Fly Fishing Forum banner

I am going crazy

3K views 12 replies 8 participants last post by  juro 
#1 ·
OK in a normal year about this time in April I am getting my fill of steelheading and actually start to look forward to May as a little break (not to much looking forward to it though). Well right now I am starting to shake, have weird twitches, an emptiness inside, mind is wondering, etc. I don't know if I can take this for another 6 weeks. I tried to feed my habit this last weekend on the Yakima but I am a bad trout fisherman right now and only got one fish. I think it had something to do with fishing dry flies down and across. :)

I know I may be alone but even though I don't catch a lot of fish I still need my time on the river. I admitted my addiction a long time ago I thought that was supposed to be the first step into getting better.

I may have to be driving to the Sandy or something soon so I can at least wet a line. Especially since I hear there are a few fresh summer run fish in.

Maybe I will have to set up my vise and have a way too many flies ready for this summer.

JJ
Steelhead Addict
 
#2 ·
I hear you brother. I also have tried to soothe the monkey on my back by going to the Yakima. Didn't work very well. Just picked up a new 5 weight this morning but my heart isn't in it. Counting the days till June 1st.

Duggan
 
#4 ·
Boy do I ever know the feeling! A long hard winter is about to let go for the season and stripers by the gazillion are about to invade the coastline over on this side of the union. Man, I felt the pain deeply though thru the long cold winter while you guys were battling big winter steelhead. We gotta get the exchange program booming so we can spread out our angling seasons to encompass all of the years opportunities! ;D
 
#5 ·
Jeff,
We all are going to make it through this desperate time without local steelhead fishing. It is a great time to do all those things that need to be done from yard work to other hobbies even spending time with the wife or girl friend. I'm in some hot water because I'm spending less time with my girl friend because she loves to fish. She does not like sanding old fiberglass on my old Rhodes sloop that I'm rebuilding on weekends. But with no steelhead fishing I'm getting a lot done on the boat.
And of course I'm sure Sinktip after buying a new 5 WT went out and treated his wonderful wife to a weekend at a nice bed & breakfast over in the Yakima area.
As much as I love getting an hour in steelhead fishing before work I've been able over come my DT's, it has not been that bad for me. But I also have been lucky to be doing a lot of work down in the Corvallis OR area and fishing rainbows after work helps. Soon the summer runs will be on the McKenzie with long day light hrs and working on the road won't be so bad.
Jeff we are all going to make it till June as hard as it may seem and hopefully we will all enjoy our Summer fishing all the more because we realize how fragile our watersheds have become.
Latter.
 
#7 ·
OC,

If you've been spending time down in the "pumpkin patch". You might as well start swing fly. There have been over 16,000 steelhead cross Willamette Falls already. I've had a couple of report from the North Santaim and Mollala. Craig, LG numbers are also strong? The days count over Bonneville was 2,800. Boys this summer is going to be hot, grease up those reels they are going to need it.
 
#8 ·
Striblue,
I'll be out in August this year and look forward to meeting a you all. I grew up in Weymouth and when I'm back I fish the Hingam, Weymouth area but would love to fish the Cape with some of you.
The important thing is we get some of the guys out here that have never had the opportunity to fish the salt under a Cape Cod sky and a fast moving rip. It would be great just to see their expression when they are casting to a school of surface feeding bass with maybe 100 or more fish in the school. We don't get to see fish out here in the NW smashing bait the way you do. We get some Coho action near the surface in September but nothing like you get all Summer and Fall.
Juro and Myself have talked about getting an excange program going and we need to work on it because Summer is soon to come and as exciting as it would be for some steelheaders to fish back east it would also be an incredidble trip for the folks in the NE to come out and fish a waker across the surface for a Summer Steelhead in one of our many rivers.
 
#9 ·
andre,
That's real good news, 16,000 bright fish already! Is this real early for fish moving? I couldn't believe how early the Caddis hatch was on the McKennzie and was wondering last week if I should be greasing a line down stream. Water and weather gave me the feel there might be fish bigger than local rainbows near by.
Fun work and fishing all in the same day, Just might try the the 7wt or 8wt this week. I found a place on the Willamette between Corvallis and Eugene that looked like it was fishable, not being from down there I have not seen anyone flyfishing the river but the spot I found has an exceptional looking run perfect for steelhead.
"Things are going to be good"
Latter
OC
 
#10 ·
Sounds like the summer run is going to be insane down there this year! I remember 1986 as a crazy year for summer fish.

Something about that first summer fish... with everything in bloom, the days warming quickly from crisp mornings and fish so bright and strong they stop your breathing when they scream around the pool, jumping as high as any fish and ripping line like a bolt of lightning. I remember a fish that I hooked behind a fairly small rock that ran down the pool and jumped, then another quickly jumped upstream that looked just like it. I was alone so it puzzled me but in a split second my line began to rip-sizzle upriver and it was my fish jumping almost instantly upstream after it's downstream aerials. Winter's warriors are beautiful to behold and powerful as the river itself - but a May/June summer run is the hardbody youth with energy to burn when hooked. Put that in a 17 pound chrome package and hang on!

I'll bet all the Columbia tribs get a big shot of summer fish this year. I just might be making two summer run trips this season!
 
#12 ·
I am going crazy AND NO YOUR NOT.

As several of you are already aware, the "International Spey Casting" group is holding a Sandy River Clave on May 5 to the 8th. We'll be centering out of Oxbow Park (think I've got that right).

For those who would like to join the fun and frollic .. The more the better!
Lots of up to date info on the who, what, etc., on the "international spey casting" site on MSN.ca (site is out of Canada) with representation litterly from around the world.
Fred

And no, you're not going 'crazy.' My wife assures me that anybody who devotes as much time (and money) to "something" is already crazy.
>=))))))'>
 
#13 ·
I couldn't agree more, Dana's is the best Spey site on the web!

I am planning to greaseline some steelies with him this fall. Kush and Doublespey fished with Dana up north and I am looking forward to 'living large' again this fall. He and I have been talking about some cool stuff on the web in the near future.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top