What was the longest time that you had the skunk on you?

[madoc]

I just drove up to the Sandy up by Cedar Creek. Beautiful afternoon, if I had taken my camera I would have at least come away with pictures.

No fish for me. Oh well, I only lost two hooks, two corkies, four pieces of yarn, a couple of 4mm beads and about four feet of 8lb leader in three hours. I like corkie/yarn rigs. so easy to make, so painless to lose, why didn't I start with these?

But that isn't the point. I'm trying to figure out when my losing streak is going to end. Hopefully any day now. Because as it stands, I am one of those guys you read about in the books about steelheading that spend years and years going after a fish and never catching one. I made the decision in 2006 that I would go after steelhead and salmon, given how accessible and relatively abundant the fisheries are.

Woe is me. Since 2006, I think I have thrown and lost to the river something like $100 worth of jigs, spinners, bait, hooks, sinkers, floats, line and whatever else I happen to be casting, as well as the unused steelhead tags for each year, and then there is the gasoline.

So, is there anyone else out there that has felt my pain? feel free to point and laugh. I can take it.

 

[watchout trout]

Madoc, you're not alone. I fished for steelhead for 3 years before catching my first fish. It will be worth it. Mine came on the Siletz in early June 2005 above Moonshine Park. Drift fishing with shrimp and yarn. Up to that point I was beginning to think that steelhead were a farce. When I hooked that fish I became a believer. I thought it was the going to be the new state record. No. An average summer run about 28" and 7 pounds, but just tore me a new one. Keep it up and fish with people who know what there doing is my advise. Tight Lines.

 

[JeannaJigs]

That nasty skunk chased me around for 3 years before I got my first steelhead. Salmon were another story, but I think Salmon are less wiley than Steelhead, and wanted to find their way to my grill before the Steelhead.

 

[ninja2010]

you are not alone. i feel your pain.

i am in the same boat. moved to oregon in dec 06. decided to get into river/coldwater fishing. bought a bunch of stuff, read a lot of stuff, went to the sandy in the freezing wet cold winter months of 07. lost a bunch of spinners and caught nada.

business got wild and crazy, so the fishing took a backseat... until 2009. been fishing every weekend since january, and the skunk is still alive and well. only twist is now i'm throwing jigs, spinners, bait, corkies, etc. i've even put my toon in the water to troll kwikies and herring. nothing, nada, zip, zilcho...

(okay, i caught a whitefish and coupla smolts.)

so don't feel too badly... i'm sure there're others.

but the only way to kill that skunk is to keep trying and learning. one day, that fishgod will smile and we'll start hooking up. i'm sure of it.

 

[fishinmachine]

Skunk? Never heard of them. :shock:
I have only caught one steelhead in the last 2 years, a 24" nate. Mind you this is no fault of my supreme awesomeness as a fish slaying machine, but more because of scheduling problems.

Enjoy the chase savor the fish meat.

 

[Dichrofisher]

Soon the smell of skunk will be overpowered by the sweet waft alder chips releasing their sweet smoke....

 

[Fishtopher]

I still havent been able to tag a sea-bow. Caught a few, banked two, only to watch them flop away!:lolno net!) I have no problems hooking up with nate's though.

 

[Troutski]

Hang in there...

Hang in there...

The state record is currently being held by Charles Phillips of Yachats Oregon. As of this morning the record stands at 11 years 7 months 12 days. So your just a rookie...it will happen. When your camera is at home and you are by yourself..this is guarantee Keep the faith and smile at least your on the water.
And no I don't live in Yachats....
Chuck

 

[Raincatcher]

Charley's ghost....

Charley's ghost....

I have a feeling I walked past ol' Charles one day and got some of his skunk on me! :shock: Never caught a Salmon and only one Steelhead,two years ago. Alone? Not! Stop the pain! ray: :lol: :lol:
Be safe.
Barb

 

[beaverfan]

Well for Steelhead my longest skunk is oh say 28 years. Still haven't landed one yet.

 

[metalmania]

I don't know how I did it, but I got my first ironhead after about 2 weeks after I started chasin them. After that I managed to get them pretty consistently, although I think they were more from luck than anything. I used to trout fish at high rocks park about a decade ago when I was still a youngster and I used to think it was a pain in the a** to hook a steelhead, as they always broke me off. Now I can't even begin to get enough of them. But to get back to the question, I think somewhere around a month and a half or so. It feels so good to bank a fish after a long skunk and makes all that hard work totally worth it.

 

[Kodiak]

No skunks..ever...whatever

No skunks..ever...whatever

My longest skunk ever was 1 1/2 yrs. I was 12 and decided I could tame the wiley steelhead all on my own. after a year and ahalf of watching everyone around me drill fish I finally put a 12# winter hen on the bank and the bonk fest never quit. I moved to montana for ten years and would make my yearly springer/ summer steelie trip to the santiams bonk a bunch in a week and go home. Even after not having fished winters in 5yrs I moved back and hit my first winter in a matter of days. To this day I pray that stripped little demon never finds me though I'm sure he will.

 

[FishFinger]

Presently it's 14 months for steelhead and 7 months for Salmon. I am however getting fitted for a non lubricated body condom that is guaranteed to block any stink from contacting my gear.

That and my fish whistle will definitely be putting fish on the B.B.Q. lickity split!

 

[metalmania]

Presently it's 14 months for steelhead and 7 months for Salmon. I am however getting fitted for a non lubricated body condom that is guaranteed to block any stink from contacting my gear.

That and my fish whistle will definitely be putting fish on the B.B.Q. lickity split!

LMFAO:lol: That's the funniest thing i've heard in a long time.

 

[I Grade]

I started fishing for BIG ONES about 3 years ago and I went 1.5 yrs before I caught a salmon and about 2 yrs before I landed a steelhead. Salmon are not as shy as steelhead in my opinion. Once you hook your first BIG ONE.... you wont care how long it is before you hook the next one. The more you experiment and the longer you spend in your waders up to your 'bag' in freezing cold water...the more likely it is that you will catch one. GOOD LUCK!

I Grade

 

[Raincatcher]

Now,THAT is funny!

Now,THAT is funny!

Presently it's 14 months for steelhead and 7 months for Salmon. I am however getting fitted for a non lubricated body condom that is guaranteed to block any stink from contacting my gear.

That and my fish whistle will definitely be putting fish on the B.B.Q. lickity split!

Ummm,Goofy, Mickey and Pluto are looking for you....:lol::lol::clap::lol::lol:
Be safe.
Barb

 

[Fishtopher]

I still havent been able to tag a sea-bow. Caught a few, banked two, only to watch them flop away!:lolno net!) I have no problems hooking up with nate's though.

The streak has ended finally. I can rest easy at night.

:yay:​

 

[ninja2010]

where're the pix, 'topher?

it was good meeting you this morning btw...

 

[metalmania]

:clap: The first one is always the best. Congrats on the fish man i'm sure the wait was well worth it. Now that you got the first one under the belt, you'll be a slayin machine in notime.

 

[FishSchooler]

I just ended today. Ninja, you should try some easier trout fishing-its like the stepping stones to a steelhead. Henry Hagg Lake is hot right now, next time we'll both go and limit out (next time I'll go though is in about 2 months... unless you want to go shad fishing. )