Highlights and bombs of your fishing year

[Jeffhead]

This thread was started on Bob's board and I thought it was a good one to start here.

The highlights of the year for me was watching my oldest Son boat a 30 lb nook' at Pt. Defiance this summer (his second salmon), putting one of my good friends on his first steelhead this July on the Cowlitz and for me was building my first rod and catching some Nisqually kings and fall silvers on the Cowlitz with it. On the frustrating side was the Wind River springers. Only trip there this year was spent fighting strong east winds for 2 1/2 days and not fighting any fish. Hope to see a Columbia main stem springer season this year with all of the predictions of good returns.
Another big highlight for me was all of the great people that I have met, fished with, or have come to be friends with through this and some of the other NW discussion boards!!!
Thanks Jen for a great place to share our common love of fishing and the ooutdoors!!!
Good luck and tight lines, Jeff http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[STRIKE ZONE]

High lights would be:#1 Lk. Washington sockeye #2 Westport/Kings & Coho #3 Neah bay
halibut/sea bass #4 Bouy 10 kings/coho
Bombs would be: #1 Low water conditions #2 Elliotbay/kings #3 Wind river/springers #4 Chehalis river kings/coho #5 Elk river (Oregon)#6 Tribal netting.Good luck,
STRIKE ZONE

[Pete]

Highlights:
1 - Buoy 10: Kings, silvers and sturgeon ... what a bounty!
2 - Early November Tillamook Bay: All my buds were burned out on the bay. I had a 6 fish on day that sent me home with 31 and 34 pounders. Later in the week I had 4 take downs and landed a 36 1/2 pounder ... all without a netman!

Surprises:
1 - Willamette Kings
2 - Early fall Columbia kings

Bombs:
Steelhead, but I plan to make up for it this season!

[Kerry]

Kings on the Kitimat big and mean, Kings on the Hoh good fun! 11 steelhead since Dec 1 off to a good start!

[GBSkunk]

Highlights would be the silvers on the Clack and FINALLY getting a steelhead on the N. Fk. of the Umpqua (on a GBSkunk of course!)

Bombs would be steelheading on the Skagit in March. It was an empty river.

[Phish_on]

Highlights:

Kokanee @ Odell Lake
Coho & Crab, Buoy 10 - getting a 12-year-old kid his first salmon
Big Brown Trout on fly rod at twilight on the Deschutes - some times it just all comes together, you know ...


Bombs:

misplacing my license and tag in December - <homer> DOH! </homer>

[rags]

34lb mint bright Springer off the Riverside boat ramp on the Clackamas and 7 Springers out of the garbage hole on the Willamette.Good day!

[RichH]

Highlights: Last winter steelheading, wind river springers,norht santiam summers,buoy 10.

Downers: taking a management position and having to work too much, my wife working weekends, most fall chinook(except one 40+ up at Bonneville)

------------------
Rich H

[Hairball]

Highlight: Samish kings. After four days of the big zero I was rewarded with 3 days of 10+ hookup and limits of kings each day.

Vedder River chums. After one day of fishing it took 3 days for my arm to stop hurting.

Skykomish, Caught summer and winter runs, got spooled for the first time and caching fish from underneath the people’s feet who wade out to far

Bombs: Drive for an hour to fish and having my corsair die after two casts and being the day after I picked up another one of those peace’s of sh**.

[Wog]

Highlights: Summer Steelhead fishing on the Sandy and Wilson Rivers. http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Bombs: I'm with Hairball, while using Corsair reels this spring I had two different ones screw up in one day. http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/frown.gif

[Deleted User]

Ups:
- Having fun meeting new fishing friends.
- Great North B.C. fishing trip.
- Friend and I both landing double figures of nice steelhead out of 1 big hole.

Downs:
- The poor return of fish and rain to my favorite fishery of the year; Tillamook fall chinooks.
- Not handling some negative BB situations as well as I would have prefered; but I'm still learning. http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif

RT

[smilesforu]

Ups
Getting engaged
Fishing with friends (including the poor fishing with RT)
Unbelievable Silver fishing in several rivers and Sekiu
Having the memories of the big Steelhead that got away and the ones that didn't.
The 23 in cuttie I caught while silver fishing
A early run of native steelhead http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif
New truck http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Downs
Having the boat trailer come free while doing 55.
Breaking my rod while silver fishing on the first cast
Forgetting my raincoat while fishing with RT
Having mortor problems while fishing with RT
Are you a jinx RT? JK

Tight Lines


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Marty M
Steelheader.net (http://www.steelheader.net/)

[dummy]

high would be handing off a chum to my bud chris 6 and son 13 and watching them team up on a great fighting chum its was 16lbs. low would be the satsop.

