A sensitive time for a steelhead fisherman

[Dustin Revel]

To those that are not completely obsessed with steelhead, you probably read this forum and think we are a bunch of crazed morons... amd we are, that is pretty much the easiest way to explain it.

think about it... who in their right mind gets up at 4 in the morning after driving all night to hike 5-10 miles down a canyon without a trail to see the sun rise over their favorite stream only to find that is completely blown, and there is no chance in hell it will clear? nobody does it. atleast I've never seen anyone else do it...

so what do you do next? you drink a steelhead IPA and you head away from the storm until you hit green water, and you get your flies or fly in the water!

I survive off canned tuna, bread, bananas, and beer. who do you know that has broken down every major producer of chicken noodle soup to see which offers the cheapest calories, protein and carbs?? only to come to the conclusion that chicken noodle soup is a rip off... thats just weird. every penny I earn is spent on school, rent, and steelhead. and its split pretty evenly into thirds.

Steelhead fishermen are often insomniacs... by choice. we spend hours and hours tying colorful balls of yarn oonto hooks, attaching rabbit and marabou to a tube or hook and telling stories (sometimes to themself... thats a bad night) about steelhead. I remember a particular february that I fished 27 days... straight. tying a couple dozen flies every night in my dorm sleeping for a couple hours and doing it all again. I skipped the first two weeks of my second semester in college to chase steelhead on the mad, sometimes deciding to just spend the night under a big redwood.

When we get back into town on sunday nights we usually stay up all night trying to figure out a weeks worth of calculus homework in one delerious night...

The act of fishing for steelhead is the world's most addicting drug, and every spring I go through a crisis... because I know its going to be a while before I can get my fix again. This makes a steelhead fishermen do crazy things... it makes us very irrational and short tempered. We are decent people, but we will lie, cheat, and steal if it means we get to go fishing.

I apparently have a bacteria deficiency in my stomach that causes me to get food poisoning on a weekly basis... Just ask any of my professors.

So if you ever think you're dealing with a crazed idiot on here... You are, and I appologize... I've been hit in the head by a few too many raindrops.

also, try living in arcata without smoking pot (fisjing isn't nearly as productive when you're stoned)... its enraging.

[Steeliejunkee]

That was well said, very humorous yet inspiring.

[Scott V]

think about it... who in their right mind gets up at 4 in the morning after driving all night to hike 5-10 miles down a canyon without a trail to see the sun rise over their favorite stream only to find that is completely blown, and there is no chance in hell it will clear? nobody does it. at least I've never seen anyone else do it...

You've never been with us that go back country all spring and summer long. I can not count how many times I left before my wife got up in the morning "and she gets up early" and got back after my wife had gone to bed. We do that almost every weekend, and most of the time it is for fish that are barely 10 inches long if you are lucky plus carrying a full back pack with about 30 pounds especially if we are taking in float tubes.

The only thing I do not like about the steelhead forum is all the fish police we have on here, telling people how they should hold fish or my favorite assuming that the fish in the picture probably died because you held it out of the water for to long to take a picture. People really need to stop doing that and jut compliment someone on the hard work they did to catch that fish. no one is perfect, so therefore no one should be passing judgment.

[Dustin Revel]

You've never been with us that go back country all spring and summer long. I can not count how many times I left before my wife got up in the morning "and she gets up early" and got back after my wife had gone to bed. We do that almost every weekend, and most of the time it is for fish that are barely 10 inches long if you are lucky plus carrying a full back pack with about 30 pounds especially if we are taking in float tubes.

The only thing I do not like about the steelhead forum is all the fish police we have on here, telling people how they should hold fish or my favorite assuming that the fish in the picture probably died because you held it out of the water for to long to take a picture. People really need to stop doing that and jut compliment someone on the hard work they did to catch that fish. no one is perfect, so therefore no one should be passing judgment.

I'm no stranger to a heavy pack... I work in the mountains with a heavy pack all summer, but you're right I don't often trout fish the wilderness. I am definately planning on doing so this summer...

I have found that the beginning of my steelhead season is much more fruitful if I do alot of trout fishing during the offseason.

[shawn kempkes]

Stop chasing steelhead for a few more years. Get your education. If you dont you will wake up in your forties without a pot to piss in living like a hermit in some old dilapidated van down by the river and have to result to drinking keystone light because you cant afford the great Ipa you enjoy right now.

[Mike O]

also, try living in arcata without smoking pot (fisjing isn't nearly as productive when you're stoned)... its enraging.

I did. For 3 1/2 years. And it was...Are you sick of the people up there yet? That's the reason I couldn't stay, the area is be-yu-ti-ful, but most of the people of Arcata suck.

Best time I ever spent there was my last year. Got married, moved to Eureka, finished HSU. Eureka = semi-reality.

I sure miss walking up to Founders, then back down to the wildlife building, then back up to Founders...then off into the forest for some quiet time. Haven't been back up there since 1992...God, I need to go back for a look-see, and check the blackberries at the Blue Lake Hatchery. Good memories go with the enraging ones...

[BillB]

Had two girls and a son-in-law that went to HSU. All have recovered! Beautiful area. Spent many summers (all summer) there visiting the kids. I used to get a kick out of the folks at Ra Gay on the River. All concerned for the environment, old growth trees, spotted owls and such, then the 10,000 "concerned" used the El for a latrine.

[shawn kempkes]

Had two girls and a son-in-law that went to HSU. All have recovered! Beautiful area. Spent many summers (all summer) there visiting the kids. I used to get a kick out of the folks at Ra Gay on the River. All concerned for the environment, old growth trees, spotted owls and such, then the 10,000 "concerned" used the El for a latrine.

you should see the garbage they left behind

[Bruce Berman]

Try being a steelhead junkie and living in southern Arizona. I've driven back home from steelheading, 15.5 hours in a day, worked a job and then turned around a few days later to head back north. The closest steelheading is just about 950 miles. It sucks so bad, I'm in the process of moving to the Pacific Northwest for the anadromous fishing.

[Sammy]

Here here Scott V