coolerfull1
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steelhead 07-08
The wetter the better; it's that simple. Cool weather combined with alot of rain at the end of September/early October and you will be able to walk across their backs on lower Elk and lower Walnut by the second week of October and the other fish continue to follow and the fishing stays superb as they keep coming. Take note from one season to another, if it's too warm and dry through October, you have to consider these are pattern fish and if the water isn't right I firmly believe they go back to the lake. Sure you will still get a good number of fish and there will be subsequent mini runs, but I'm getting more and more sure that October is crutial. Too warm means go back to the lake and their pattern changes that easily.
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tippy-toe
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RE: steelhead 07-08
2007/08/21 19:07:55
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nice screen name... Ted is that you?????
I have the right to remain silent.....I just don't have the ability
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kyler16
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RE: steelhead 07-08
2007/08/21 19:11:59
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Last year I fished elk on sept4th. I didnt catch any but I witnessed lots of guys around me tear into them. I made 13 trips between then and Nov 25th. some days were cold but on nov 25th it was 60+ degrees that day and plently of Steelhead in the river in sterritania. If the weather was that warm last year and there still were as much fish then... if this year is cooler I can only imagine the numbers.
"If you kill it, eat it. If you eat it, cook it right." -Steve Rinella
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coolerfull1
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RE: steelhead 07-08
2007/08/21 19:54:30
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Upper Elk did hold alot of fish last year. There will allways be fish one place or another but some years are no doubt better than others. And finally someone calls me out on my screen name, I thought it would happen a long time ago. If you ever been to one of his seminars, Uncle Teddy makes some interesting points when it comes to harvesting fish and deer which he is all for, although he seems to be in outer space when he talks about children carrying hand guns.
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fishrmn
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RE: steelhead 07-08
2007/08/23 21:36:50
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"Cool weather combined with alot of rain at the end of September/early October and you will be able to walk across their backs on lower Elk and lower Walnut by the second week of October" I disagree... For instance last year, we had a ton of rain in september. The fish ran very early, and spread out big time. The end result was everyone and their brother B%*&ing about there being low numbers of fish around... When in fact the fish were just spread out, and were way upstream. If you want fish stacked in lower walnut and elk, then hope for a dry year. -Tim
post edited by fishrmn - 2007/08/23 21:41:05
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mr.fisherman
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RE: steelhead 07-08
2007/08/23 22:19:49
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Cold weather and lots of rain = tons of fish upstream fast and before you know there was another run.
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formerguide
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RE: steelhead 07-08
2007/08/23 22:21:23
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I agree with Tim- for ridiculous numbers of stacked fish, they need to be held at bay until a good rain comes. Dry, dry weather, with a good quick burst of rain, always stacks fish together. The fact is, dry weather, wet weather, it generally equals out in the end.
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KJH807
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RE: steelhead 07-08
2007/08/23 23:59:19
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ORIGINAL: mr.fisherman
Cold weather and lots of rain = tons of fish upstream fast and before you know there was another run.
true they can (if the river allows) travel over 20miles in a day
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Stillhead
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RE: steelhead 07-08
2007/08/24 02:24:36
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Cooler water gets them in shallow staging in the lakes and lower tribs. High water helps to move them upstream faster. Either way, there are X number of fish in the lake that are going to come to shallow water with current over gravel, and spawn. The amount of water only effects where they might all end up doing that, not how many will.
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coolerfull1
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RE: steelhead 07-08
2007/08/24 09:08:09
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When I speak of walking across their backs I mean the creeks are running nice from all the rain and there are that many fish. Not low and clear where are the fish are stuck in the first few holes. And all those fish are here today and gone tomorrow replaced by a fresh run, and the rest follow a strict pattern resulting in all the creeks having great numbers from the lower ends to far up deep into the season. Everybody wants to attribute the lower numbers of fish to the increased amount of fishing pressure and not that it helps, but I'm not buying it. October, in my opinion, is the critical month. But I would like to compare the rainfall in September and October of 2000 and 2001 compared to Sep. and Oct. 2005 and 2006. I would bet there was more in 2000 and 2001, meaning wetter and cooler weather. I will try to look into that, if anybody else can get some info on that please share. The fishing seemed to be better those two years compared to the last couple.
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Stillhead
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RE: steelhead 07-08
2007/08/24 09:34:09
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I'll agree there were more fish in 2000 and 2001, because they stocked more.
The only time I can remember having as much water as we had last fall was 1992 or 1993. Can't remember which year off the top of my head. But Last fall was wet all October. It started raining Sept 19th and the creeks were rarely low for more than a day or two the rest of the fall. Read last post I made, that's the facts.
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Bughawk
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RE: steelhead 07-08
2007/08/24 09:54:04
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The variability in the numbers of steelies is most likely not attributed to only on thing, water temp., flow rate, stocking numbers, fishing pressure, etc... All of those can contribute to the numbers of fish.
Personally, the numbers last year were fine, and if they are half what they were last year that would be fine as well. The whole idea is have fun fishing for the fish, and when the numbers are low that means you actually have to do a bit of work to get one. I guess if your goal is to, "get your limit", as soon as you can, then you may be a bit disappointed in the lower numbers of fish. If you on the other hand are more interested in the whole experience and landing a few fish while enjoying the outdoors, then the numbers are not a as critical. What it all boils down to is your expectations and what you feel is a successful trip. We will not all agree on that, but what I think we can agree on is the thrill of hooking a fresh chromer and having it scream down stream.
Good luck and have a great time on the streams.
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