summer metalheads.

[jens]

Wow Jens, nice fish. I went to the Cow this weekend and got skunked. Just shakers and one freight train in the afternoon. The freight train must have been an old springer that decided he wanted to go back to the salt. Spooled me, then snapped the leader.

Gotta love those Kings! Where you using your Curado?

[DoubleR]

Jens,
Yup - was using the Curado. Couldnt slow the damn thing down, then he snapped the 12# leader. Sure surprised me after having no good hits all day! I wasnt about to try and chase him - that river is so slippery I would have ended up heading for the salt right along with him. I dont think I've ever been on a river with so much snot on the rocks.

[jens]

Jens,
Yup - was using the Curado. Couldnt slow the damn thing down, then he snapped the 12# leader. Sure surprised me after having no good hits all day! I wasnt about to try and chase him - that river is so slippery I would have ended up heading for the salt right along with him. I dont think I've ever been on a river with so much snot on the rocks.

I haven't heard too much going on the Cow. I heard people in sleds are doing good, but not for bankies. I try and stay away from all the ruckus. Was the fish that spooled you as big as the fish you are holding in your Avatar? You and bigsmooth share the same story, that happened to him last fall.

[curado]

remember those curados have 15lbs of drag so dont be afraid to tightin it down if need be

[chefjake99]

Good work Jens. Nice looking fish.

Thank you- how the fishing up North?

Pretty slow Jens. I did finally have a hook up on the float and jig set up which was nice.
Water is very low and clear fish are in there though.
I have been thinking about either heading over to the sol duc or down to the nooch for a couple days any suggestions or reports out there either way. Thanks

[donman]

Viola! Chef here is a report off the Sol Duc . . .

Sol Duc River - July 19th, 2010
supplied by: Angler's Guide Service
RECORDED: 66 ° FISHING: Excellent
The Sol Duc is in great shape at less than a board with 20+ ft of vis.

Some Summer Chinook are making a showing. Fish are stacking up in the deeper holes and small groups of tidal fish showing as well. Summer steelhead are sneaking their way in as well and stacking up around the hatchery. Sockeye are still making a very strong showing! Sockeye have been very fun this month with limits boated daily. You should give this a try if you are up for a great OP summer fishery!
Some of the deeper holes have been fishing good with a diver and Bait. Most holes are getting to slow for divers. Fish a #20 diver with a 5ft leader and any combination of Eggs, Shrimp, Sardines and Mackeral. Sit on the holes and wait for them to bite. You might also try to use some floats and eggs in the deeper holes.

Fishing is well, AWESOME!

I know that Scott was there Sunday and saw Steelhead stacked up in the Callawah. He saw a school of 30 pull up and just sit there. Talk to the locals when you get to Forks, or if you get to the Sol Duc Hatchery see what they have to say. Another great idea is to head straight for the Quillayute which is the river that feeds the Sol Duc, Bogachiel and Callawah. Big Kings should be in there right now.

[scott080379]

The Sol has fish in it, just not much. The callawah would be your best bet, but head down stream of the hatchery and below the rest of the people fishing.

If you fish the Quillayute bring your plunking gear. Use big chunks of Roe and some spinning glow. If you fish the Cal bring clear floats/bobbers.

[Anonymous]

That's the beauty of getting out and fishing new waters. You always learn and see something new. I think if scott and I were to get out again we would do things a lot differently with the new knowledge and lay of the land. Definitely fish farther down stream from hatcheries. Those fish do look appealing stacked up and can be caught, but for the most part they are lockjaw and ready to lay it down. Farther you can hike and get away from known spots and people the better. Stealth is the key. I was telling scott it would be nice to have camo and sneak down river to spots, not disturbing the water. Once they know your there they are done. Clear bobbers, roe or prawn tails are your best bet. We were told too that a #3 blue fox spinner in blue or gold can get some steelies to bite as well. But again, stealthiness is crucial.
Wish I didn't have as many responsibilities as I have or I'd be out there everyday knocking'em dead. Good times for sure.




fishnislife

[jens]

Good work Jens. Nice looking fish.

Thank you- how the fishing up North?

Pretty slow Jens. I did finally have a hook up on the float and jig set up which was nice.
Water is very low and clear fish are in there though.
I have been thinking about either heading over to the sol duc or down to the nooch for a couple days any suggestions or reports out there either way. Thanks

When do you plan on hitting up the Nooch? I might be able to join you. I have fished it twice out of a driftboat and came home skunked. Do you have a specific area that you plan to fish?

[bionic_one]

That's the beauty of getting out and fishing new waters. You always learn and see something new. I think if scott and I were to get out again we would do things a lot differently with the new knowledge and lay of the land. Definitely fish farther down stream from hatcheries. Those fish do look appealing stacked up and can be caught, but for the most part they are lockjaw and ready to lay it down. Farther you can hike and get away from known spots and people the better. Stealth is the key. I was telling scott it would be nice to have camo and sneak down river to spots, not disturbing the water. Once they know your there they are done. Clear bobbers, roe or prawn tails are your best bet. We were told too that a #3 blue fox spinner in blue or gold can get some steelies to bite as well. But again, stealthiness is crucial.
Wish I didn't have as many responsibilities as I have or I'd be out there everyday knocking'em dead. Good times for sure.

