Could have been.......

agree with TB and L. There are less (or so it seems) fish (steel) in the river and the fish that are there have been beat up and holding tight lipped. I saw a few stacked up in some riffs, but they would not touch anything. I also saw a lone king today. What I am finally seeing is eggs here and there in the shallows.  We need a gully washer to clean things up  and stir things up.

I did alright yesterday, fished upper and upper middle. Managed 7 hook ups but only 2 stayed buttoned. Interestingly washed out beads were preferred by most fish.

And why would the steelhead stocks crash? Past estimates of natural recruitment to the fishery for steelhead have been minimal.  Whatever caused the decline last time seems to be under control, and there has been no talk of a different mix in stocking or a reduction in numbers.  If for some reason it does happen, and is not part of a lakewide fishery collapse (a very real possibility when you stock so many predators dependent on one main food source over which you have no control; if you don't believe it could happen, look up recent events in Lake Huron) after a couple of seasons of P+M, the instant gratification, high numbers types will go back to the jetties or wherever they slunk out of to come to Pulaski, and the  expectation of the remaining diehards will go back to what it probably should remain even in days of high numbers, a day with a fish is a good day.
 
And a lot of guys will switch to PA and Ohio and go stand on Chartist's shoulders.
 
L13

Numbers have been down in Pa because the "other" predator (walleye) numbers increased and they are eating the smolts that are stocked in the spring as they enter the lake.There is is no natural reproduction of Steelhead in Pa,those streams are way too warm in the summer.
I remember years past when everyone on the SR had coolers full of Steelhead when the limit was three per day,then the numbers dwindled and a one trout per day became the reg.,after that the numbers of returning fish increased to what we have recently.However,the number of Steelhead anglers is insane the last couple years and that could be bad news for number of fish present in the system.

Lucky no answer here... Just hypothetically speaking. Glad to here the different opinions as that's what I wanted to hear. I agree completely that 1 fish in an outting is great. That's what I was taught. My first few years were phenomenal followed by the mid /late 90's crash... But even then we muscled it out and always managed some good days. As we know, the past ten years for salmon have been great with a few incredible years.. But then look at this past season... I don't care what anyone says about this season numbers wise for salmon... The numbers were way down. I don't see his it "couldn't be possible for steelhead. The past four seasons have been phenomenal for steelhead. This should be a good one but I don't see it getting much better than it has been and I can't seeing staying the same as its been... Bow, no scientific backing here, but from my close observations for 25 years now I've never noticed anything to stay the same for more than 4-6 years... Those gill maggots were pretty bad for a few years but not so bad now... Who knows??? I just don't see it staying the same. And yes bear, it would be nice to see fisherman numbers go down as it doesn't seem worth the while to fish combat style in the cold for maybe a fish or two... Just my two cents...

Salmon numbers this year were low  for really no reason, just a few guesses. It is not out of the question for a bad year of steel. Fischmachine like I mentioned above this was the first day of really seeing  of eggs around in the gravel. Not in the usual numbers, but they were there. I have caught a salmon on my birthday 11/2 for many years in a row now. Not this year, only saw one.  I will say I could have stayed where I was and probably had several more hook UPS,  probably landing some, but it is time to learn new waters and get out of that rut

TB most of the literally beat up  fish were up in the zone. The others I just meant they see alot of presentations and have less places to ''hide '' due  to the low water .  The few I saw mid river were clean and full of pizz, they just did not like what I had.  Not sure if I will due the F&C this weekend, but I will go sunday if I do not.

Bear, amen brother... You are a true diehard!