It is not about the spot!!!!!!!!!!!!!

fishnxtc · 03-31-2003, 05:49 PM

I have been getting so many emails about where am I fishing and so on. Every spot I fish produces fish. I do not think the spot is as important as much as technique and confidence with an confidence being the most imporant. Here is a perfect example I fished with someone who had confidence in fishing 9ft of water. I hated the spot even after we caught 3 fish. The next day I took my boat to were I was confident 27ft of water and he went back to 9ft of water. We both pounded fish caught the biggest springers of our lives confidence got both of us into fish. Just find a techinque that you have confidence in and try to prefect it. After feeling confident with that techinque diversify your techinques and spots to become more productive.I have been fishing anywhere from 8ft to 31ft with sardine wrapped kwikfish with dropper ranging from 12 inches to 4ft. Leader lenghts 3ft to 8ft and any scent you like except carrot extract. Good luck and hopefully you will be posting pictures like this in the near future.

.................Chris

ZaQ · 03-31-2003, 06:07 PM

Yeah, don't use the carrot extract until we have it perfected.

I remember that fish, remember this one? This one was the creme of the crop!

OMG!

ROGUE35 · 03-31-2003, 06:08 PM

WELL PUT!!!!!!! [img]graemlins/idea.gif[/img]

live to fish · 03-31-2003, 06:09 PM

very nice chris

I can atest to that i am now catching fish

Now if i could just get my computer to post them.

live to fish · 03-31-2003, 06:11 PM

Hey that second fish looks like the one i caught last thursday.Bueatifull fish

norms gone fishing too · 03-31-2003, 06:35 PM

Even thou I�m enveious of you talent. I agree with you find a spot that fish will travel learn it and you will get into fish but you must learn where the fish like to travel and how to rigup I learned this a few years ago
Every one will have good days if they learn about the fish they are looking for. Keep posts them pics I think its great. I have not perfected this yet but I keep trying

CorkyCatcher · 03-31-2003, 06:38 PM

OUCH!! Glad it wasn't me. :grin:
Keep up the good work, your pics are an inspiration for the continued pursuit of the perfect carrot extract.

Bobby Ray · 03-31-2003, 06:44 PM

Hey Chris,

Can I take a picture or what?

Maybe I should sell my prints like Marie. :grin:

Bobby

BrionLutz · 03-31-2003, 06:50 PM

Fishnxtc,

I'm not a killer fisherman (yet...gimme 20 more years <grin&gt

but I do fish with arguably some of the best guides in the Oregon salmon business.

Their pitch is like real estate, location, location, location. You can have the best technique in the world but if you are not where the fish are...no fish.

Yes you have to get the technique right but in listening to guides talk, the technique is the easier part, knowing where and when the fish are seems to be paramount.

In fishing with Jack Glass, we'd catch fish in one spot in the AM with one technique, another spot at noon with the another technique and another spot in the PM with another technique. Jack taught the kids the techniques, but knowing where and when to apply them seemed to be the key to catching fish.

I know what you mean about having confidence in the technique. Larry Page showed me how to fish for the fall Coho up near Chinook Landing. We didn't catch anything that day with Larry but I had confidence in what he showed me on how and where to fish and started nailing them by myself over the next couple days. I might not have persisted if I didn't have faith in what Larry showed me.

Sheesh...this topic is probably bottomless...the nature/nurture argument about catching fish <grin>.

Brion

fish_on · 03-31-2003, 06:53 PM

hey that's where I was today :grin: I think we caught that same fish

fishnxtc · 03-31-2003, 08:04 PM

Brionlutz,
We are 100% correct it is about location but what I was trying to say is that I do not just go to one spot and catch all of fish. A lot of people think it just has be the spot that catches fish which is not true. I guess you have to be confident in finding spots out of the way that are not normal fished by 1000 people. Yea those spot catch fish but there are plenty of spots on the river that will produce just as well with not so many people. Fished a spot on Saturday with only four boats around (Ifishers) and it produced fish just fine..................chris

FISH HAWK · 03-31-2003, 08:08 PM

Heres the real secret......
Fish 7 days a week

5-Cents · 03-31-2003, 09:16 PM

Who in the world would ever fish in 9ft of water [img]graemlins/stupid.gif[/img] No self respecting salmon, especially a 25lber, 38lber, 31 lber and a 18lber would ever be found in such water

Chris is right I just studied my river atlas and found likely areas that the spring salmon would be by observing where we were catching fish in the first place. [img]graemlins/idea.gif[/img]

Its a big river and there is plenty of water. The spot Chris was talking about is within site of a spot that 200-300 other boats were fishing but Chris and I were the only ones there. You saw the pics of my family with fish so you know I scored!

