One of my cousins has been asking me to take him out and this was the 1st time we were able to coordinate out schedules. Since it was him and his dad, and they wanted to learn how to fish for steelhead from the bank I set them up with a couple of my spare float/jig rigs and we hit the Hwy side of Reiter.

We fished from the top hole down to cable, camped there for the majority of the day since we pretty much had it all to ourselves and the top holes had quite a few hammering them already.

When we got down there, there was a guy in a little 6' rowboat, out in the hole, rowing against the current pulling a plug. Basically blocking the entire hole. After some grumbling we went out down to the tailout, got them set up and casting.
About 15 minutes later the rowboat guy beached the boat and walked up to one of the cabins so we waited another 15 minutes or so and then moved up into the hole.

We bounced around all over that stretch, switched colors, depths etc. and not one takedown by us or anyone else that we saw throughout the day.
We headed back up to the top hole around 1, fished it for about an hour, saw 1 fish caught and 1 lost on the hatchery side but still no luck for us.

Two things that really bugged me:

1st was all of the garbage on the banks! I have been hitting the highway side for many years and never seen so much crap all over the place. Line, beer bottles, coffee cups, lure packaging, shirts, hats, energy drinks. Sad, very very sad. I usually have a garbage bag with me, but since it was supposed to be so hot, I didn't wear my vest which is where I keep em. Thinking I might take my daughter for a hike next weekend just to pick up garbage if I can get out. From what I understand, this is the exact problem that has caused BNSF to shutdown access to the fingers down lower in the river so PLEASE PEOPLE, PACK IT OUT before we lose access here also.

2nd was all of the crap in the river! Between the 3 of us, we pulled 5 leaders (hook and bead) and a good 100' of line out of the cable hole and lost 6-8 jigs and a couple of spoons to line still in the hole (line, not snags). It looked to me like someone lost a bunch of braid because I caught it a couple times with my spoon and it snapped my 17# leader.

Gotta add some good to the bad - it was a beautiful day to be in the river and we were visited by a wood duck and her brood who decided to hang out with us for awhile.

natetreat

6/24/2014 3:41:00 PM

When it keeps dropping, one summer day in the next few weeks I'm going to go up there and swim with a snorkel mask, cut out all the line, grab up all the lead and pick up all the trash. I did it last year and came up with gobs and gobs and gobs of the stuff. We can make a picnic out of it it you want!

Bank drifter

6/24/2014 6:12:00 PM

You guys are awesome, I came out of cable last TH with about 80 yards of line -no spoons though! I keep picking up line every time I go, will start taking more garbage out, I usually have a white garbage bag, or at least take what I can in my backpack. Same folks throwing crap out their car windows. What a beautiful spot too, doesn't take a lot of effort to keep it clean.
Sorry it was a tough day out there, seems to be feast or famine out there...I thought it was illegal to fish from a boat 1500' from hatcherycreek-or thereabouts, maybe that is just outside of the line?
Would
Would love to see tickets handed out for trash, but that would assume the wardens are out regularly and in 3 years up there I have yet to see one.

Gringo Pescador

6/24/2014 7:37:00 PM

Nate - I was thinking about doing the snorkel thing, then i dropped a jig while retying in waste deep water. Bent over to pick it up and decided jumping in wasn't going to happen.
Bank drifter, I have to look at the regs of course but I think you are right. Honestly it always amazes me how many people will toss a line out and not consider what they are going to do if they actually hook up. I was hoping he would have hooked up, he was rowing to beat hell already I would have loved to see a fish take him for a ride.

Mike Carey

6/25/2014 12:48:00 PM

1,000 ft downstream and 1,500 upstream from the ponds.

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