The circus continues....

Friday, fished the UFZ and found it slow, slow, slow. So did everyone else. I found two spots that have produced in the past that no one seems to fish. One is a pocket behind a large branch across the water, 2 feet off the bank, that people insist on fishing from 80 feet away. I got yelled at for just stopping to look in front of 2 guys with Spey rods   across the river. I explained I had no interest in their water, just 5  or so casts to the near  bank. They quieted down and I caught one second cast. I moved on and thanked them for allowing me the space and time to play the fish. The other spot is some rugged wading to a ledge that looks like it's very deep, but actually is a flat slab next to a big hydraulic.  You cast into the falls, stack mend and pay attention not to step over the edge. It payed off. That fish dove under a big oak  that's in the water, but being out on the edge, I plunged the rod 6 feet under and somehow it cleared. It went  into the backing 3 times, and made some great jumps. So, fish of the trip for me. All the usual spots produced nothing. I met a lot of disheartened first timers this trip, complaining about crowds and not being able to find more than 1 fish or none. Reports lead you to believe it's easy as pie, and all you need to do is show up. Sometimes. Tuna had that  turned-on Thursday, though he's paid his dues and skill acquiring in spades.  He started  off outfitted in  rubber waders and electrical tape, these guys, NO. I went down to the LFZ and stopped to chat with folks as it was wall to wall. I spoke for a long while with a couple of retired guys from North Carolina, as I've fished in the south quite a bit. I guess talking smallmouth fishing bought me a pass and they let me in to rotate  on their prime seam. I got 3 in short order. At this point we called it a day and
went and got dinner early and relaxed in camp. Sat. morning we had plans to fish some braids, and hoped to fish with Clint. I knew his sister might need him, so it was up in the air. We made tentative plans and left it at that. We were just about to drive out at barely first light, when a fellow approached us and asked for a jump. I had no cables, he had none, so off I went to  roust  Stoney. He got me some after some getting dressed and such and I got the guys going . Of course it was their first steel trip and they needed lots of info. At this point in the delayed game, I just dropped over the bank behind our campsite and found my favorite bathtub spot in fast water with a boat and clients on it. I patiently waited them out, trying not to low hole them and they eventually moved on.  I stepped in and immediately banked 3 good fish. That was it for me, I was ecstatic, as they took a pumpkin caddis emerger that was in my box (was even barbless) because I was seeing lots of them in the bushes and over the water. It's what worked for me up river, too. Little yellow eggs worked in the LFZ.  Thinking out of the box paid off. I had spoken with 2 nice Russian fellows (non-snaggers!) and they told me they had never caught a steelhead, so I put them in my spot and moved down. Tragedy struck. I knocked my glasses in the water and was now blind for all intents and purposes. Two fellows on the bank  that were teaching a girlfriend to Spey cast asked me what was wrong, and immediately got in and started searching with their Costa Del Sol's.  I just stayed where I was to establish a line and well, because I couldn't see ****. Amazingly one guy plunged his arm in up to the shoulder and came up with them. Do you think I got paid back for the jump start? Instant Karma. They would take nothing, but I came away with restored sight and faith.  I left at that point, and getting back into  cell reception, went and found Clint. We spent a few not very productive hours, but had a good time anyway. The river is getting a major reputation and is becoming more and more a travel destination. I've seen it with everything from giant cutthroat trout in a big lake in Nevada, to stripers on Cape Cod, to false albacore on the Outer Banks, word spreads like fire on the net and the crowds appear. I guess we'll deal with it. For me, down river is going to get more familiar. Less fish, harder to find productive water, longer walks. Numbers are good, good times even better.  As I've said, I don't blame people. I heard steelhead described as addicitve, over and over.  I'm jonesing and I just went....
 
 
Sorry for the duplicate pic- Photobucket is getting to be ridiculous. Might be the last pics from me.
 

Yes Lucky I'm headed out today for the far west,Ohio where my daughter lives.Will be fishing in Ohio,Penna or NY wherever the water clears enough for me to fish after the monsoon clears  I'll be out there for two weeks so I hope to get several days of fishing in.Of course these are Erie tribs.
Charlie,good to see you had some pulls.November Steel on the SR is just like Columbus Day for Salmon,that's why I'm skipping it.

