Help Solve Wilson R. Mystery of Today

[Deleted User]

Somehow I made it to the Wilson by daybreak this morning after fishing Lake Wash. near Seattle yesterday. I have had success jig fishing for winter steelhead but because of being hike adverse (ankle getting better now though) I haven't jigged for summers. I fished with "jig guy" Mark Anderson to learn a few more intracacies for low water jiggin. We had good water conditions & a nice medium cloud cover. He hooked & landed an 8 lb. chromer on his second cast. That was the highlight of the day. Except for meeting Jen & Andrew for coffee at the Guide Shop of course (she stole part of my cookie!). After reading Jim Erickson's July 4 report about the "red hot" Wilson fishing we expected more! We fished several top holes up and down the river. I did manage to hook one just before quitting around noon, but after strong headshaking & a run it pulled off. The mystery? Jim E. reported 10 fish days and seeing 10 to 15 steelies in every tailout. Every tailout! We fished top notch jigs and spinners, and even the deadly "Green Machine" (small dark green metalic Hot Shot), and we fished them correctly. After fishing some great holes I deep waded thru the upper ends to scatter all those steelies down thru to the tailouts. Nobody home! Until we fished the lower river. Then we really got into them like Jim must have. Only prob was the steelhead were only as long as my hand. Those are called smolts Jim http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif. Fun. Just teasing you Jim, we all believe you, see... http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif (only kidding - glad you got into a group of them) . Talked to a couple other fishers before quiting & they hadn't gotten a bite. So, where did all those fish go? There were reports of very good fishing a week ago but they must have dispersed up to areas we didn't fish. They have to be somewhere guys so go find them!- RT



[This message has been edited by RT (edited 07-07-2000).]

[Jennie@ifish]

Hi there R.T.
I called Jim and he says to call Todd at the North Fork Nehalem hatchery. That number is 368 6828. Verify the numbers yourself.
Or call Allen Close 463 1915.
They saw the fish too, we had 10 with Allen and 8 with Todd.
Jim says I can tell um where to go, but I can't put the fish on your hooks. http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif
All the fish were below Donaldsons.
Jennie

[First Bite]

Hey Jen
It was good to finally meet you today. Hope you catch a Steelie with those jigs. Jim E must have ran into a bunch coming in with the strong tides we had over the 4th weekend. By today they were probably upriver and scattered out. RT is a fishing fool. At mid day he was still going strong(bad ankle and all) and that was on 4 hours of sleep the last two nights.
Mark

[Deleted User]

Hey I said we all believe him http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif. So no need to verify. The closest we got to the Donaldson area was up around the corner from Sollie below it and up around the Guide Shop above it. We thought about Josie's, but too far for my ankle after hiking the other holes. Do you suppose all those fish could still be stacked in that one area? If so, I shoud have brought my cat! And brought Jim to put the fish on my hook for me http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif.

[Deleted User]

Well I can tell you where they weren't on the Wilson.The Mills Bridge area was dead and except for an amorous couple in a pickup truck I had the river to myself. It was nice though to get out and I even got my feet wet in the ocean. Well when I win the lottery I'll live down there.

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BigStew

[Deleted User]

Mystery solved. Jim E.'s July 4 report was based on trips from 10 days earlier, when more water and more fish were present. A lot of fish have been thinned out or spread up river in that amount of time, as well as the river getting low & clear. - RT