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Thread: CRIMES AGAINST THE AMERICAN RIVER!

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Sacramento
    Posts
    2

    Default CRIMES AGAINST THE AMERICAN RIVER!

    Okay, I just can't take it anymore and have to get this off my chest (this has been building for a loooooong time, so I'll apologize in advance for the following rant).

    I'm so, so, so sick and tired of seeing guys fish for spawners off the redds in this river! Spawner steelhead are a rare commodity around here and need to been left the hell alone! This practice is unacceptable, vile and reprehensible...

    Surprisingly, the major culprits have been fly anglers lately. Almost daily, there have been 1-3 guys standing in the riffle below the Sunrise walk bridge ("Jim's Bridge"), sight casting to bedding fish. It's obvious what these guys are doing -- they'll stand like herons in the water, sometimes not making a cast for several minutes...until they spot a fish.

    Then, it's a quick 20-foot cast into 6 inches of water and then..boom..fish on. The fights typically last only a few moments as the dark, tired fish get dragged without ceremony off the nests. The "angler" then usually pulls the fish to the rocks and, with chest puffed out, releases it.

    Nice work, amigo. You must be so proud!

    These bed rapers are generally using nymphs and indicators, so I'm not going to say that the fish aren't biting, but I do have my doubts. Last Friday, I got so tired of watching a guy tromp all over the redds and line fish with a dry line and a very big splitshot 12 inches above his fly, I had to say something.

    "Dude, those are all spawners...it's probably best to leave them alone," I said, trying to be as polite as possible, though I was seething by the time he dragged his third fish off the beds in about 10 minutes.

    And that's when he turned around and gave me the finger.

    Okay, Mr. Blonde guy, so that's how you want to play it, eh? I had clients in the boat that morning so I bit my lip at your little gesture...but I won't be so friendly next time when I'm out fun fishing.

    The other place that bed fishing is rampant is up at the island between upper and lower Sunrise. Fly and gear guys alike stack up there when the water's higher to pound that spot. Again...those fish in the side channel on the south side are spawners -- give 'em a wide berth and try to actually get a fresh fish to eat what you're throwing. DFG should just close that 200-yard section to all fishing all the time.

    Okay, I've said my two cents worth. Again, I just hate to see our local resources raped. I know the guys doing this stuff are the vast minority but the rest of us need to police our own, I guess. Typically peer pressure works pretty well. And then there's always CalTip. I just wish they were quicker on the uptake...

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Woodland
    Posts
    556

    Default

    Well said JD. That crap goes on on the time. I've seen members of this board doing exactly that in the past. Pretty pathetic if you ask me.
    Ya don't know, if ya don't go!

    mike

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Fair Oaks , California
    Posts
    3,406

    Default

    Redd fishing is LEGAL .

    Having said that , it's also pretty chicken-shit .

    Steelhead that are in the act of dropping eggs , or cutting a redd , SHOULD BE LEFT ALONE . Those fish are tired and need to finish spawning unmolested .

    Few people out there deserve to be called Sportsmen - Dragging fish off redds is the same as shooting Spikes , or ground-slucing Gamebirds .

    Just MY opinion .....

    David

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Behind the Potato Curtain
    Posts
    996

    Default

    amen JD

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    home
    Posts
    281

    Default

    Thanks for the post. Ammong other things, it is posts like this that will hopefully enlighten those that delve into the dark side.

    MN

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Steelhead Rivers
    Posts
    782

    Default

    Well said JD. My theory on most rivers is that if you can see the fish , 90% of the time you should not be fishing for it. Hopefully others out there will learn if they do not know better already!
    Jason Hartwick
    Kiene's Fly Shop
    Steelhead on the Spey Guide Service
    www.steelheadonthespey.com

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    nipomo ca
    Posts
    3

    Default look at the teachers

    HI ALL. I was fishing the A a few weeks back. ran into a guide and his two customers. two local men. Had a nice talk with your local guide nice guy but he was teaching this to these newcomers to steelhead fishing.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Penryn, CA
    Posts
    1

    Default With ya

    Well said and thanks for saying it. I fully appreciated your STS article bringing to light to true reality of "beading" for salmon a couple months back too. Our resources need strong voices.

    I'd have to say your true colors show, though, with some of your client pics (Just having fun :P ).[/url]http://fishwithjd.com/category/smoke...-year-contest/

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Petaluma Ca
    Posts
    686

    Default

    "My theory on most rivers is that if you can see the fish , 90% of the time you should not be fishing for it."
    Sorry, but we are just the opposite. We WANT to see the fish we are targeting. Moving fish, resting fish, and spawning fish all differ in their actions. Moving fish seem danged tough, spawning fish should be left alone and observed ONLY, and it is the resting movers that seem most co-operative for us.
    Having just returned from the Smith , we observed all types and STILL only observed , though we tossed at movers and resters (a few ). Clear water conditions on the Chetco is another high choice. Too low and clear for most = grand water with MANY people staying home because it is too hard.
    ....lee s.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Sacramento, CA
    Posts
    251

    Default

    jd, great post! I witness this on a daily basis in the lower river where just recently a "fly-angler" (conventional fisherman in disguise) was walking over the redds above Watt bridge (uh oh, now watch more of them show up ) fishing 4 huge split shot with two eggs while casting up stream and sweeping his rod down and across while he "snags" and torments spawning fish! Unreal! This disgusting, irresponsible method of fishing needs to stop. Fly anglers should set an example and remember that steelhead and other spawning fish are already stressed and more importantly are trying to procreate which means there could potentially be "more" around if we could put our egos away for a minute and instead witness something so spectacular that when you watch and actually "think" about what's going on, you'll decide against disturbing it.
    Fish for the grab and leave the lead and bobbers at home.
    Jeff Putnam
    JP Flyfishing Schools
    http://jpflyfishing.com

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