The SR is THE destination place in the east.  For years I fished the Erie tribs and northern ohio for steelhead.  No more, I drive right by them on my way from Cincinnati to the SR.  It's 500 miles each way and worth every mile of it.  I am planning a trip up December 26 for that weekend unless things get too snowy.

chartist
The SR is THE destination place in the east.  For years I fished the Erie tribs and northern ohio for steelhead.  No more, I drive right by them on my way from Cincinnati to the SR.  It's 500 miles each way and worth every mile of it.  I am planning a trip up December 26 for that weekend unless things get too snowy.

The fellows I met from North Carolina chose the trip to the SR over going out in their boat and chasing false albacore off of Harker's Island, NC on the Outer Banks. That's saying something, I'll tell you.  900 miles each way for them. They weren't disappointed in the least.  I see reports from guys in Ca. on the forum I belong to there. Yep, LA people will fly here to fish. Someday,  we may see the Secret Service clearing the Kiddie Pool for a session by the Pres.

Fichy, great job man. My two hours I had allotted to fish yesterday was spent walking. Two fish to pull on the rod in maybe a total of 30 minutes of actual fishing seemed to be a decent ratio for me. What I'm getting at is thinking outside of the box can pay off. And yes, so many new comers on all of the tribs. I find myself often getting jumped while getting out of my truck and many spots I pull up to. Folks asking have I caught fish here? Do fish run this river or this time of year? Or what's the name of this creek or spot??? It is beyond exploited. Everyone is entitled but it can get quite discouraging.great to see you had excellent success. I long for a full day or days that I can dedicate to just fishing. Kudos to you and thanks for sharing. Hopefully we can hit some lower river stretches this season.

Nice report and glad you got to play with a few. Hunting is super slow here today with the very windy conditions.
Gotta be a little proud of the boy as again he passed on a small 4pt this morning. For a first time hunter that takes a lot of restraint not to shoot. If things continue like this I may be here for the whole week..( sorry for the off topic)

The SR is doing its job:  developing fishing tourism to help the Pulaski economy.  I've been up there three times this year since Labor Day weekend plus another trip to the Oak Orchard for browns....NY is the best place I know for winter fishing.  Erie is ruined, imo, due to the privatization of the streams and the fact it doesn't have  dams at the headwaters.  The SR gets crowded but it's nothing compared to Erie, imo.   

Sounds like fun fun fun!
 
 

Sounds like a great afternoon adventure!  Not standing in a conga line and hiking  in
for a brown like that is pretty well ideal sounding, to me. Awesome.

chartist
The SR is doing its job:  developing fishing tourism to help the Pulaski economy.  I've been up there three times this year since Labor Day weekend plus another trip to the Oak Orchard for browns....NY is the best place I know for winter fishing.  Erie is ruined, imo, due to the privatization of the streams and the fact it doesn't have  dams at the headwaters.  The SR gets crowded but it's nothing compared to Erie, imo.   

NY is general has it right with their creel limit. PA has it wrong to allow fisherman to be meat haulers and nothing more. the fishing season cant sustain itself into winter with guys raping and roping their limit of 3 every time out so the large runs are thinned instantly. Dams at headwater have nothing to do with it and has more then enough miles of open streams.

Don't know the erie tribs at all, but the tailwater fishery the salmon river hosts has much to do with its success. Any of the natural flowing tribs that surround it lock up with ice as winter approaches and leaves the majority of all other tribs unfishabke. In 24 years I've yet to see ice on the river above 2a for the most part. The day Altmar freezes over while that dam is still there is day we'll probably never see

Understood jack, I was more so referring to the fishing "pressure" though... the tailwater release that the salmon river and oswego river have hosts a good amount of fishable water through the winter...

On a side note though, a " lurking" friend of mine here just informed me of waiting for ice to break in the trestle. That's a sight I've never seen as it was well before my time. I imagine it won't happen again as water control is pretty well scaped these days.

Dime,now I understand what you are saying but there's no ice locked streams now but the SR upper reaches is still packed with people and really not a great "experience" for me when it's that crowded.
Of course it seems that is what's happening on all the tribs the last 5-10 years,it's become too popular! 

Too popular is a great explanation for it. Fichy, probably just skim coat at most I'd imagine???

Always love hitting the joss hole after an early February thaw during typical winters... fished there once off of a five foot shelf of ice pack. The river disappeared 100 yards downstream under huge crumbles of a high ice formed wall...breath taking

Now a true high jack from me. Been sitting around camp just killing blues. Hope tomorrows weather brings meat as this may be a true adventure.
Ps:
After walking 20 + miles stealth up and down ridges my big toe hurts like hell !!!! Sucks to be outta shape ;( The only comfort is not seeing another human and only squirrels get me mad.

Have at them fish fellas, got meat to harvest here..