I agree that fishing right below a hatchery might not be the greatest idea, BUT, camo and sneaking down the river would be overkill. If the fish know you are there, it's not a big deal either. There are two reasons for that. First, the fish are always MOVING, they are going up the river, so if you scared a fish out of a hole, and it's a good hole for resting or hiding, another fish is going to move in. Secondly, Bobbers and other things don't really bother the fish that much. Specially if the bottom of your bobber is black. Hell, did you see the video in the "salmon season is coming" thread? That Salmon was checking out a gulp swimbait with no tail in less than 20 feet of CLEAR water, DIRECTLY under VERY BRIGHT orange/red kayaks.


I feel there are much simpler factors to consider when catching steelhead

1. Is there a fish in the area close enough to see your presentation?
2. Does your particular presentation cause the fish to bite through either hunger or aggression?

We're talking about fish that bite things like:

Metal Spoons
Spinners
Worms
Sacks of Eggs
etc.

They're freakin' trout. They're trying to get up a river to spawn, and to catch them you can either put what looks like an easy meal in their face, or cause them to bite out of aggression.

Now I haven't been on a whole lot of steelhead trips, but the trips I went on were very straight forward. Cast your crap near water that a fish could rest in or travel through, and get a hit. OR, fish all day, when nobody (even the guides) catches anything, and get nothing, because there just aren't any fish there, or you weren't lucky enough to put your presentation within striking distance of the fish that were.

[scott080379]

There is a reason why we and everyone else was using clear bobber on the cal, they get spooked with anythuing else, they would even get spooked with the clear bobbers. were talking about 4 feet of clear as day water.

Steelies are A LOT harder to catch than any salmon out there. yes they are agressive but not as much as a salmon. But it's all about finding the right hole and the right presentaion.

We watched the steel head move up and down river. They were done going up river most were in small schools of 5 to 10 fish and jsut swimming around waiting to spawn.

[jens]

I believe it is all about presentation. I think the situation you guys faced at the OP is one I would like to face one day. I would think downsizing your presentation might work. A nice juicy sandshrimp tail drifting with little weight or a juicy quarter sized cured eggs.
I bought several of those clear floats at steelheadstalkers, they work killer.
I can't honestly say which is easier to catch Salmon or Steelhead. I will say it took me longer to learn how to catch a Steelhead then Salmon, but once I learned how it is a new ballgame for me and I love it.

[curado]

low clear water calls for clear floats.

[donman]

Has anyone fished the Hoko, Pysht or Lyre Rivers? According to the book Washington Fishing by Terry Rudnick, these are supposed to be good small Steelhead streams for summer and winter runs. Trying to find any good info about them is hard to do.

[chefjake99]

Thank you- how the fishing up North?

Pretty slow Jens. I did finally have a hook up on the float and jig set up which was nice.
Water is very low and clear fish are in there though.
I have been thinking about either heading over to the sol duc or down to the nooch for a couple days any suggestions or reports out there either way. Thanks

When do you plan on hitting up the Nooch? I might be able to join you. I have fished it twice out of a driftboat and came home skunked. Do you have a specific area that you plan to fish?

Jens-

I've never been to the nooch so I put a deposit down on a guided drift boat trip waiting to hear some good reports I have an option to fish either the cow or the nooch. Either way Im gonna head down there for a weekend and fish the trip one day learn a little bout the river and bank fish the next day. So probably in about a couple weeks.

[scott080379]

Has anyone fished the Hoko, Pysht or Lyre Rivers? According to the book Washington Fishing by Terry Rudnick, these are supposed to be good small Steelhead streams for summer and winter runs. Trying to find any good info about them is hard to do.

never even heard of them....time to do a little research.

Where are they located Don?

[donman]

Scott, when I was looking at the Lyre, I was totally thinking of you. I was there last year when it was blown out, but during the summer, it is very low and walkable all the way to the Lyre River Falls which is about 2 miles. Fish can't go any further than that. So that means in that two miles there has to be some summer runs and eventually Kings and Coho. Let's make some plans soon to get out there and hit these on a two day trip, what do you say?

[curado]

oh trust me if there is side creeks they will go there

[fishnislife]

Today and tomorrow would be great days to be on the river with this drizzle. Wish I didn't have responsibilities.

jens - Is that the same Notellum River that runs out of Donevatellum Lake?
Sure wish I could see Google search results on recent searches of Notellum River. bwahahaha
Nice hauls this year man. You have us all very jealous and wishing we were all knew you well enough for an invite.
Keep hangn'em bro.
I know you have them, but please no more pics........it's bad for my health.





fishnislife

[jens]

Today and tomorrow would be great days to be on the river with this drizzle. Wish I didn't have responsibilities.

jens - Is that the same Notellum River that runs out of Donevatellum Lake?
Sure wish I could see Google search results on recent searches of Notellum River. bwahahaha
Nice hauls this year man. You have us all very jealous and wishing we were all knew you well enough for an invite.
Keep hangn'em bro.
I know you have them, but please no more pics........it's bad for my health.





fishnislife

I thought your passion is chasing green or bronze? I used to be...

I will add, I caught another pig on the Notellum yesterday morning on a spoon and on my first cast. I'll post a pic when I get back to my other office.