[THE REEL HEY_YALL]

High? Sure why not I ain't got nothing better to do...oh as in +lights http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Way too many to really think about in my personal life.

1) Getting skunked on winter steelies, but totally redeeming myself on summer steelies in my now infamous hole. http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif

2) Catching my first sturgeon and setting my dad up with his first one....both got 1 shaker and 1 keeper a piece.

3) Catching my summer steelie the week my bro was visiting from alabama.

4) His first day out fishing for salmon, and after totally listening to me, he hooks 4, lands his first one 14lb buck chinook.

5) On that same trip, after he was talking trash, I schooled him with my 32lb hen chinook..biggest to date.

6) 2 weeks after that trip, catching 5 kings, 3 silvers (one was 20lb buck), and the world's smallest rainbow trout on the Skookumchuck. Bro caught 3 kings.

7) Having fun night fishing with my bro and father hooking and landing numerous, GOBS of kings, and watching my brother land a 50lb buck chinook.

8) Watching my brother catch the biggest ********* I have ever seen.

9) Catching and releasing 55 rainbow trout with my dad just by watching where the Osprey were diving.

10) Making new friends and new enemies on this board so I can freshen up and harness the power of the internet and of course soon to be engaged to Osprey's daughter, but he doesn't and she doesn't know it yet http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif

11) Making fun of greener, hacky sack playing, folk music listening, tofu eating hippies on this board.

12)...soon to catch my first winter run steelie on the 23rd of Dec. while having my family in the boat and getting my blind mother to catch her first really big fish that day.

13) Catching my biggest bass to date. But not as in "date" Mr. Osprey so get your mind out of that gutter http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif

14) Totally having the best year of fishing when the fishing is supposed to be poor...I am having a ball schooling other bank maggots who are elbow to elbow in the art of Studley Fishing....and I am from Alabama.

15) Taking every opportunity to make fun of Osprey and hippies, and to possibly be the greatest, best-looking fishermen to ever grace the state of Washington who isn't a local. http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif

.....DOWNS
1) Tribal nets
2) Egg rapists
3) Professional snaggers
4) Crowded rivers
5) Umpteen thousand wasted 3 hr. drive fishing trips up to the Skykomish River in search of the fictional winter steelhead.

[This message has been edited by hey_yall (edited 12-13-2000).]

[Osprey]

Highlights have got to be as follows:
1# The great people I've met and fished with. http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif
2# 18 Silvers in 4 hrs http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif
3# Chum Fest 2000 on the Satsop(first one to twenty wins) http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
4# Finding that Emu on the banks of the Neuakum. http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif
5# Landing a 25lb springer on my float rod this spring. http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
low lights:
1#-have all my stuff jacked http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/frown.gif
2# knowing that hey yall wants to date my daughter.....and there not even related http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
3# belonging to and not being able to leave... the Fat boy club

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Row quietly and fish a Cataraft !!---
Release all Wild Fish --<'))>><

[hawgcatcher]

Highlight: Catching a bright Coho on Nehalem Bay on a beautiful but windy day in October.

Bummer: Fishing for Bass on Hagg Lake in late October and caught a 2#. Went to release it and as I dropped it in, I slipped on a muddy area of the boat ramp, Fell on the rail that guides the dock. layed there for 10 minutes unable to get up until a boat fisherman saw me. bruised hip bone, ribs, hand and twisted back AND THE BUMMER::: MY WIFE NOW INSISTS THAT I DON'T GO FISHING ALONE ANYMORE.

[hawgcatcher]

Highlight: Catching a bright Coho on Nehalem Bay on a beautiful but windy day in October.

Bummer: http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/frown.gif Fishing for Bass on Hagg Lake in late October and caught a 2#. Went to release it and as I dropped it in, I slipped on a muddy area of the boat ramp, Fell on the rail that guides the dock. layed there for 10 minutes unable to get up until a boat fisherman saw me. bruised hip bone, ribs, hand and twisted back AND THE BUMMER::: MY WIFE NOW INSISTS THAT I DON'T GO FISHING ALONE ANYMORE.

