Turning other peoples' theories into practice

[peter-s-c]

Just rambling while stuck in a holding pattern, waiting for some "molasses in January" software to complete as I perform some maintenance . . . .

We all have our own working theories on where to find and catch steelhead on our waters. Theories that have been put together through experience, ours and others. These aren't a problem as we known them, trust them, have confidence in them.

But then we read up or hear about someone else's theory, one we haven't tried or only seldom, and now there's an opportunity to try it.

Never have a problem trying new stuff for resident trout as I know that they are there and I know their ways to a reasonable degree. But steelhead present a different problem as they may not be there - - - today. There's no satisfactory way of knowing if the theory is faulty, your application of it was crap, or that the fish simply weren't there.

Sunday I tried two, one that I knew from personal experience had a chance and one that was novel. The former turned out to be a bust but I did get one whack when trying the latter.

Don't know about you guys but in the middle of a tough season, there's considerable disincentive to invest fishing time in something novel when the tried and true still offers some chance of success. Or perhaps it's the best time . . .

It's just tough to plug away at something in which you have only a thinly held belief that it "should" work.

[Dornblaser]

My wife and I were out yesterday and the flow on one of our favorite rivers was so low that spey casting was ineffective (we had one single-handed rod in the car). Only the deep pools held fish. We did not really work the water but left to try a different river. Most of the folks that I have talked to go deep, but I was thinking of smaller flies, sizes 4 - 6, fished through the middle level of the water column. I am of two beliefs - if you do not try something new, then the fish will see the same presentation from every angler that passes by. The second belief, is that when fishing is tough, revert back to the style that you enjoy the most. Sometimes it is not about the catching but enjoying yourself on the water.

David

[Charlie]

That is a tough question and I suppose it depends on whether or not I think there are any fish around. If I think there are fish in the river and I’m just not catching them then I will experiment. If I don’t think there is many fish in I will hit it hard with some of the old tried and true methods.

Charlie.