Spent a couple more days this week hunting for steel. Except for some promising reports from a local tackle shop earlier in the week, it seemed slow again this week due to ongoing low and clear conditions, most of the guys I've been talking to on the flow are beginning the "frustrated" period of their season as sometimes it seems that no matter what we do to match the conditions, we just cannot connect with one of these beauts...
Personally I have not touched, or seen a fish for about two weeks which is enough for me to pull out the clear floats and fluorocarbon, but even though reports and stories have become a bit fewer and further between, don't get frustrated guys. The fish are there, and there are still a few coming in on each tide so even though many are waiting for a good rain to bring em in, at least enjoy the beautiful sunshine like I have a few days this week and hunt for some steel!
And guys, keep up with the reports! it gets depressing when Fishing slows down a bit, and no one wants to fess up, seems folks lose interest or something?... I could hardly find a water conditions update this week never mind a fishing report on the site...
Anyhow, I have been fishing some awesome water, which you can find just about anywhere from top to bottom right now if you look around a little, and today I saw two hookups low down in the river. Possibly the same fish from the same hole but the second guy landed her/him, a hatch probably around 8 lbs.
And another thing guys, when you get the chance to play one of these beautiful specimens, take note where you're fishing to see if there is anyone around to tube the fish if it happens to be wild. Too often this season I have seen guys with tubes running down the river towards a guy fighting a fish, desperately yelling "is it wild?!" or "if its wild do you mind if I can tube it?" and often anglers will ignore this or in certain instances I have witnessed will refuse to give the fish to the hatchery, even after the volunteer has helped the angler to tail land the fish! While I realize some are definately caught up "in the heat of the moment" and don't really know what they are saying or doing until the surge of adrenaline leaves their blood a few minutes after the fish is landed or gone, I also realize the lack of knowledge of the broodstock program for it seems the majority of the anglers on the Vedder just dont know.
Let us take it upon ourselves to help educate new and old anglers alike, in all aspects of ethical steelheading on our local flows. And make sure to enjoy the sun this weekend and let me know how it goes!