Floated up top today launched at 9am at 9 degrees water came up and there were few in the lot and only 2 people fishing the zone. Passed 2 boats up top and never saw another boat or fisherman all the way down. Plugged every hole changing lures often and only got one pull and it didn't stay stuck. Great to be out but a fishy would have been iceing on the cake. oh well will give it another shot soon, happy holidays to all and if your traveling be safe!

Thanks for the report, and glad you get to have  those restaurant Monday's off.  Merry Christmas.

Right on John !! 9 degrees, burrrr. .. thanks for taking us along on your journey and hope we cross paths soon :)

With those temps. the fish must be hugging the bottom with no appetite for plugs.IF there are fish in the river!
 
I just read the reports from the DSR for the last week or so and they say their anglers had good fishing when the weather cooperated,so there are fish down there and probably in the rest of the river.

I would think hitting them on the snout with sucker spawn or single egg pattern would do the trick...I can't see them moving to chase anything.

They do, chart. They'll  bust those plugs even in the cold.  I've seen then chase a streamer down on odd warm Feb. days when the water is still 34 going up to 35.  Those plugs can work very well, especially  with 3fan at the oars. 

chartist
I would think hitting them on the snout with sucker spawn or single egg pattern would do the trick...I can't see them moving to chase anything.

Coming from a guy who thinks a ball of eztaz tied on a 1/0 hook is a good salmon fly your lack of knowledge doesn't surprise me, normally I would say meet me up there and Ill show you how much the steel like my plugs but Ive read your posts and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't enjoy sharing any water with you. Troll on and Merry Christmas to ya! To the rest thinking more about it, there was a lot of rain a couple nights before melted the snow on the tug and bumped the river up with the freezing cold water, they got lock jaw for a few days and unfortunately for me I could only fish that day. Might get back next Monday and plug them again, not scared;) Merry Christmas to all and a fishy new year!

Run right (like John does it) they will also force the fish to either retreat or strike. Many will retreat until they hit the tail out and then strike rather than get forced into the fast water.

FYI 3Fan, I didn't carry anything bigger than a size 6 this year and did just fine on the DSR.  I just got back from St. Petersburg, Florida, where I used 3/0 circle hooks fishing off the pier.  Hope that doesn't ruffle your feathers.

Your too funny . You used tuna hooks up river and small ones down .
A size #4 or even a 2 salmon fly hook seems to do the damage down there while a #6 - 8 is size appropriate in the upper reaches . Quite honestly, you should learn how to fish for them and what "types" of hooks to use for the application fore mentioned.