Take a look at the water you currently fish. Look at the river chart. What characteristics make that spot a good spot? Now try to find those same situations in other parts of the river and it should pay off!

Keep in mind deeper water = longer lead line, shallow water = shorter lead line. Experiment with your lead line length, sometimes a 6" change can make a huge difference. Salmon will follow the path of least resistence, learn to read the water. Is there a good seam current seam, and underwater dropoff where the fish can get out of the current? Next time you hook a fish take a look at what the bottom structure looks like where you are fishing and look for the same structure in other places. Write it down and go back and read it later. The research will pay off in the long run!

Good luck everyone

lor · 03-31-2003, 10:40 PM

The shine off that first picture has temporarly blinded me, man what a bright fish.

Chacal · 03-31-2003, 10:59 PM

XTC is so right. Clownmouth and I went out this weekend two days with a load of confidence and look at what we caught!

The fishnxtc method of fishing works great! Order your video cassette or DVD of his techniques for only $19.99 plus shipping and handling. Call 1-800-IWANTASPRINGER!!!

The sick part was that was a clipped salmon...

[ 04-01-2003, 12:00 AM: Message edited by: Chacal ]

Firedog · 04-01-2003, 03:02 AM

XTC, excellent post. My buddy and I were talking the same thing last night on the way home from fishing. The columbia is a big river and people would be amazed at the amount of fish catching spots there are out there. You don't have to go where everyone else is. Find the type of water you like to fish and get after it, reading water is important even in a river as big as the columbia. Time to go fishing.

Fshklr · 04-01-2003, 04:35 AM

XTC,
That was an ecellent post. I took the carrot info as a pre april fools joke. Thought others would too

That reflective eye blinding flash from that CHROMER says it all

Great to see you and others puttin the hurt to em this year [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img] Love that CARROT AVATAR

Gun Rod Bow · 04-01-2003, 05:34 AM

You are right on the money.

I usually backtroll, I have never really liked anchor fishing, too short of an attention span I guess.

I've been in those lines where 1 or 2 boats were doin all the catchin. I fished with some friends last weekend who are really good at it. Our boat caught over half the fish (4) in our line of 12 boats. And, we couldn't get the water depth we wanted.

I've seen Eric Linde get crowded out when he went to get his clients and had to move anchor, come back and put on "a clinic". While the people who had "his spot" were sucking their thumbs. [img]graemlins/berry.gif[/img]

Point is technique, watch wahat's working, make subtle changes, be sure your plugs are fishing, etc..

You must get hounded man! You brought it on yourself though

It is cool of you to keep encouraging and teaching. I enjoy seeing the fish.

Thanks Chris

dawhunt · 04-01-2003, 07:23 AM

Thats a beautiful native you caught and a great picture,BUT and I mean no disrespect but I would never take a native out of the water unless there was no other way to get the hooks out and then it would go back in the water ASAP.That's just me but I'm sure the natives don't handle it very well ??.Again that's just me.
Bob

Hogmaster · 04-01-2003, 07:35 AM

Oh, sure Chris and Shane...

I know you guys are constantly fishing near one certain beach. It became obvious to me on Saturday. For the longest time I tried to figure out why, then it suddenly becamce clear:

They grow carrots there!!!

5-Cents · 04-01-2003, 09:46 AM

Too funny Hogmaster [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

garyk · 04-01-2003, 12:12 PM

Hello 5-Cents and XTC. I think it was you two who came in to join us Saturday afternoon. Nice to have a day with enough action to keep us on our toes. :smile:

I agree, it's not about a single spot. Furthermore, I seem to frequently detect a pattern of fish changing depth according to the stage of the tide and the resulting current strength.