[Deleted User]

Highlights: when I'm fishing

Lowlights: when I wish I was fishing cuz I'm not.

[wiser]

Highlights
#1 Taking a first time salmon fisherman out and getting him into a 44 pounder then landing a 29 and 28 pounder myself. September 5th on the Columbia at Rainier.Then, as a bonus, finding out this first time salmon fishermans father owns a 21 foot Thunderjet that he wants to get some "use out of".
#2 Bobber and egg fishing for springers on the Sandy in May and June.

Lowlights
#1 Having the Columbia County River Patrol pull and remove my bouy and anchor while using restrooms and grabbing a sandwich from the restaurant in Rainier during the slack tide, September 14 on the Columbia near the mouth of the Cowlitz. Had to drive back to St. Helens the following day to pick up my gear and the $75.00 ticket for leaving the anchor "unattended". Highlight #3 occurred when the judge threw the ticket out and returned the $75.00 bail.
#2 Low return of fall chinook to the Sandy River (not for the fishing, just the viewing opportunities when they come back to spawn).
#3 Winter steelhead in the Sandy.

[Mike H]

Highlights:

http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif Catching (and releasing) my first wild steelhead.
http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif Watching my girlfriend catch a 23 lb. chinook while I got skunked.

Disapointments:

http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/frown.gif Having my best fishing buddy move to San Diego.

[First Bite]

Highlights:
-Taking my two friends fishing and getting each of them into their first Steelhead.
-Fishing with RT and having a once in a lifetime experience hooking 30+ fish in a morning.
-Seeing a dramatic increase in returning Native Steelhead on my favorite river.
-Catching and releasing several Native Coho on my favorite river.
Lows:
-Low returns of Fall Chinook for T-Bay rivers.

[Bait O' Eggs]

highlights
1. Finally getting a drift boat to go with the sled
2. Going to washington for the first time and limiting on the one day trip(satsop)
3. finding ifish
4. fishing Bouy 10 for the first time

bummers
1. Missing willamette spingers due to minor surgery complications
2. Tillamook fall chinook
3. being stuck in the fat boy club with RT and Osprey

[This message has been edited by Bait O' Eggs (edited 12-13-2000).]

[Salmonator]

Highs:
#1 my 11 year old getting a 3.0 report card and making the "A" basketball team.

#2 A wife that lets me fish WAY more than I deserve to.

#3 Astoria sturgeon (man thats fun!!)

Lows:

#1 The Seahawks... what a disappointment

#2 Tidewater hawgs and Santiam springers, (the latter improved later in the season, but was busy hammerin' sturgeon by then)

#3 THE PRICE OF DIESEL!!

#4 (last minute addition) my 11yr old just taught the lasagne he had for dinner 3 hours ago to fly (it's now midnight). Onto the wall next to his top bunk, down onto the floor, splattering on his lizard tank and running into a power outlet, sizzling like bacon but didn't smell as good as bacon http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/frown.gif. This on top of trying to keep our 4 year old in clean undies since yesterday http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/shocked.gif. We're keeping a close eye on our 7 year old. What happened to Cheryl and I these last two days might be worse than the fall chinook run and price of diesel combined...

[This message has been edited by Salmonator (edited 12-13-2000).]

[Ramstrong]

The ups:
1. Catching my first springer
2. The Clack Coho Season
3. A great trip to BC
4. Getting to watch my little sister play NCAA division 1 BBALL
5. Getting to meet all kinds of people that are just as crazy as I here on IFISH

The Downs:
1. Last winters steelhead season, I think I'm made of steelhead repellant.
2. The Coastal Fall Chinook run this year
3. Getting in a car accident last night, Now I can't go fishing tomorrow.
4. Getting layed off from work right before the holidays. The good news is I'm going to make 2X my old wage at my new job.

[This message has been edited by Ramstrong (edited 12-13-2000).]

[Sand Shrimp]

Highlights:Good spring chinook fishing and fishing for winter nates on north coast rivers.Taking my 5 year old son fishing with me more often.Last but not least having a wonderful and beautiful wife who allows me to go fishing without giving me to much crap about it.
Lowlights:Tillamook bay fall chinook return this fall.

