Why are steelheaders so passionate?

[Bruce Berman]

Didn't want to usurp Bill's thread so I started this one. I've been thinking about this all day after the subject came up on Bill's thread.

I can only think of one reason.

Since anadromous fish aren't resident fish, it can be hit or miss in the best of times. Combine that with a species that is on the decline almost everywhere, to the point where they're dubbed the "fish of a thousand casts" and you have a lot of guys fishing their butts off for very infrequent rewards. A single fish can make or break a day, even an entire fishing trip.

With limited water and fish, steelheaders get extremely possessive and secretive about their "spots". Understandably, they get upset when anyone puts out any info that may impact their body count later in the season.

That's all I can come up with. The closest I've seen to steelheaders are striped bass guys, but they're not going after a fish of a thousand casts, and aren't nearly as ornery.

[Ed Wahl]

We'd need to separate passionate from rude. Bill was being diplomatic.

Ed

[jbird]

I honestly dont know. However, with the evolving techniques they are certainly no longer the fish of 1000 casts. There are many steelheaders playing the game now that rarely get skunked. Which brings us to technique discrimination, which is rampant among steelheaders. I think steelheaders would ultimately kill each other if locked in a room together.

[Dustin Revel]

jbird,
if you look at any coastal steelheader's card there will still be plenty of goose eggs. I just recently saw a report card that was completely filled in with zeroes. I believe the opposite is true. dwindling runs have caused many fisherman to implement more effective methods and the old school fishermen look down on them for doing so. They look at it like the bobber fishermen are taking the easy way out, and i guess we are to some degree. I try to respect some of the old time legends' methods on certain rivers by not "adulterating" (for lack of a better term) them by using a bobber.

as for your steelheaders locked in a room scenario... that sounds like to much scotch and clam chowder for me ;)

D

[Bob Laskodi]

"""dwindling runs have caused many fisherman to implement more effective methods and the old school fishermen look down on them for doing so"""
"""We'd need to separate passionate from rude. Bill was being diplomatic"""
"""I think steelheaders would ultimately kill each other if locked in a room together."""
"""Steelhead fly fishing seems to breed big egos and arrogant "know it alls". """
Gotta say I agree with all these gentlemen!!!! Especially Bill's eloquent and precise comment!!!!

[wjorg]

The fisherman I know who lose passion or have little to begin with have little staying power to chase after steelhead. Its probably a trait that natural selection selects for or against in various circumstances and environments. One might argue that a bi-polar individual might be better suited for the rigors of hunting and foraging....