REPORT: Annual Winter SH Trip

[Bruce Berman]

Spent 21 days steelheading this season and was greatly disappointed. I was hoping to land AT LEAST 25 fish and ended up with 10 on my steelhead card. This was my worst success rate in 8 years of steelheading.

I fished the Russian, Mad, Trinity, American and a coastal from the end of Jan. 'til the third week of Feb.

Carl turned me on to the Russian (thanks Carl), which was muddy most years I've fished in NorCal (started in 2002). The water in late Jan. was low and crystal clear and the Russian was in great shape. I only spent a day there, fighting with the sea lions and seeing no fish hooked by a handful of fly guys.

The Mad had been good to me in the past, so I headed up there. I caught most of my fish on that river, but it was not nearly as rewarding as it had been in past years. Even the gear guys were complaining.

One of my buddies introduced me to Bruce S. who gave me some great advice on tactics. The next day I hooked into (but didn't land) a steelie on a coastal that I'd fished at least 6 times prior without so much as a grab. I did manage to land my first sea run cut there, about 13". Not much of a fight on an 8 wt. though.

Then the rains came and blew out the Mad and the coastals.

I had some success on the Trinity, but the fishing was hit or miss. The big surprise was the American. That's the river where I caught my first steelie and I ALWAYS hook into fish there on my winter trips. I only landed one this year.

At least part of the problem was with me. I should have swung more and indicator fished less. I should have moved to other rivers instead of sticking with waters that had been good to me in the past. I'm not a great steelheader but I'm not a lousy one either. I felt like I should have hooked-up more.

Yeah, I had a great time with a number of buddies but, for me it's about the fish too, and I came away a little unfulfilled. (That's why they call it "fishing", right?)

I'm wondering if the jury is in yet. Was this a year of lousy or less than average returns? (Or was I just a total loser this year). Is there some way I can find out about the runs?

[Dustin Revel]

a half a fish a day is not a bad average (depending how much time you spent in jc). the best way for me to feel fulfilled on the coast is to expect failure.

congrats on hooking a steelie there (the place where you caught the searun cut) I've been up there three times when the water was perfect and have come away empty handed, but it sure is beautiful. were you swinging or nymphing?

btw most of the gear guys on the mad don"t know how to fish.. they sure do know to line em though... i genereally outfish them... thats why they glare at fly fishermen

[Bruce Berman]

NO time in JC. I keep forgetting to contact you to ask, did you and two other buddies hit the T around DC about 3 weeks ago, and one buddy fell in on the way back to your car, and there were 2 good looking older guys who had just pulled up when you three reached your car? AND, you (or whoever those 3 young guys were) had a fantastic morning? Was this you, Dustin, whom I've been trying to meet for 3 years and might have unknowingly spoken to?

The guys I talked to on the Mad said they were landing many fewer fish than they normally would. I stayed away from the hatchery area more than on previous trips.

As to the coastal, I was casting glo bugs on a weighted 9 foot leader, no bobicator, and fishing tight to the bank. Bruce S. told me to be prepared to lose 25 flies. I lost 12.

Maybe I'd have caught more fish if I lost more flies?

[shawn kempkes]

As to the coastal, I was casting glo bugs on a weighted 9 foot leader, no bobicator, and fishing tight to the bank. Bruce S. told me to be prepared to lose 25 flies. I lost 12.
[/QUOTE]


Geez Bruce first you use 16 oz jigs under an Indicator, Now you admit to side drifting glo
bugs. Whats next are you going to start plunking? lol

I know several guys on here that will take that Burkheimer you have and put it to good use.

[Rick J]

I think runs are down all across the board - for sure the fall runs were off on the Klamath and I think this goes far north also. But a steelhead every other day is really very good for winter steelheading. Maybe not like the glory days when the fish stacked up on the Mad but that is one river I don't fish much anymore though there are some places you can get away from the masses! A very many years ago when the Mad hatchery was really producing, my friend George Stradiota ("the socializer") hooked over 700 steelehead in one winter season.

[Bruce Berman]

Rick, most of the rivers I fished produce hatchery dinks, besides the wild runs, and in every year since 2002 I'd done much better than a fish landed every other day.

I do fish with "the crowds" in spots that are known to produce and also in lone areas. This year some of the traditionally crowded, best producing spots were pretty much devoid of other fishermen and fish.

With the condition of the salmon runs being so pitiful, I'm wondering if we're seeing something to be concerned about. I know the "glory days" are gone, but until 2009 fishing wasn't bad.

Shawn, if you keep that up, next time I see you I'll "put that Burkheimer to good use"...although it might hurt a little.

[Covelo]

I know the "glory days" are gone, but until 2009 fishing wasn't bad.

An appropriate quote from over at the iFish forum reads

"A curious thing happens when fish stocks decline: People who are not aware of the old levels accept the new ones as normal. Over generations, societies adjust their expectations downward to match prevailing conditions."

He attributes the quote to Kennedy Wame

[Dustin Revel]

you definately didn't see me around dc this winter... I'm kinda a coastal snob these days

[Bruce Berman]

Covelo,

I hear ya, but can a man know that which he has never experienced?

You can read about how good it WAS but everything is measured by our own lives.

But I agree. I'm sure steelhead were not the fish of a thousand casts until the 60's or 70's.

[Covelo]

Certainly not and I meant nothing personal with the statement. Your comment just kind of struck me cause what we call good fishing now really is not that good and what we call poor fishing is just pitiful.

[Bruce Berman]

Covelo,

Check your PM.

[dpentoney]

Covelo,

I hear ya, but can a man know that which he has never experienced?

You can read about how good it WAS but everything is measured by our own lives.

But I agree. I'm sure steelhead were not the fish of a thousand casts until the 60's or 70's.

The "fish of a thousand casts" might be one of the saddest things I've ever heard, and I NEVER heard that in the '60s or '70s. I was thinking of that expression the other day while driving, and thinking back to a day when I was in high school. I stepped in the water at 6:45 a.m., and was in the car driving to school at 8:00 a.m. in order to make a test. I was swinging fall favorites below the mouth of the Van Duzen. I released 8 steelhead from 6-12 lbs. and had 4 on that came unbuttoned. I made three drifts that morning without hooking fish. 12 hookups on 15 casts! That was an exceptional morning, and the most action I ever had in a short period of time. But there were lots of other days when I caught and released more when I was able to fish longer. Even in those days, which we thought were great, there were guys who had hung up their gear, as it "wasn't good anymore".