Steelhead 2022 show OFF

[O. mykiss]

This year is an exception it seems.
Talked to a guide that landed 6 and 4 were clipped. This year seems to have a lot of clipped fish. 2 of my 6 this season have been clipped. It's nice to take a few home.

I use to fish down around Elkton close to 10 times a winter, I can only remember catching two hatchery fish in all the years.

 

[Cohobolo]

Wild fish released Sunday. Can't complain about the weather.

 

[jamisonace]

I have a newfound respect for bank anglers after this afternoon. I worked on the coast today and after my last appt I had an hour to kill on the river before heading back over the mountains. I am not a bankie and therefore I don't know the bankie spots to fish but I drove upstream looking for pull outs and there were vehicles all over the place. I was pretty desperate to wet a line so as I drove back down I was looking for anything to fish. I pulled over at one spot and looked over the edge at what was a nice gravel bar and good looking water. It was accessible from the bank but I noticed some more water that looked even better upstream. I drove up there and looked over the bank and it looked great. Problem was the 100' of steep bank to get down to it. It was doable but this fat a$$ in fishing waders doesn't do steep banks very well. Nonetheless it looked too good to pass up so down I went. I made it down OK and had about 3 centimeters of crumbling bank to stand on so things were looking good. I made about three casts into this run and hooked my first of three. This one made it to the bank but the next one broke me off and the third one slipped off. I don't get too upset about lost fish most of the time and I was just happy to hook and play these fish as long as I did but I definitely learned that getting fish to the bank is not the same as getting them to a boat. So hats off to all the bankies reading this. I'll drift over your holes a little less from now on.

This guy was a little on the dark side but given it was a buck I was pretty sure it would cut nicely.

 

[C_Run]

Way to persevere. Those steep banks add up after a long day. I find myself ,with each passing year, skipping more spots that I used to fish , especially the real long steep hikes down and back up. Sigh.

 

[Trout Slayer_7]

Went 1/3 today on the fly rod.

 

[Shaun Solomon]

Nice. I have this odd idea that unless you catch a trout on a fly rod it doesn't count.

 

[jamisonace]

Nice. I have this odd idea that unless you catch a trout on a fly rod it doesn't count.

I hate to admit it but there is something special about swinging a dry fly for summer steelhead but unless you're swinging flies, fly fishing for steelheadhas come to include a slip bobber, a lead weight and a soft bead.

 

[Shaun Solomon]

…on a fly rod?

 

[jamisonace]

…on a fly rod?

Of course and I get it. It's the only way to do it in some water. I caught dozens of steelhead drifting colored beads of glue affixed straight to the hook under a (strike indicator) bobber before I started fishing gear.

 

[Shaun Solomon]

Nah I’m just stupid about it. It doesn’t matter. It’s just where I’m at with it.

I just like how it forces you to meet them on their terms. I use all types of gear, except center pins, which I am curious about.

Fly rods and moving water are a thing for me… they enabled me to enjoy fishing for trout. But again, whatever. Who cares, you know?

 

[OnlyFins]

I'm so happy to see someone catching steelhead on the fly, I just started trying this year but I haven't even had a bite in 6 outings. I'm excited to keep trying until I crack the code.

 

[jamisonace]

With low and clear water the Umpqua has slowed waaaaaay down. Tuesday I took an advertising client of mine and his cousin. His cousin had never caught a steelhead and we took care of that first thing in the morning but that was it for the rest of the day. I hadn't been on the Umpqua for a week so I was a bit surprised how tough it was. I decided to just hit one short stretch yesterday and today for about an hour and a half. Yesterday I landed the nice buck. I estimated its weight at about 12 pounds. Had one bite this morning that didn't stick. Not sure if the fish aren't there or if they're put down by the conditions.

 

[jamisonace]

My buddy came down from Eugene to help me install a cooktop vent and hang crown molding in my kitchen. We finished early today so we went to the river for a couple hours. Fishing is still slow but there are signs of life. We hooked this one and saw two guide boats hook one each too.

 

[jamisonace]

Still slow out there but made a sales call into a fishing trip. Unfortunately I got the fish. My client took a dang nice photo though!

 

[DOKF]

Nice fish. What caused the gash on the tail section? Narrow escape from a sea lion?

 

[Shaun Solomon]

I’ll buy it! Good stuff.

 

[pcstock]

Still slow out there but made a sales call into a fishing trip. Unfortunately I got the fish. My client took a dang nice photo though!

What is your business?

 

[O. mykiss]

Nice buck, escaped the gauntlet of seals and sea lions in Winchester bay

 

[jamisonace]

What is your business?

I run internet marketing campaigns for small businesses.

 

[jamisonace]

Nice buck, escaped the gauntlet of seals and sea lions in Winchester bay

I can't believe how many fish have scars from predators. Seems like most have tangled with something.