Wilson River report 1/7 & some thoughts

[troutmasta]

1/20 huh that's rough :bleh:

Who said we only landed one

 

[DrTheopolis]

1/2 Friday afternoon, a couple of other takedowns that didn't stay. Huge native released.

 

[jkyser01]

Heading out in the am, any suggestions?

 

[OnTheDrop]

Heading out in the am, any suggestions?

Fish up high on the river with a bobber and jig!

 

[ChezJfrey]

1/2 Friday afternoon, a couple of other takedowns that didn't stay. Huge native released.

Same here with the wild...went out to the Wilson this morning, water looked beautiful and thought for sure I'd end up 9 for 13 Instead, went 1 for 1, a fat, wild hen released.

 

[troutmasta]

Fish up high on the river with a bobber and jig!

Totes! Chez I'll Be At McIver In The AM Call ME...

 

[bubs]

1/1, 0/0, not sure how to count it, but all I hooked this morning on the Wilson was a big, surprisingly bright coho buck. He was a fighter! Somehow I landed him, but even though once I realized it was not a steelhead I tried to go real easy on him, my line must have wrapped around him during the fight and sliced his gill, because he basically bled out on me as I was trying to quickly cut the line to give him a chance (spinner was wedged deep in his lower mouth but def not the source of the bleeding). Kinda bummed me out so I stopped fishing and left.

Maybe it was this unfortunate fish plus the fact that it happened right where some morons had left a bunch of empty beer cans and other trash laying around, but as I was leaving I was thinking about how destructive fishing can sometimes be. I guess I'll look back on today as a reminder of this, and a reminder to be more mindful of minimizing unnecessary impact on the fishy world...

 

[rogerdodger]

Totes! Chez I'll Be At McIver In The AM Call ME...

make sure and finish your homework first! LOL, cheers, Prof. roger

 

[jkyser01]

Went out Sunday morn and started down by mills bridge. Didn't spend much time there cause by daybreak there were people everywhere. Worked by way up the river and hit every hole that wasn't full of cars. Worked on my bobber and jig technique with no success then switch to drifting a spin-glo. Surprise to no success. Worked a spinner over every hole after I fished it and surprise no success. Getting very frustrated. Can't figure out what I'm doing wrong, are there fish up high. I'm usually between mp 10-20. Love being out on the river but one fish in three years is starting to take its toll! can't seem to figure it out, I'm i just not being patience enough?

 

[bagold53]

Went out Sunday morn and started down by mills bridge. Didn't spend much time there cause by daybreak there were people everywhere. Worked by way up the river and hit every hole that wasn't full of cars. Worked on my bobber and jig technique with no success then switch to drifting a spin-glo. Surprise to no success. Worked a spinner over every hole after I fished it and surprise no success. Getting very frustrated. Can't figure out what I'm doing wrong, are there fish up high. I'm usually between mp 10-20. Love being out on the river but one fish in three years is starting to take its toll! can't seem to figure it out, I'm i just not being patience enough?

Steelhead will go all the way up. I have been seeing reports that it has been getting slow. So it might not be technique as much as the fish aren't biting. If your not sure if you are using the right technique Find a more knowledgeable person. After getting pointers from a guide I was able to land two nooks on the Trask by using what I had learned from SteelmonKiller.

 

[BaldTexan]

+1 on Steelmonkiller. I learned some new techniques salmon fishing with him because i had been having great success with spinners. I'm learning as I go by reading, watching successful "catchers" and spending a ton of time on the water, but when I fish somewhere that is heavily fished like the Wilson, I'll try something different from what others are all using and get up or down river from the pack flogging the water. That goes for pretty much any combat fishing. I'll be calling Steelmonkiller again next month to learn a bit more from someone experienced in this species and knowledgeable of the rivers. Money well spent for an old fart bass fisherman.

 

[jkyser01]

I guess the timing couldn't be better cause my dad just booked a drift boat trip on the Wilson for February for the two of us. It's with a guide he's used many times and is willing to share secrets. Hopefully he can point me in the right direction if I'm not already headed there myself

 

[OnTheDrop]

I guess the timing couldn't be better cause my dad just booked a drift boat trip on the Wilson for February for the two of us. It's with a guide he's used many times and is willing to share secrets. Hopefully he can point me in the right direction if I'm not already headed there myself

Very cool! Who's your guide?

The Steelhead go allllll the way up past MP 20. Keep at it

 

[jkyser01]

Dan Dettier I believe. Been on the willamete and in Tillamook bay with him. Dads been on quite a few more and he has always done really well with him. Me of course.....
But my luck will change soon, I'm sure of it

 

[halibuthitman]

The whole tilmook watershed is fishing better than it has in years, double digit days are common.. I have never seen the river small streams is speaking of fish as hot as it has been, on the next rain event call in sick and exploit the drop.. Good luck.