>200 hours and no fish

[roost4u]

Just signed up for the board. I love being able to get all this information. As the subject states I have been fishing for steelhead for over 200 hours with nothing. Still have never caught one. I've been fishing mostly the North Fork Nehalem (by the hatchery), Wilson (all over) and the Sandy (last year not this year) and still nothing. I am using the same stuff everybody else is using, tie my line the same way, and hold my mouth in various different ways and still nothing. Went to the Wilson yesterday by the guide shop and got skunked again. This is silly. I would think that even the worst fisherman would get lucky after this long. I'm drifting corkies and yarn with and without a bobber. Jigs, and the occasional sand shrimp. I'm starting to think the fish gods have a problem with me. I'll still keep trying but I swear I'm setting a record for most hours fished without a catch.

Good luck to everyone.

[roost4u]

Originally posted by drifterboy:
Welcome to the board roost4u. How did you come up with your name?

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">It actually is my name on a dirtbiking forum. I kept it the same to keep my life less complicated.

[steelheadslayer]

In order to get the first one, you're going to have to fish another 200 hours. And then, fish some more.

Try and hook up with someone you know catches fish once in awhile and then tag along and pick their brain. Try fishing summer runs before the winters. Their bite is much more aggressive and you will get a much needed education.

One more thing, Expect a fish with every cast.

[slabhunter]

Right now you must just be paying your dues. Just stick to one area and learn it well. Then the bonus of landing some of these marvelous fish shall come. Relax, and enjoy your suroundings. Welcome to the Community!

[ 02-24-2004, 03:05 PM: Message edited by: slabhunter ]

[Fishin Magician]

I would willing to put you in my boat and try to get you into your first steelhead sometime this week. It would be tons of fun seeing you with your first steel.......!!!!!!
I am off all week and weekend if you want to try and go.

John

[Hogback]

Try using a double hook rig.
Randy

[Danderson]

Welcome.... I was in your shoes last year about the same time I had spent well into 300-400hrs fishing having never hooked a winter steelhead before. I had the same feelings i was fishing good water using the same gear as everyone else watching people catch fish around me and pretty much got the feeling that I must have the worst steelehad luck ever. Well I was Wrong it wasn't bad luck it was lack of knowledge I choose a good guide to take a winter steelhead trip with and in turn learned more in one day then I have learned in many years on the river. We were fishing in his boat but the knowledge and ?'s you have will help you on the bank more than you can believe also I got to catch my first winter steelhead and many others too :smile:

The advice I can give you is too click HERE and set up a date to give them a chance to give you some great tips to help you for the rest of your steelheading years. It is well worth the money and you will have a great time.

Good Luck The URL I posted is an Ifish Guide who I can personelly garantee a trip that will be full of good Info. and you will have a really good time.

Give it a try it is worth every pennie for sure

[roost4u]

Originally posted by Fishin Magician:
I would willing to put you in my boat and try to get you into your first steelhead sometime this week. It would be tons of fun seeing you with your first steel.......!!!!!!
I am off all week and weekend if you want to try and go.

John

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">I would love to go. The only days I could go is Wednesday (tomorrow) and Sunday (after working a 12 hour night shift) but if that works for you then I'm in. I would prefer tomorrow. I appreciate the offer very much. Where would we be going?

[Fishin Magician]

Unfortunatly I dont think the weather is going to cooperate for tomorrow . They are calling for 20+ MPH East winds with gusts in the 40 range Plus lots of rain. Lets keep in touch and try Sunday or next wednesday.

John

[skrimmy]

roost4u

Whatever you gotta do to get a seat in FM's boat, "just do it"! Call in sick! You would NOT be sorry! I took a float with him last week and we were 8 for 9 and as good a time on the water as you could pray for.

Awfully nice of you John to do that! [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

[Fishin Magician]

Thanks Skrim........

[Bait O' Eggs]

Did Catch and Eat get another moniker?

You know thats against the rules dont you? :tongue:

[puffins crew]

Fishin Magician, You are D'MAN!! [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

What a great offer.

Peace, Tom

[SafetyChain]

roost4u,

welcome to my world! Both in terms of being an ifish member and being winter steelies skunked :shocked:

Last steelhead I caught was December 2000 [img]graemlins/berry.gif[/img] and it was a summer on the Deschutes . My family is having a great time at my expense But we'll keep putting in the time

[A.C.G.S.]

roost4u

Clean HANDS, & NO Bananas!!!


DA

[LurkerDave]

A couple suggestions:
If you can't join a generous experienced guy like Fishin Magician you might want to go out with a guide. Really helps accelerate the learning curve.

What has helped me (besides fishing a bunch at the right time)was to pick a technique and try to master it rather than bouncing back and forith between too many techniques. I chose float fishing (mostly because I fly fish with an indicator sometimes and the two are similar in many ways)then sytematically started working through different styles until I started finding things which worked for me.

[Akuracy503]

Whenever I get into a slump I change things around...quit fishing the same old spots and try learning new ones, try different baits etc...

And for the Guide shop wilson drift...I too have lack of faith in that hole for bank fishing...
Seems to be a popular spot but ive never seen the bank fishing get hot behind the shop.

