Winter fish?

[Sheepdog8404]

Just wondering if anyone has gotten into any winter fish yet on the American. I'm hoping the last couple rains have put the scent in the water and has coaxed some fish to head on up the system. Good luck to anyone heading out in search of some nice chrome!!!

Tight lines,
Gary

[winxp_man]

If you get out every morning don't be surprised if you hook one. But still a bit early. It's all about putting in time on the river. :)

[Langenbeck]

Here is a winter fish from Watt Avenue tonight
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/gordonl/imagejpg1_zps9ac15f2f.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/gordonl/media/imagejpg1_zps9ac15f2f.jpg.html)

Now that I got your attention it is really an early Rogue winter fish taken in December.

[Mark Kranhold]

Nice systems 2 reel Gordon, I have the 10/11. Oh and that is as chrome as they get, beautiful !

[Sheepdog8404]

Nice fish Gordon! I was freaking out till I saw that little last sentence.... You had me about ready to head down to Watt right now!

What'd you catch that guy on? San Juan worm and a bobber? lol

[Langenbeck]

Caught it bobber fishing with my bead head nymph. About 15 Dec and was the earliest winter fish I've taken on the Rogue.

[Rmacneil656]

Great Langenbeck hijacks . Way to provide helpful information to his question, I'm sure he was completely unaware that you catch lots of fish on the Rouge.

I have tried many times to get an early November fish on the American. I've heard of gear guys getting a few around late november, mostly up to at Nimbus. There are a few there but they are very few and far between. Especially with all of the salmon still being extra territorial.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Old Joe Shirshac says that you might be a winter run in December around Watt Avenue.

Check with Andy at Kiene's American Fly Fishing.

[STEELIES/26c3]

It used to be common to get a hot winter (9-12#) steelie in November on the lower AR....

but the drought and Nimbus hatchery management have changed that.

In fact, the drought and warmer water and CDFW's intention and actions have been for the last many years to get away from the Eel R. strain and produce something closer to the original, summer-run steelies which existed pre-1955. It's not at all practical but neither is expecting a wild, coastal strain of fish to travel 100 miles through a warm, deoxygenated, silted in, polluted and damned/dammed watershed to get to a river flowing at 500 cfs to be spawned artificially or try and spawn in artificial redds composed of 50% cobbles and 50% silt in 1 ft of water while flossers, snaggers and poachers are trying to prevent them from doing so...

That said... fish your arse off and you WILL find that needle in a haystack as Jeff, Andy or Kranhold Bros would call it~;)

[Mark Kranhold]

Lol, nice post Mark!! You hit the nail on the head. Hopefully they can find that strain or a strain that can work out for the A's conditions. I know it's been discussed for some time, just be nice to see it happen. Stopped by the hatchery yesterday and didn't see one steelhead in the ladders or holding pin, pretty sad because this time of year you will see some mixed in. Well, gots to go ... In search of needle !!

[Sheepdog8404]

It used to be common to get a hot winter (9-12#) steelie in November on the lower AR....

but the drought and Nimbus hatchery management have changed that.

In fact, the drought and warmer water and CDFW's intention and actions have been for the last many years to get away from the Eel R. strain and produce something closer to the original, summer-run steelies which existed pre-1955. It's not at all practical but neither is expecting a wild, coastal strain of fish to travel 100 miles through a warm, deoxygenated, silted in, polluted and damned/dammed watershed to get to a river flowing at 500 cfs to be spawned artificially or try and spawn in artificial redds composed of 50% cobbles and 50% silt in 1 ft of water while flossers, snaggers and poachers are trying to prevent them from doing so...

That said... fish your arse off and you WILL find that needle in a haystack as Jeff, Andy or Kranhold Bros would call it~;)

I keep trying to get out as often as possible to find that needle. It must be a tough year when even Andy and Mark K are having a difficult time finding some fish! Hopefully things will change very soon...

[Walter]

Unfortunately rivers like the Sacramento system have had like near 95% of outmigrating smolts die from at least two different years in a five year period. The fish are seriously Screwed.

[winxp_man]

With only 23 miles of river and no tributaries I don't know what kind of fish could make it much. The steelhead have to share the river with quite a few other species of animals and fish. Steelie, you and I once talked about this. And we both agreed that only so many numbers of fish can this river sustain. These fish need the cold stream water above Folsom ;)

Hope something gets figured out...

[hwchubb]

Gary,

Most years - not last year, probably not this year - some of the biggest fish of the season would enter the hatchery in Dec, usually a lot of fish in there by Christmas. I raised, and failed to land, two at Arden last December, and I believe Andy G. found several last Dec, I'll let him fill in the details. They are there normally, but 5-600 cfs doesn't encourage me this year. Still, an hour on the water beats an hour not on the water.

Wayne