I just wish people would go there to " fish " instead of intent on hooking one. I've been skunked before, even in the zoo.
Don't need no stkin' badges ( just kidding )
It's a river of fools, some in other ways ( and I mean in a good way

Lucky, 5 years ago, I was winter only; and not long at that. My perceptions are skewed by weekdays in January thrown into the memory mix.  Even with the crowds, I've had tremendous times, it's all relative to the caliber of behavior. Eliminate the disrespectful and the flat out unlawful, and even crowds become tolerable . At times when its been cold (not real rat cage  crowded, but heavily populated) even made better. Laughter warms you up, misery loves company, and it's pretty good to have some good people around you if you have the misfortune of falling in!   2b, your soap box has lots of cleat marks on it and that's  a good thing. Tunes made my mind  segue from "river of fools" to "Chain of Fools" which seems appropriate with the crowds. Now I'll have Aretha stuck in my head all day. Fine with me.

Twon
we shouldn 't need no badges but there are so many idiots that it seems the only answer to me.
 

   Thanks Charlie I will let you know about the tying for sure. I am hoping to make it out during your next run out I will let you know when things get closer.

Got to my secret spot Thurs about 9 and on my second cast got a solid hit and set the hook,fish ran up center for a few yards then turned and screamed down thru the rapids with me trying to keep up reeling as fast as I could,to no avail as my tippet snapped halfway.From the way it hit and ran I presume it was a nice Steel.After that it was a steady pick on Salmon for a couple hours until the Sun got high then it shut down.We left around 2 thinking to take a break then hit the evening hatch.That did n't happen 'cause I got a slight fever and scratchy throat and running nose.Slept late today and called it a season and hitting the road.
By the way the DSR says it was on fire yesterday and this morning.....too late for me!

Well jack I went up today and it was again par for the course. Fishing was pretty good until around 0930 or so. I hooked and lost 2 steel and one was a heartbreaker. Played her for a while and got her close twice, then zoom right down the rapids all the way to the old folks hole. Leader snapped. It really shut down at about 1030. Hardly anyone hooking up, but alot of fish jumping.  alot of steel flashing and jumping too. I would say 2 to 1 to  numbers of trout to salmon.
There are many more dead and dying fish around and I saw a few flapping around digging. I fished in fast water specifically for trout so I only had 2 or 3 salmon on.
Watched a young man (boy) play a fish for close to 1/2 hour. H just could not get that bruiser in. It was coming in head first as far as the hookup.  it finally got down to the fast water and the leader lost the battle in a heartbreaking snap.

Agree with down river...primarily mid October in to November. Guys slaying steel with salmon tackle... Lfz needs a good washing though also. The same fish getting belly hooked over and over again. I'll be completely honest with you...I believe less fish were getting foul hookex When the lfz was primarily chuck and duck before the newer regs came out. Seems everyone is so concerned about "not" foul hooking fish so much has turned it in to a pin cushion sanctuary...small flies with light line...strike indicators, thingamabobbers...high sticking...yada yada... Belly hook after tail hook and over and over again

This is my observation of the LFZ.Those that are constantly hooking up in the church pool and immediate area  are "stealth" lifting or "sweeping".They make a cast and a drift but they never finish the drift,instead of allowing the line to get completely downstream they lift/sweep their rod when the line is about at 45 degrees and if they don't hook up they continue to lift and complete another cast.Then there are the "twitchers",these are the ones that give a subtle yank when the line is in the sweet spot.
I used very little weight and had most of my success on smaller flies,#10 BH Prince nympth was very successful on the Steel and Salmon,I was using 6-10 # tippet.80 -90% of my takes were followed by head shakes and the few I landed were hooked IN the mouth.Early and late in the day were the best time for players.They WILL HIT if you fish for them! 

Size 4 woolybugger planted inside mouth in the zone.
That silver and ivory don't indicate a fish that has been in the river more than a few days.
90%  of the guys fishing there go for bragging rights.
Anyone using 4 pound and flies 12 or smaller in black are pretending they don't want to foul hook fish .
They want them any way they can get them.
Really needs to be more enforcement there.
Still be the rule following pretenders.
But a good lesson taught might slow down the worst of them.
 

Also I had zero trouble in the crowd swinging a poly leader  effectively and without hurting anyone elses fishing.