Unbelievable

First Bite · 12-01-2000, 04:03 PM

Most everyone has heard a story about fisherman running into a bunch of fish and having double digit days. I've never been so lucky...until today. I talked RT into joining me for a morning of steelheading on the Wilson. A lot of my favorite drifts were actually too low. Then we came across one pool that looked like it would hold some fish. We both started tossing jigs with shrimp tails. Immediately we were into fish. Over the next three hours we hooked and released over 20 fish including two natives. All in the same hole. In that time we probably had 3 or 4 double headers. Every jig I put on hooked fish. I had to quit at noon and come to work. When I left, Steve was still there smiling from ear to ear.

Snagly · 12-01-2000, 04:36 PM

Treasure these rare days! When you get a chance, write up a full log of the days' activities, print it out and save it. You can pull it out years later and still smell the shrimp if there's enough detail.

Earlier this year my buddy Slick and I had 22-23 hook-ups on one hole. It was our first time to hit the hole on our trip and the water was distressingly low. We had previously taken fish there in higher water in previous years, so for old times sake I threw a fly into water too shallow and clear to now hold a steelhead. A steelhead emerged from the camouflaged cobblestoned bottom and belted the fly. Fish on! So not only did we have over 10 hook-ups each, we did it out of place where you would have sworn there weren't any fish until one swam across to hit the fly. Got to savor those days -- they are so very rare.

Gone Fishin · 12-01-2000, 04:48 PM

Awesome Mark and Steve! Wish I was there too!

smilesforu · 12-01-2000, 05:02 PM

Right on and I really do want to believe

Glad your taking such good care of my buddy Steve. Can't wait to hear his story

Tight Lines

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Marty M
Steelheader.net

RW · 12-01-2000, 05:05 PM

Hey stlhdr; you didn't mention which hole you were fishing!!!!! RW

[This message has been edited by RW (edited 12-01-2000).]

DanS · 12-01-2000, 05:36 PM

Don't worry, R-Dub, I'm sure after that post, ther will be 5 or 6 guys on EVERY hole on the Wilson. I know if I was closer, I'd be there.

stlhdr, you are a lucky man. Days like that are becoming increasingly rare, I hope you were able to savor the moment! The only bad thing is, now you're spoiled

. What are you gonna do now if you only hook a couple, or worse yet, none? Anyway, I'm green with envy, but glad you and Steve were able to find such good numbers of willing biters.

Fish on.......

happybrew · 12-01-2000, 05:54 PM

Let me get this straight. You LEFT? To go to WORK? How could you? And you didn't even call one of us up to take your spot? If RT had been elected on the iFish ticket, that wouldn't have to happen. The Fishing Leave Act would have prohibited your employer from firing you for fishing. I think Steve needs to demand a hand recount in all 50 states just to make sure they didn't make a mistake about that. Steve, just make sure you don't take any responsibility for any pregnant chads. I wouldn't want you to get in trouble with your wife.

happybrew

12-01-2000, 06:25 PM

I've only had days like that in AK and B.C. It was like a fluke because usually with that many fish being played it puts the others off the bite. Not today. They were idiot fish, but pretty looking and good fighters, especially for hatchery fish. I should calrify that these were stacked up summer steelhead still in very good condition, not new winters (we had a big run of summer fish in the Wilson and Nestucca rivers this year and they had been playing around mostly unmolested. We kept 4 hens and they were excellant eggs. We had fished 3 holes from daybreak to 9 with out a hookup, then hit this big deep hole that must of had a hundred fish in it for them to keep biting like that. Go figure. I stayed after Mark had to go to work his swing shift and hooked another 5 landing 4. I caught several on small egg clusters too so it wasn't just a jig show, but the jigs with a small pinched off sandshrimp tail curled on the hook was the hot ticket. All together including the fish I hooked after Mark left we hooked over 30 fish landing over 20 of them. Best few hours I've ever had in the lower 48. I am still a bit stunned that they would keep on biting in that situation. Today sure helped make up for some skunked days on this year's low nook return to Tillamook! There is plenty of water for these fish to easily move so some of them probably moved into the hole unspooked as we fished it. I hope they move around and scatter in the plentiful water up there so they occupy more holes for fishers. Good luck for those going tomorrow. - RT

Jigman · 12-01-2000, 06:36 PM

What a blast! I was fortunate to experience a period like that last summer on a puget sound river, best day hooking 14 and landing 13. It lasted 3 weeks before the river blew out in mid november.........best fishing I've ever had and not a soul in sight.

