound it all day. This is where the fish congregate. Because of the pressure at these areas, the fish tend to be less aggressive; using smaller, less bright presentations tend to perform better.

Fishing non-terminals, I guess I'm in with the 2 hour folks as opposed to the half hour folks. This may be because I tend to fish larger streams and it takes more time to cover the water. If any fish at all have been taken, consider spending more time in the drift. Steelhead rarely travel alone.

For hatchery brats make sure you fish the soft seams. The brats are smaller(especially this year) so don't want the heavy currents that the nates may be found in. Its often more efficient to fish these areas with a float. Unless I'm doing a lot of hiking, I usually carry 2 rods, one rigged for drifting, and the other with a float.

For nates, I can fish a productive hole for 3-4 hours. Nates hold a lot more and spawn throughout healthy streams. My favorite nate hole is one that many will fish for 45 minutes and move on, while I've hit 2 or 3 over a 4 hour period. With nates I often will make a pass with drift gear in the main drift, make another pass with floats on the inside seam, than make another pass with hardware.

tight lines

I agree with what obsessed said. I live in NE Tacoma but fish primarly the Chehalis system focusing on the 'Nooch. I pretty much do exactly like he does on rivers. I like to be in some sort of boat on rivers though. I hate being hit with lots of people like at hatcheries. Some of you may like to hit them, I HATE them. Of course you get fish there, but most I've seen and caught there are a bit soft and old. You get the occasional solid one, but for most part unless the hatchery is only a couple miles upstream from mouth these fish have been in the river for days. I just want to say right on to obsessed and hope Steelheader will hit the fish. I haven't had that great of year either, but haven't had a bad one either. It's been at the average mark here. tight lines.....

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Steelheader.....become one with the fish! Think---I AM THE FISH--. River in good shape, average. Cold or unusually warm? Then i seek out deeper holes, it helps me regulate. Average h2o clearity or bright and sunny out? Then Iam where you can't see me so easy. River is high and brown then Iam in the soft, shallow h2o saving energy. I love to eat just dont keep serving me the same oi' stuff, variety is the spice of life. You put some eggs in my nose I'll let it go past 100X, but yu put some prawns, nightcrawlers, shrimp.......Iam comin at ya! Get the picture FISH ON!

I usually fish from the bank 90% of the time. Olympic Peninsula

First I choose my section of river by determing what type of fish I am trying to catch. (hatchery, native, holding fish or run fish)Knowing which type of fish gives me the best shot at catching that day. Off to that section I go, provided river conditions are met. River conditions often dictate what type of fish I am chasing.

Second.. I fish as long as I need to depending on the type of fish I am after. It can vary from one cast to hundreds.

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Marty
www.steelheader.net
marty@steelheader.net