r3g3
 
My November trip is on a real big hold.

While reports of steelhead in the Lake have been pretty good all summer, the last "problem year", they were doing well in the lake and got into the river pretty well, and then  went belly up.  Most years, most of the kings have gone belly up by November, and you really don't want the ones that remain, even if it is a late run.  But next Monday IS Columbus Day, if there are big numbers to come they had better hurry up!
 
Sorry to have missed you, the Doc moved me to Stage 2, which is moving the finger almost all the time I am awake, to break the tendon free from the scar tissue, said if I can keep it clean and dry I can " resume normal activities."  2Bob says there is nothing "normal" about me or my activities!   I could barely move the thing after keeping it immobilized for almost 4 weeks, but after 2 days I have almost 50% of the range of  motion back, I could hold a rod, but I'm not sure what all the casting would do to it, repetitive motions are still verboten, and I worry about a fall, as injuring it before I get it totally moving would end recovery.  If you still come up in November, maybe we will cross paths.  2B was up there Tuesday, but came home early as the crowd was depressing.
 

Glad your healing.
Not holding much hope for Fall Steel. Didnt knowingly see any -which is rare as there always seem a few mixed in this time of year.
Then again didnt see much to mix in with lol.
Some of the fish blasting up may have been Hos but the fish I could readily ID were all Kings.
Some Hos mixed in at the full up hatchery.
Estuary looked empty Wed. around noon.

Its almost enough to make me think about taking up wing shooting.  But it is my trigger finger that's mucked up! 
 
DSR yesterday reported nearly no action, and even after a note about activity in the estuary Tuesday dusk, pretty dead yesterday.   They boxed them all in the Lake!

Happens every year- Biggest fish EVER--its black  with fish off of the river mouth--HUGE schools being marked on fish finders.
Then we get whatever we get.

From these reports I can be happy that I was there when I was,now if we could only get some STEADY RAIN to get the tribs flowing out west I can get enthused about fishing for Steel out west in Erie and Ohio.

This weekend is Circus time on the SR-all fisher folks and darned few fish.
Could turn into a cage match here and there when expectations confront  reality  lol.
 
DSR is doing their best- but in the era of honest reporting, even they aren't posting any real positive stuff.
Thinking the run is over- barring a much appreciated miracle.
Mid Oct has happened in the past - but rarely.
 
Ho and Steel reports have been around and likely refer to a possible pod or two but no real Ho run either from what I have read and frankly Steel have seemed to be coming but not in numbers either.
Up in 'my spot' Hos and Steel have been commonplace over the course of time NOW- not now though lol.
Neither was represented on any rope that I saw over 3 days either.
 
NOT happy bout sounding so darned negative.

Computer has been down for a few days so I jumped on all things SR today when it came back up.
Empty estuary, very poor fishing in DSR and few ( if any) reports from throughout the river.
One guy did show a black King from the lower fly but most individual reports are from guides fishing the DSR
( if photos are indicative of where they are) which we all know is nice but not representative of the river as a whole- or the 'john Q experience)
They seem mostly trying to turn the conversation to steel, however the reports are welll- not great-at best.
Kings ,one may believe, are pretty much toast now.
Anyone remember what a Coho is ??
 
Tough year-glad I got up early for a bit and hit a couple.

Buckle up buttercup because it's gonna get a lot worse in the next few years

Yea- I kinda agree- till they get that bait/predator thing straightened out it will be a rollercoaster ride.
Just hope they can manage it.
Heck it was just 2 years ago the Thiamine thing showed us how desperate the situation really is.
I trust the point that fish in the lake hitting very readily no matter the lure are HUNGRY indicating a lack of bait.
Gotta wonder how many went belly up out there.
When I fish a stream and they hit like crazy they are hungry but then when they don't ya know there is some kinda hatch or feed  going into the water and they don't have to take my lousy presentation lol.
Lake guys saying it was nuts out there may not be the good sign we thought it was.
Whatever it is, I hope the State can fix it- or we simply have to adjust to a different kind of SR fishing.
As have said before- Pulaski may change too.
I'll still go as long as physically able- love it up there.
 
And then ya get reports-lol
A guy hooked up with 45 to 50 fish yesterday  in town.
Another says no fish or fishermen in UFZ yesterday.

It will be down by the 20% cut in King stocking next year, and the 20% cut in Lake Trout.  In 2021 there will be an additional 20% cut showing up in the 3 year in the lake kings, and the a shortfall from the Federal Hatchery in Lake Trout. 
 
Cohos, browns, steelhead, all went in at the same rate as before.  Cohos are only stocked to the tune of 300K, they take the longest time in the hatchery.  They ran in good numbers the first or second week in September, likely got heavily removed on the big weekend, or are scattered throughout the bovines.
 
I am hopeful on Steelhead,  but it is only October 15, most guys are looking for good numbers of Chrome in Late November.  We just concentrate now because they are so "feisty" in the warmer water, and are much more willing to play with swung flies than  when  the water gets colder.
 
Much more interesting to me than  someone lining up 45 or 50 fish in the Town pool, 2B has been swinging flies through pods of salmon for 4 weeks, and has yet to foul hook one, just for the guys that say we are just lining fish when we swing with the versi-tips. 
 
The last of the natural scabbing fell off my finger Sunday night, while I still have to be careful of the wound because it is very sensitive, I think a fleece glove and a 2" band aid will keep the thorns from  starting things up again, so I will be wandering  out on the river in the rain for the remainder of the week.  Look for a 2008 Navy Sierra, go anywhere else on the river and you will find more fish than where I am!