Question from Pete- why was it good?

[David Johnson]

Pete Morris from the ifish board emailed this question to me in reference to a reply I posted on one of the threads. I wanted to answer it.

David,You said, on the Ifish discussion board, that last season was your best
winter steelhead season ever. I'm curious to know if that's because the
low rainfall meant you were able to fish more days, or if you actually
caught more fish per trip. I know the last really wet year we had I had
big trouble timing my trips because it seemed the rivers were over their
banks on all my available days.


MORE FISH- We actually caught more fish per trip Pete. It was a good run and by switching to low water techniques we had a captive audiance. The consistancy in fishing was really good, 2 to 6 fish for every trip with a couple of dyas better.

On some years with lots of high water we have had some of our best single days when we landed 8 to 12 steelhead on every trip, it's just that the trips were few and far between because there was so much high water there wasn't many places to fish at all.

YEARS CHANGE- Almost every year is different. If it's a low water year some systems really fish good, if it's a real high water year some rivers fish really good and if it's average rainfall there are a lot of places to fish.


IN A RUT- I know one thing, too many people will return to the same river or even to the same spot time and time again regardless of the conditions. If they caught a fish there five years ago that becomes their favorite spot. It doesn't really work that way. If the same conditions match up then it could be great fishing because many times fish will hold in the same place time and time again if the conditions are right. If the water is higher, lower, clearer etc. the fish will be elsewere.


BEING DIALED IN- Getting dialed in means finding a river or peice of water and fishing it over and over again and learning how the fish live there and how to extract them. It seams like almost every year for winter steelhead I'll spend more time in one place than any other. I do that mainly becuase of water conditions. And if the fishing isn't up to par I'm out of there, no use beating my head against a wall.


I have about four favorite rivers that match four cercumstances of rainfall and then another handfull of secondary rivers that I fish. I know these well, get as much info at all times, scout them out, experiment.....to get dialed in.

I FEEL YOUR PAIN PETE- Timing has a lot to do with it and as you stated a lot of the days you had off the rivers were over their banks. I've lost or had to rescedule seven days in the last couple of weeks due to water levels. That couldn't have been helped since we are fishing salmon and the options are getting scarce as to were there are fish but if it was steelhead season I could have gone else were. That's your solution. If the conditions are wrong for were you want to fish on a certain day go elsewere.

Big rivers fish best during low water, small rivers fish best during high water and of course medium size rivers fish on those medium rainfall times.

And some years there is just too much rain period, nothing will be in shape. Lets hope that's not the case this year.

[ 11-29-2001: Message edited by: David Johnson ]</p>