G
Green_Tackle
0
Went out to the Wilson river yesterday for about 2 hours and despite the rain and cold, it was very nice out there. The water was a beautiful green and the sun would come out in little pockets here and there. The two other people I talked to had both been catching steelies and sure enough, I hooked one at this little pool at the turnout just about 1 mile before the footbridge trail-head directly across from a small paved forest road.
The fish was putting up a pretty good fight and I had finally gotten it within a few feet when it occurred to me that my back was not carrying it's usual load--I had left my backpack with all my gear, including my net--the thing I needed at that precise moment--in my truck up at the turnout. I was about waste deep in 45 degree water next to a steep, rocky cliff wearing wool golves (the only pair I brought; if they get too soaked then I'm done for the day). It was a decent fish. Nothing to write home about but, large enough to make my arms pretty tired. I looked around for some shallow water to guide it to and let my guard down; the line went slack and the fish thrashed about, earning it's freedom.
I had a great time, and I gotta say, these spinners are pretty good. I was using a pink Panther Martin Lead-Free Salmon Spinner with the single siwash hook. They are pretty descent spinners as far as commercial spinners go and I'll surely be carrying a few with me when I go steelheading from now on. While I still prefer the home-made spinner and have never been a huge fan of the Panther Martin style blades, these have a decent feel (I can feel the blade spinning MUCH better than some of the other commercial spinners I've tried). I did have to give them a little jolt to get them going in some cases--or at least more so than with properly balanced home made spinners--but since I could feel whether or not it was spinning this was a minor issue at best.
If anyone is interested in giving these spinners a go (for those who fish commercial spinners), We'll be carrying them at Green Tackle within a week or two and I know they carry them at Fisherman's Marine & Outdoor and Cabela's too. I'm sure most places will have them soon (I haven't seen them at Joe's yet)--they just came out this year.
So, despite my better judgment after reading the weather forecast and water levels for the Wilson (over 6' now), I went up there again this morning just to see what it was looking like. I threw out a couple of casts just for kicks, but it was too windy, too fast, and too full of debris for me and I came home.
Ive attached photos of the pool where I hooked the fish yesterday and what it looks like today. What a difference a day makes. I've only recently started fishing the Wilson (I'm in Portland so I was fishing the Sandy... but I like the atmosphere of the Wilson and how much bank access there is) and it seems to me from my few trips that 4 - 5' is a pretty good level to spinner fish from the banks along highway 6.
Cheers,
The fish was putting up a pretty good fight and I had finally gotten it within a few feet when it occurred to me that my back was not carrying it's usual load--I had left my backpack with all my gear, including my net--the thing I needed at that precise moment--in my truck up at the turnout. I was about waste deep in 45 degree water next to a steep, rocky cliff wearing wool golves (the only pair I brought; if they get too soaked then I'm done for the day). It was a decent fish. Nothing to write home about but, large enough to make my arms pretty tired. I looked around for some shallow water to guide it to and let my guard down; the line went slack and the fish thrashed about, earning it's freedom.
I had a great time, and I gotta say, these spinners are pretty good. I was using a pink Panther Martin Lead-Free Salmon Spinner with the single siwash hook. They are pretty descent spinners as far as commercial spinners go and I'll surely be carrying a few with me when I go steelheading from now on. While I still prefer the home-made spinner and have never been a huge fan of the Panther Martin style blades, these have a decent feel (I can feel the blade spinning MUCH better than some of the other commercial spinners I've tried). I did have to give them a little jolt to get them going in some cases--or at least more so than with properly balanced home made spinners--but since I could feel whether or not it was spinning this was a minor issue at best.
If anyone is interested in giving these spinners a go (for those who fish commercial spinners), We'll be carrying them at Green Tackle within a week or two and I know they carry them at Fisherman's Marine & Outdoor and Cabela's too. I'm sure most places will have them soon (I haven't seen them at Joe's yet)--they just came out this year.
So, despite my better judgment after reading the weather forecast and water levels for the Wilson (over 6' now), I went up there again this morning just to see what it was looking like. I threw out a couple of casts just for kicks, but it was too windy, too fast, and too full of debris for me and I came home.
Ive attached photos of the pool where I hooked the fish yesterday and what it looks like today. What a difference a day makes. I've only recently started fishing the Wilson (I'm in Portland so I was fishing the Sandy... but I like the atmosphere of the Wilson and how much bank access there is) and it seems to me from my few trips that 4 - 5' is a pretty good level to spinner fish from the banks along highway 6.
Cheers,
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... "Fish don't teleport between "holes" or disappear in not so favorable conditions. They just relocate, if anything."