[chuck 'n' duck]

Ups:
1. Buying my first driftboat (man I love that thing)
2. Broodstock winter steelhead (these fish make the Alsea strain hatchery fish look like little girls)
3. My first bobber caught chinook
4. Santiam summer steelhead
5. Sandy river coho (made up for a disappointing year on the Clack)
6. The advent of an internet fishing community (ifish, Bob's, Guides Forecast...)
7. Getting funding to go to grad school
8. Fishing more with my father


Downs:
1. The Clack coho season (man this year sucked in comparison to last...with the exception of the circus at the mouth, the fish had locked jaw)
2. The north coast fall chinook run
3. The budget problems in ODFW and the proposal to close several hatcheries.
4. Not getting to fish enough (until retirement, I don't think I will ever be able to fish as much as I want to; and that is about thirty years away)
5. Santiam Springers (only hooked one...lost it)
6. The low water this fall/early winter (haven't been able to get much use of my new driftboat)

[BUGLEMAN]

Test post

[BUGLEMAN]

Yeh it worked!

Hello all! I have been lurking for a couple of months now and have enjoyed reading all your posts about fishing and family.

Highlights:

1) fishing 7 day at the CR bouy, out of Illwaco) in dad's 22', '75 Searay (man that is a nice hull) and limited out the boat every day.

2) fishing Eagle creek and catching my first river Coho.

3) fishing upper Descutes with bikini clad girlfriend. Catching many 14"-18" brown t. Guy in float tub goes by I say, "Hey! That float tube looks like a good way to fish from here." He says, "yeh, that drift boat sure looks good from here too" http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif

4) Bugling in 3 trophy bull elk during about a 1 hour time. One was so massive his neck looked like a tree stump. I didn't shoot an arrow though. I do know where to find 'em next year. - Getting G-friends brother a shot at a 4pt. Dam limb!

5) snow and golden sunshine in the wilson unit last weekend

6) my fishing buddy Steve Ingle

Lowlight

1) disrespecting dad for being a block head and not following the other boats out the South jetty and putting us in 15'-18' waves 125 ft apart, near breaking. http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/blush.gif

2) girlfriend has a bad back

3) moving to an apartment and having to store my D-boat, and not being able to use it to learn how to catch massive amounts of Hatchery & Wild steelhead


[This message has been edited by BUGLEMAN2U (edited 12-14-2000).]

[This message has been edited by BUGLEMAN2U (edited 12-14-2000).]

[Deleted User]

Hey Bugleboy (has a nicer ring to it - jk), don't be lazy; get the heck over to storage and get your d-boat when the fishing gets good. A forecasted excellant regional steelhead season is upon us. Nice to have you join us. - RT

[BUGLEMAN]

bugleboy sounds more like a prison nick name than an outdoors man. How can I modify I fish username?

Free boat storage is on Bald Peak and not too far out of the way, from Beaverton,to get to coast. It would just realy extend the day at both ends. Unless any one in Beaverton Let's say near Tanasborn would offer storage http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[FISHFINDER]

All ups:

1. Successful winter steelhead season on my home river.
2. Spring chinook on the Wind
3. Summer steelhead at Drano
4. Helping a friend catch his first steelhead. I gotta tell this story!! We were fishing the Hood River in August at the dam deadline hole. Second cast he hooks one that goes straight for the other side and swims around a rock and heads down. I started to tell him we'd have to break it off and realized that this would not be an option. So, out of courtesy, and not expecting a yes answer, I offered to run upstream, across the dam and downstream to the rock his line was wrapped around. There was no hesitation from him so I realized I must do my duty and perform. I ran the route and miraculously freed the line and ran back around. When I returned he had a nice 10 pound hatchery buck on the bank. It was the toughest catch I had been involved with and will remember it forever.

I digress.
5. A nice buck in September.
6. My first bull elk (5X7) in November.
7. The anticipation of this season of winter steelhead.
8. Catching enough trout with my three year old daughter to turn her into a fishing maniac like her dad.
9. Anticipating catching enough trout with my two year old son to turn him a fishing maniac like his dad.
10. IFISH.


FF

[This message has been edited by FISHFINDER (edited 12-15-2000).]