Nates to the Rescue

[Deleted User]

After a region wide poor hatchery steelhead return, with a few exceptions, there are lots of reports of early good native steelhead fishing in both Oregon and Washington. And we haven't gotten to the normal March peak yet. This does add to the mystery of the missing hats/brats this season though. All other runs have been good. http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/confused.gif ...

I fished the last 2 Fridays with Mark Anderson to both field test some jigs he made and to keep learning to bankfish them proficiently (I've been mostly sled fishing the last decade or longer). We have had multi nate days these last 2 trips. Today I even kept close to Mark in bobber downs http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif , so I am 'catching' on to this fun method. One large fish I had on freight trained around the hole for awhile then headed down the rapids where I couldn't follow - and I wound up breaking it off trying to stop it. Since I didn't get to see it I am quite sure it was in the 25 lb. class of trophy nates - or not http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif . Just a brute strong big nate though! The fishing pressure is still quite low on the north Oregon coast, and this is fun fishing. As much as I would love to catch and eat an early springer, I would rather carefully C&R multiple strong nates. With an apparent good early start to the springer fishing also going on, definitely get out there somewhere and fish this weekend! Good luck. - RT

[First Bite]

Steve was a new man today. With his new lighter neporenes he was jumping large mud puddles in a single bound...well almost. That was the first time I've sever seen anyone roll around in the mud to "break in their waders" as he called it. That was cool to see you get a bober down on your first cast in your old honey hole. There was no way to stop that freight train you hooked. Good fishin bud.
Mark

[Mike H]

Nice job guys! I managed to hook myself into a nate today as well. My favorite feeling is sliding those beautiful wild steelhead back into the river. Oh, and bobber & jig was the key. It seems to be the only way to get them in this low water.

Mike H

[Timber Man]

I hooked a big nate today myself with John Koenig...Picture is a little blury what a bummer.but we got some better ones on the 35mm...fish was 22#...


http://images.honesty.com/imagedata/h/894/28/28942801.jpg

http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gifTM




[This message has been edited by Timber Man (edited 02-25-2001).]

[Deleted User]

Oh we know why the pic is fuzzy TM - so we can't tell it's your fake rubber fish http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif ... jk - nice fish! I mean nass feesh. BTW, I recognize that fishing hole in the pic. .....

Have any of you ever been walking along looking at the nice scenery in the woods and in an instant, less than a quarter heartbeat, you find yourself looking straight up at the sky? Well that's what happened to me; as Mark described it - breaking in a new pair of waders; in style http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif . I was walking next to a mud puddle in a low spot in the dirt road into a hole and my foot slipped into a hidden tire grove and swoosh kerplop! I guess that wasn't enough break in so in about 30 ft. further I hit another superslick muddy spot that was just wet, not deep, but kerplop again. I got up on my knees and did a 'moonwalk' on the mud; it was that slippery. I looked like I'd been in one of those mud rasslin pits; and took a river sit to clean up! My felt soles are good for wading on river rocks but suck on sloped mud. Mark is getting used to the frequent thuds behind him now, such that he just shakes his head and keeps walking http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif . Nah. ... Actually, getting back into a little bankfishing is one of the most fun fishing things I've done in recent years.

RT

[blacktail]

Hey Timberman,

The pic's a little blurry, but that is one nice Carp. Doughballs or Corn? http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Mike

[smilesforu]

Nice fish what was the length of the critter?
Tight Lines

[local_hooker]

RT- Always take your new waders and kick 'em around the drive way a bit, not enough to put a hole in them, just scuff them up. A person could really get hurt if they don't follow this protocal. I once wore new waders fishin and I fell down trying to climb over a log jam, a small stick damn near (about 2"to the right) perpetrated sodomy on me, I'll never do that again!

[Jigman]

Not only is there alot of nates around, a large percentage of them are large! Alot of real big hens has been a pleasent surprise also.

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