[Dakotan]

A word of advice, the Guide Shop hole is fine and dandy but if you want to increase your odds, find another hole. Like others have suggested, explore new water and try to stick to one technique. Learn a section of river and watch how it fluctuates with the river level (winter to summer, high flow to low flow). You'll find that it might take a little while but you'll get one sooner or later and after that first one, man look out. You'll start catching fish left and right. Good luck.

[roost4u]

Thankx for all of the encouragement. I appreciate it. Looking foreward to getting in the boat with you FM. I do like the ideas about getting with a guide but it's just too costly for me. I fish as a secondary hobby and choose to spend most of my extra cash on my primary hobby which is dirtbiking.

[skrimmy]

Catch a few steelies, you're hooked, and you'll be selling the dirt bike and buying a drift boat!

[fishnpray]

The off-streak is a common phenomenon, at least i think it is, for steelhead. Don't sweat it. Once you get that first one, you'll be ok with having spent so much time after it.

-Luis

[Rakkasan]

John you need to stay home, take care of your wounds and leave us some fish. Let me go back down and hurt myself some more.

You da plug man

PS Thanks for the telephonic jig lesson. They look nice. :grin:

[Navigator]

I am in the same boat with respect to Springers.

Stick to the same technique in the same water that you know holds fish because you have seen fish caught there. At least for the beginning of each trip. Learn one piece of water well until success is hit. Then, begin applying that knowledge to new water.

Within reason of course. If conditions drastically different, then try a technique better suited to that. And never pass up new water and techniques with an experienced fisherperson. But the above applies to your solo trips under normal (ideal) conditions.the

It will happen.

[Short Hop]

We've all been in that situation for a time. I can seem to catch a summer steelhead anywhere besided the cloumbia and I've spent hours tossing spinners on the Deschutes and drifted the Kalama. I know they are there buyt I just cant get one. Maybe if you try posting a good fishing story to introduce yourself to the board your luck might change. :grin:

[Reel Premier]

Welcome to the board roost4u. How did you come up with your name? On the subject of fishing so many hours with no fish, that just means you will go on an unimagineable hot streak when you do start hooking up. Don't get down, just keep casting. :smile:

[SKP]

That's how it was for me at first......UNTIL.......I hooked the first one. You'll be surprised how many "rocks" felt like that first fish. It's the "alive" feeling versus the rigid rock feeling. "Hey, that rocked seemed to move.....nope, it's a fish".

First day I know I had a bite, I hooked five, only getting one to the bank. Then step two is learning to play them.

SKP

[321mx-r]

roost4u- hook up with one of these guys & get the skunk off! I too have a very bad habit of the dirtbike, and can relate to your steelhead woes. Must have something to do with " Berm Shot Syndrome" (B.S.S.) It's kinda like finally jumping that big double jump that your buddies have been clearing all day, as soon as you get it, you will get it. I am in one of those slump right now. I can get them on jigs, but can't buy one on drift gear.

[Reel Premier]

roost4u,

I thought your name had something to do with dirtbikes. In my first post to you I had the question, Does your name have something to do with dirtbikes?, but I deleted it and figured I would let you tell me. I am a life long dirtbiker, and have two bikes right now, so when I saw your name I new it was in reference to motorcycles. PM me or e-mail, let me know what type of riding you do, and where you like to ride. :grin:

P.S. In May I'm going to the East vs. West shootout in Vegas. Go K-Dub.


drifterboy, aka John.

[steel_beaver]

I've been there.... my first year and a half i only cought one steel head and i long line released it
i'm not that big of an expert now but i catch a few. once you catch the first one it gets a lot easier...
i'm coming back to aloha from march 19 to the 28 so if you want to go with me some time it will be great. no boat... just bank fishing on the clackamas... or willamette...

steel beaver

[321mx-r]

Drifterboy & roost4u

PM me. I too am a dirtbike rider. Time to get riding in before the springers show up! I'm with drifterboy, go KDub!!

[SPAZZ]

Dont worry, your time is coming. :grin:

[Raven1]

Hey Roost4U I totally feel for you. After many days of standing in the rain I finally had a Steelie committ suicide and hit my shrimp offering. Keep it up....

FM: That's a way cool offer.

[SoundsFishy]

You have incredible patience. I guarantee that you will soon catch a fish. I learned long ago that I do it for the fishing and not the catching.

[Akuracy503]

Learn new fish holding areas/holes, knowing when and where to fish sometimes gets you into the %10 club of catching majority of fishes...

Zipperlip knowledge are the best tool a fisherman can have.

[ 02-26-2004, 02:32 AM: Message edited by: Akuracy503 ]

[SHOUGALNITE]

Welcome.

[CATCH AND EAT]

Originally posted by Bait O' Eggs:
Did Catch and Eat get another moniker?

You know thats against the rules dont you? :tongue:

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">Ya try to be nice to someone and then they stab ya in the back like this. And how many springers did you catch last year son? :tongue: [img]graemlins/1zhelp.gif[/img]

[ 02-26-2004, 11:51 AM: Message edited by: CATCH AND EAT ]