Well arrived on Friday with a newbie (my dad) to the great lakes area.  We unpacked and hit the water.  I was surprised at the number of folks at this body of water but we hit a reliable spot.  Two domestic rainbows one of which was dropping eggs.  We released them and thought we might have a successful week.  Of course the single digit night didn't help our case.  Saturday, several spots completely locked up and slush everywhere to be found, so off to the SR.  Fished mid-river and immediately hooked up with two.  The net was left in the car so only one made it to the hand.  We then headed up to Altmar.....  and then headed back down to mid-river however the rest of the day was unproductive.  Sunday, slush started to disappear and worked hard for one bow and one steelhead.  Monday, headed back over to the SR figuring it would produce.  We hit mid-river in a spot where only the two of us fished, well with the exception of a guide boat a little ways up stream.  Hooked up on two and the 4 lb leader was no match as both broke off.  To my own admission, my drag was not set appropriately for the 4 lb leader.  We then went slightly up river and brought two to the net.  Lastly found a monster half dead near the bank where a guide boat had been.  I tried to revive this fish but boy was she beaten up.  I can't say I was confident this fish was gonna make it.  I would have thought that whoever caught this fish would have spent more time reviving it, I couldn't pinpoint if it was the guide.  All in all I had never fished late November and provided this cold snap hadn't occurred perhaps it would have been more productive.  I could not get over the cars at Altmar also seemed to be pretty packed at 2A everywhere in between was managable.  Bags and assorted stuff like imitators/streamers, although I will be the first to admit it seemed bags did better.  I personally saw a few folks hooked up, but IMO it didn't seem like a stellar weekend given the weather/water conditions.

Nice report fisch,at least you got into a few so that's good.
Altmar seems to be where the hordes gravitate to in November,the crowds take the fun out of it for me.The Steelhead season is getting to be not much different then the Salmon season with the increased pressure at the "hot" spots,lets blame it on the internet LOL.

Yeah internet, word of mouth, tackle shops or simply catching one during the tail end of salmon season have driven this trend in my opinion..............  I thought perhaps going up while all my fellow PA residents were in the woods would keep the total number of folks down but by the look at altmar perhaps that was a poor assumption.  Also I had to love the fact that we were fishing a section and two drift boats came right through the riffle we were fishing banging around in the boat and clacking their oars, etc...  Certainly nice and all but after that we moved on as I'm sure those fish were even more spooked.  Also I had to laugh that another boat was parked right below a popular bridge.  I thought all this water and you are sitting right below are parking lot where every and any wader toting fisherman can sit....  What's the point....  With that being said next year I'm gonna go up and hook up with gottum because if nothing else he can teach me a few pointers about joining the dark side i.e. pinning.

There is a picture of a small jetty in NJ in the new American Angler, and it looks just like the Can in November.  Anywhere there is a reasonable chance to connect with a big fish, there will be a crowd anymore.  The Internet fuels it, but I blame a lot of the growth of Fly Fishing on "the Movie."  And everyone is health conscious now, what better way to get your walking in than along a river or beach.
 
L13

Lucky, the boom in fly fishing began long before "A River Runs Through It."  The snobs needed a format to separate themselves from the pack.  The same happened with the game of golf.    

And thanks to the sand eels staying more offshore, dwindling runs of menhaden and less young of the year in the Chesapeake, my spots on the coast have thinned out nicely. It'll take a similar collapse in steelhead to thin things out in Altmar in the winter.  Orvis had a tremendous upswell, over 200%,  in their fly fishing school in 93-94 and retail sales to match. The "movie" is a few decades gone, but You Tube , Facebook and forums keep the drive alive.
Fly fishing is now very competitive. It use to be contemplative, now it's almost in need of a scoring system. "I went  15 for 20 "  is a score of sorts. I should feel bad and that I'm a loser if I didn't do as well. Its one of the things that drives people to floss, line, snag, do whatever it takes to get steel to the bank. Can't go home and brag on the forum or facebook  or to  the buddies at TU or in the bar, if they  came home with just a memory of time on the water.

Fichy,  There was a time when people were only concerned about competing against themselves.  Unfortunately its a keep up with the Joneses world.  You either choose to play or march to the beat of a different drum, I choose the latter.

I never count the fish,I'm more interested  if I enjoyed the day overall,there's some days that are fishless but just being out there was great.If someone asks for numbers a few or a bunch is good enough.

Charlie got me laughing-thanks- needed that- 15 for 20-- heck - never had those numbers even in my 'artful lifting' days. Too selective and too much sitting around watching the show on the River  I guess.
 Reminded me of all those 40 and 60  hookup reports.
 Nothing wrong with a banner day now and again but ---GEEEZZZZE
 I know---I know--- 90/10.    lol

I was about to say....  A good day for me if 8 for 12 and I would say more often than not I'm maybe bringing 4 fish to the bank and maybe 6 hookups.  It just so happened that his year neither of my trips produced solid outcomes like years prior.  Fich, sometimes I look at those the majority of the fly fishermen and just shake my head.  So proud with their fancy gear and yet the polarized glasses are tight to their heads as they consistently roll cast in one particular run.  Oh and they have split shots the size or small marbles on their tippet.... ;)  I have to just laugh....