Native holding water?

[Bubzilla]

Had an early morning conversation a few years back while nabbing some tackle in Hebo that someone reminded me of today. The jist of the conversation was that natives tended not to hold as well in the lower stretches of the Nestucca as hatchery steelhead did. Not just that hatchery fish were more concentrated below Three Rivers because of how the hatchery operation works, but that natives just didn't hold at all in the lower stretches, i.e., Farmer Creek or Three Rivers to Cloverdale. The point was that drifting from Famer Creek or Three Rivers down late in the season would allegedly be a waste of time.

Anyone else have that impression? How about on other North Coast rivers? Do natives hold well in the lower Wilson? Or more aptly stated, can a boat drifting from Mills down get into fish in March? How about the lower Kilches? Is a trip from the Loggig Bridge down worth the row?

Just an interesting idea that I hadn't given much thought for a long time. I generally abandon the North Coast by March for other locals, so my personal experience is fairly limited. I'd guess with all the visitors to this site, coupled with the fact that the lower drifs on these rivers are generally the most popluar, that someone out there would have some first person observations on the subject.

[Gone Fishin]

I don't really know what your asking but we catch and release beautiful natives in the lower river all the time. Released a beauty today in Bailey's Drift. I don't think they tend to hang out to long there, but they gotta swim thru to get to where they're going!

Is it a waste of time? I don't think so!

[Bubzilla]

Marty,

Sorry if my original post was confusing. The question I was asking was far more simple than I made it: do you tend to find native fish in the same lower-river holding water, late in the season, as you find hatchery fish early in the season? The person with whom I had the original conversation--a long time ago now--claimed that natives run right through the lower holding water, and that even if there was an equally large native run, there would be fewer fish in the lower river at the height of that run than there were at the peak of the hatchery run. His claim was that this resulted from a propensity of natives to head straight upstream--an impluse hatchery fish allegedly didn't share.

Perhaps there's a better way to ask this: do you drift the same water late season as you do early season? If not, why not? You indicated that you've caught some natives on the Nestucca already--I have too--but I'm sure you'd agree the bulk of the natives won't be here for a while still. Do they, in your opinion, keg-up in the lower river like the hatchery fish, or do they tend to run upstream more quickly?

I hadn't thought about it until recently, but if the original premise were correct, it would be a pretty significant behavioral difference. That or I should just go fishing!

[willierower]

Bub,
Someone was blowing smoke up your a$$. A Steelhead is a steelhead!!!!!!! They all act the same under any given condition.

[ 12-31-2001: Message edited by: willierower ]</p>

[Hookset]

In my opinion, winter steelhead are moving fish, if the conditions are right, they keep moving until they reach their destination. Unless the water conditons change to force them to slow down.

Hatchery fish are in a hurry to reach the release site or rearing area. I know tagged fish released 30 miles down river have returned in just 2 days. Native fish time their entry to reach spawning grounds close to the time they spawn. I also think it's a misconception to think all native fish head to the upper reaches of a river system. I've witnessed native fish spawning just 4 miles up from tidewater on a river that stretches 55 miles. Point is, you may find fish at various locations based on particular spawning areas in each system. It's all a matter of knowing how to time the arriving run of fish.

Knowing where to be depending on water conditions and knowing how to time the run entering the river your fishing are key. It's no secret that hatchery fish come in early and natives start arriving later. Run timing does vary river to river, and that's what you'll need to figure out.

Sounds like what your wondering is if the lower Nestucca is a waste a time late in the season. I wouldn't think so since steelhead tend to come into a system over a 3 to 5 month period. Always a few fish arriving at various times.

good luck,

Gregg