Steelheadman · 12-01-2000, 06:46 PM

Its nice to hear that the fishing is improving. Congratulations! You better sacrifice some of those eggs to the rain gods. You'll have sore arms tommorrow.

Wog · 12-01-2000, 07:01 PM

Glad to here you guys had a great day. Jig and shrimp works great for steelhead. This is one of my favorite tactics when I fish for Summer Runs on the Sandy River. Thanks for sharing your story.

Hookset · 12-01-2000, 07:02 PM

WOW, I mean wow, that sounds like one heck of a day fishing. Wish I was there too. RT, can you email the GPS coordinates. I promise to keep my lips sealed and fingers off the keyboard about the location.

You know, you should head out tomorrow and see if you can repeat. Think about it, today was great and if you could duplicate the same tommorrow.....well lets just say that'd make for some great story telling.

Now, what might you be driving and what time would you be leaving?

Nice going Stlhdr and Rt,

hook

Gone Fishin · 12-01-2000, 07:32 PM

Just remember...After retaining a daily posession limit, you are done for the day! No more angling!

fishon · 12-01-2000, 07:39 PM

What hole where you fishing?

Hookset · 12-01-2000, 08:19 PM

Very good point Marty! But also raises an interesting question. I've seen a number of guides over the years limit and almost limit
yet they still fish every rod in the boat. As I understand it, the wording in the regs or the regulations themselves changed to prevent this in the future or least make this practice illegal. How do you feel about this? Would you expect guides and sport fisherman to follow the same rules? The new regulations would make limiting the boat more difficult for everyony AND prevent hooking large numbers of fish if you tag fish.

Just interested in your point of view.

hook

First Bite · 12-01-2000, 08:33 PM

Marty
Good point. My last cast of the day was when I landed and kept my second hen. Same for Steve.

Fishen Fool · 12-02-2000, 04:56 PM

RT you made a interesting statement in they fought well especially for hatchery fish. In my 35 years of Steelheading I really dont feel that natives fight any better than hatchery fish. I have caught both that fought like mad, and both that were dogs.

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tight lines------<*))>>< fishen fool

Jeffhead · 12-02-2000, 05:25 PM

Wooooooo Hooooooo,
I'm pumped just readin' about it, especially after a day of oil changes, tire installations and fightin' with a computer. Save some o' that luck my friend, you'll wish you had it next time out!!! The whole Wilson will look like Blue Creek tomorrow.
Good luck and tight lines, Jeff

Gone Fishin · 12-02-2000, 05:27 PM

Mark and RT, I didn't doubt for a second that you guys would go against the law. It was meant as more of a reminder for all. And Hook, my personal feeling is ALL FISHERMEN must abide by the rules, they are not seperate for guides or the general public. And I feel very strongly that we ALL should abide by them. Once you get a limit, you're done, period. Let someone else have a chance. As for guides keeping rods out to limit the boat, it's true. But, I can GUARANTEE that you won't see my boat doing that!

I know of a guide on the Wilson last winter that limited his clients and himself, keeping 6 hatchery fish, then continued to catch and release others while people were waiting for him to leave and have a chance themselves!

This fish-hog behavior should not be tolerated, others should have a chance at those fish too! The proper authorities are aware of this and will be watching this person closely this season!

In short, I guess I'm saying the rules are there for a reason, whether you agree with them or not, ABIDE BY THEM!

Hookset · 12-02-2000, 08:33 PM

Thanks Marty, I appreciate you bringing up this point and find it very refreshing reading your comments. Great attitude about sharing the resource.

thank you,

hook

Amerman · 12-02-2000, 08:36 PM

Marty
I agree with what you say about the rule. Anyone that takes their second fish must at that point put their rod away for the day. This is the same for any fisherman with a Guide or not. I believe the only exception to this rule is when fishing outside Tillamook County for chinooks (where you can legally continue to fish for Jacks). I think the state is trying to change that now.
I often feel that I am the only guide who follows this rule as I have never seen another guide boat (or private boat for that matter) put a rod away. I appluad you Marty for taking a stand on this. I think everyone should follow this and all rules. If someone in my boat complains about putting their rod away early, I tell them that they can release their second fish if they want to keep fishing. They already have one to take home and eat. How much do we really need?

Scott Amerman