When the run-out begins the fish often seem closer to the bank, and the bankies may have a prime time for the first half, or so, of the outgoing tide.

Then as low slack approaches, the bite may move to the outside.

Both Saturday and Sunday we began at 11' and then followed the action by moving out to 18'.

Have either of you noticed this pattern?

(I'm gonna have to log what the Columbia's height was this weekend for future reference)

5-Cents · 04-01-2003, 12:31 PM

garyk,

Where you in a boat or on the bank? What you are saying might make sense, I am still trying to figure that one out.

I do believe depending on current, the color of the water and how bright the day is the fish will move. They definately have a comfort zone they like to stay in. :whazzup:

Once someone figures that all out they will be the King of Kings. Oh and carrots dont hurt either :grin:

MasterCaster · 04-01-2003, 12:46 PM

garyk...That seemed to be what happend where we were on Sat also. We picked up our 2 fish at 12'. First at 8:30 and second about 2 hrs later. Then the boats next to us a little deeper got theirs and so on. All the boats in our line <6> got fish as did the line of 4 below us, from us at 12' to the last boat that was in about 30'. That just goes to show also that you dont have to be in the big crowds to find fish. We were told that the "crowd" of about 150 to 200 boats that we could see in the distance only got a few fish and in just the little area <of about 3 small lines> where we were had alot more action.

Jon :smile: :grin: :smile:

[ 04-01-2003, 01:48 PM: Message edited by: MasterCaster ]

JeepMcMuddy · 04-01-2003, 01:05 PM

XTC-
I for one have to say thank you for your willingness to post and share the great photos! Its great to be at work and know at least someone is out truly enjoying themselves (As evidenced by your smile in all your photos!) Keep up the good work!
Ohhh and I have something for you! Probably the only "Carrot" pen in exisitence. Figure you could use it fill out that ever lengthing Punch card! Seriously, email me, and I'll drop it in the mail to you. I havent gotten the chance to get a springer yet, so goodness knows I dont need it!

garyk · 04-01-2003, 01:07 PM

5-Cents, if that was you (wife and kids?), we were the three all by ourselves in the 176 Hewescraft, you came from downriver adn anchored on the outside of us. Later I believe that was XTC that came in between your boat and ours.

When our spot got cold, and you had dropped out twice, we moved outside of you and finished the day with a hit-but-no-stick (plus a beautiful starry flounder).

We followed the same pattern on Sunday with even better action - hope to post a couple pics later.

I've seen this pattern up at Frenchmans Bar in Aug/Sept. Top of the tide bite will be inside and then as you get to low slack it pays to move out to the 45'-48' depth.

I'll be testing this theory again this Friday.

Mastercaster, please don't discourage folks from joining the crowd-clusters, they NEED the company, and it makes life easier for folks like us

5-Cents · 04-01-2003, 02:07 PM

garyk,

Yep that was me and the family. You should have said hi or something.

I like that spot and have done real well this year in it. Those bankies were killing them werent they? Maybe I will see you out there on Friday too as we will be on the water. I am taking a friend out that lives in AZ and I really hope to get him a fish.

That sure was a nice flounder, we have caught them up by T-6 too fishing for sturgeon :shocked: You guys had some good hits in that spot, sorry none of them stuck. Always good to hear that drag zipping. I guess that spot was dead after I got those two fish. We had to leave a little early too.

Take Care... Shane

garyk · 04-01-2003, 04:52 PM

We'll be sure to say 'howdy' on Friday.

Saturday we were a bit quiet. I had a headache and after two fish came unbuttoned, my head REALLY hurt.

We were sort of bumming after that, having grabs without sticking and then the ones that did stick, ended up twisting off

Sunday was much better, and we stayed through the mid-afternoon doldrums, there was another spurt of action just before 5pm (as Silver Hilton has noted in another thread) - all together, I think it was the most action I've ever had springer fishing.

Water temp. was pushing 48f; I'm a little concerned that this sustained cold front this week will slow the action for Friday - we'll just have to see.

[ 04-01-2003, 05:54 PM: Message edited by: garyk ]

04-01-2003, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by FISH HAWK:
Heres the real secret......
Fish 7 days a week

Nice posts.