steelhead depression

it was a productive week end and i have to take those when i get them...regardless of weather or crowds
got some work done on the trailer and managed a few fish each day
i just love being on the water :0

   Looking forward to next week to get alittle cure for my depression. Going to start tying some flies to get ready for the trip.

Dime wish you were around this weekend bud, hot action on the plug rods! Tuna had a monster on in the root hole that straightened the hook!

DB,
 
After this weekend, I undertand why you guys like the winter.  I spent 3 slow days pretty much alone in the Ballpark area, as 2 bob and retired guy say, working the line.  Friday and Saturday, I was with my friend from Pulaski.  The solitude was great but there was and almost complete lack of fish, for me and everyone else I saw in the stretch.  We drove Staurday AM around 9 upstream with the idea of fishing below trestle.  There were more people than I have ever seen on the river during steelehad, as many as I've seen during Salmon,cars parked in places I've never seen cars, and no water open.  We went back to town until noon, then I helped him with chores, and went back to 81 for the close of the day, while he went of to Europe for work.  Started in the same strectch Sunday, with the same results.   Around 11 AM Sunday, took the ride to Altmar and got a spot on the back side of the barrel that improved when the raft pulled out.  I had a couple of pulls there and watched a lot of fish played, but WHAT A ZOO!  Decided to take a ride to the UFZ to look for HT, saw Fichy headed toward the Altmar Hotel (or so it looked) but he was gone before I could get turned around.  HT's truck was parked by the wire, but as there were about 20 cars there, and 35 in the UFZ lot, I returned to NJ North.  Finished the day on the prime side of the barrel, then parked for a couple of hours at the Hotel, where I had also spent a few on Saturday night.  Monday, I did an hour below 81 after buying a pair of shoes to replace the two that quit on me the day before (18 years old and both Cabela's boots died on the same day!), as the hippers quit the day I got in.  A guide in the shop was saying that all the DSR action was at Cohos, so I bit the bullet and went to the stairs.  Actually had the least crowded, most enjoyable part of the trip, all eggers or fly flingers, no lifters, and fish coming through steadily all afternoon.   People in the Jefferson Street holes were also hooking up.  There must be a tunnel under the river from the Endzone stretch to 81!  Or that stretch was hot today after I left (the story of my life!  You shoudla been here nexta week!)  But if the river is going to be this crowded, I'm all for a $200 non-resident license, at least get some revenue for all this insanity.  I know it was the "perfect storm" of deer not open and Indian Summer and a holiday weekend, but I think the solitude of winter upstream will be a LOT more appealing to me in the future.  Or taking my time off in October, when the steelhead are not in yet (there were fish I saw this weekend that were nearly black, they've been in since September!)  Sorry I missed the chance to meet folks, it is not for not looking, but paths did not cross.  Maybe another time.
 
L13

Sorry I missed you, Lucky. I was de-rivering. Headed for the lot across from Malinda's where my wife was waiting  and homeward to maintain my sanity.
I've enjoyed fishing the Barrel  when it was very  sparsely populated many times. I hope I will again.  For someone that's spent a lot of time in wilderness, it gets a little freaky to me.  I'm very non-urban.
 
Charlie

The SR is as much a wilderness as lower Manhattan. I don't put blinders on when I'm there.