Last week up on the Olympic Peninsula.......

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Bruce Slightom, Don Rotsma and Rick Jorgensen were up in the Northwest last week.

[Rick J]

it was a tough week - we each had a fish on but no fish to hand - Bruce was up there for a few days before Don and me and is still up there for this week and caught this 20#+ steelhead yesterday!

Fish I had on was likely my biggest steelhead I have hooked though never got to see it - could not come close to moving it where it did not want to go but it pulled loose after a couple of minutes right when it got to my running line to backing line knot

We did a couple of floats on some gorgeous water on the Queets, Hoh and Bogachiel - I just bought Whitney Gould's PAC10 which is a kick!

[shawn kempkes]

Thats a beautiful fish. The fish of a lifetime. i recognize the spot.

[JasonB]

Tough or no, I'm still jealous. Sounds like a pretty cool trip either way, and that IS a beauty fish for sure.
Cheers,
JB

[Walter]

it was a tough week - we each had a fish on but no fish to hand - Bruce was up there for a few days before Don and me and is still up there for this week and caught this 20#+ steelhead yesterday!

Fish I had on was likely my biggest steelhead I have hooked though never got to see it - could not come close to moving it where it did not want to go but it pulled loose after a couple of minutes right when it got to my running line to backing line knot

We did a couple of floats on some gorgeous water on the Queets, Hoh and Bogachiel - I just bought Whitney Gould's PAC10 which is a kick!

You are not alone. Everyone I know who went this year got blanked in muddy water, got one fish the whole trip, or blanked because they were drifting all day behind the two jet boats with a gill net between them. I've been in the last group before, you are lucky to see the mobile netters, just to get an explanation as to why there is NO FISH.

[shawn kempkes]

The fishing is slow because of the whole life cycle thing 4 and 5 years ago the rivers didn't meet escapement so the two salt fish numbers are down and so are the three salts. plus the rivers have been high so the square hooks have been catching them all.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Don Rotsma is heading back up there for another week.....

[Adam Grace]

Nice steelheadI I want to see RickJ with a nice fish like that too.

Rick, the fish in your avatar photo looks darn nice too

[Rick J]

Adam - you and me both - in three trips to the OP I have hooked 2 steelhead - but still about the most enjoyable trips I have ever done - I plan to retire in 3 years and sell everything and buy a truck and trailer and that is where I plan to make home for at least 4 months out of the year. Then follow the fish - summer at Silver Creek, fall on the Clearwater/GR and Klamath, winter???

Things were picking up after I left - Bruce managed a couple of more fish before the rivers blew out on Friday - dropping fast and Don with 2 friends are back there just waiting - should be out today!!

regarding that fish in my avitar - came on the Grande Ronde 3 falls ago - 32" wild fish tha came on a skater - one of my most memorable fish ever!!

[shawn kempkes]

Adam - you and me both - in three trips to the OP I have hooked 2 steelhead - but still about the most enjoyable trips I have ever done - I plan to retire in 3 years and sell everything and buy a truck and trailer and that is where I plan to make home for at least 4 months out of the year. Then follow the fish - summer at Silver Creek, fall on the Clearwater/GR and Klamath, winter???

Things were picking up after I left - Bruce managed a couple of more fish before the rivers blew out on Friday - dropping fast and Don with 2 friends are back there just waiting - should be out today!!

regarding that fish in my avitar - came on the Grande Ronde 3 falls ago - 32" wild fish tha came on a skater - one of my most memorable fish ever!!

rick

the reason the fishing picks up at the end of march is because the tribes quit netting usually around the 3rd week.