Deschuttes, Wapanitia

[Fishstik 1]

Started to fish about 4:30 pm last saturday, almost every cast including the first one hooked or had a bite.By 6:30 pm, I had landed six of the nicest hatchery rainbows in the 9 to 11 inch range. It was cloudy and warm with no wind. It snowed hard coming back over the mountain, See ya on the water.

:angel:

[Two Fister]

I had landed six of the nicest hatchery rainbows in the 9 to 11 inch range.

If you knew that they were from a hatchery because of a fin clip, I'm going to venture a guess that those were probably downstream steelhead or chinook smolts and not trout. They don't stock trout on the Deschutes at all, but they do stock fin clipped steelhead and chinook smolts. If they were really, really silver and fought like somebody had just electrified the water that'd be a smolt. They also tend to travel dpwnstream in schools. The real giveaway, however, would be a fin clip.
Cheers,
TF

[12244]

I got one in Maupin Sunday on a spinner, what a rascal of a little hatchery Steelhead he was.

[Chromaflage]

What Two Fister said. I've fished the D for over 20 years. The only clipped fish I've ever seen on the end of my line was steelhead smolt. Once I got into them, I moved on quickly. As TF said, they tend to travel in schools and I'd rather leave them be and let them be on their way to the big blue.

That said - no such thing as a bad day on the Big D!!! Can't wait for the WS stretch to open up this year.

CrF

[Slow and Low]

What two fister and chromaflage said. Down river smolt.

[FrozenFish]

Dont sweat it Fishstik, everybodys got to learn some time. When I'm really getting smolted down there this time of year I first change spots, because as 2fister noted there will be a school of them traveling together, and then I change to something less flashy and fish a little deeper (like right on the bottom). Good Luck -FF

[Chromaflage]

Ditto what FF said. I wasn't in any way bashing anyone for anything. Just sharing my experience. In fact, in my very early days of fly fishing, I know that I inadvertently put clipped smolt in my creel. :redface: Again, not meant as a slam in any way.

:cheers:

CrF

[12244]

No slam intended, I learned the hard way also. I am making a mission of fish identification materials/warnings be available for everyone.

[Fishstik 1]

Thanks for the positive feedback, I learned some thing that I will share with all my fishin buddies. See ya on the water.

I'm headed to tillamook bay this weekend for some clamming and crabbing.

[Two Fister]

Fishstik,

I definitely didn't mean it as a slam either! We all learned the same way. I was knocking them dead one time until a friend of mine showed me the difference. Give those guys a couple of years in the big blue and then we'll head back to catch them when they are 10 pounds!

Good luck out at the coast!
TF