STEELHEAD GUIDE SALMON RIVER PULASKI NY FISHING REPORT STEELHEAD DRIFT BOAT GUIDE SALMON RIVER NY STEELHEAD FLY SPIN FISHING REPORT:
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Our heart's and prayers go out to those who lost their lives, family and friends. Also to the many who are dealing with and well continue to deal with all of the hardships this storm as produced.
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Water level has dropped to 335 cfs. plus run-off and most of the leaves are gone. We continue to see steelhead top to bottom of river. Very nice #'s!
Heard a day or so after the water came up the bottom of the river fish'd sloooow. My guide freind took a skunk and didnt see anyone else hook-up.
Another guide friend concurred. I think the higher flow sucked what was there up the river or maybe they weren't biting?
I'm find Steelhead in all the normal places lower-mid-up river. (Please see more detailed complementary info. in previous post's for tips and articles on Prime Steelhead Habitat, Current breaks, Etc..)
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After the storm:
They evacuated over a 100 homes along the lake as they had flooding - 10-15 foot waves crashing along the shore.
We missed the worst. Only wind, rain and some downed branch's. Was happy to have power.
The neighbors cat was outside our door in the dark, ok, waiting for some affection and treats, as usual.
Once in a while it leaves us treat's of dead mice on the door step.
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Humor
Today started as one of those relaxing, enjoyable, peaceful rainy days. The only thing that was irritating was when the tranquility of the day was interrupted by that darn whining sound of my guest's drag's. Then people would yell, Fish On. Come on folks, can't a guide get a lil rest, peace and quite around here? The nerve of some people! Then I was expected to chase after this 16 lb. Steelhead that kept doing these darn 25 foot tail walks across the pool, then these obnoxious somersault's 4 feet into the air with a big ol loud belly flop with water splashing 20 feet in all directions. I would have reeeeelly been upset if my hair had gotten wet. Then more speeding bullet run's until that bright orange stringy stuff (backing) would appear behind the fly line.
I just could not win today. Every spot I stopped to fish, my guest's would continually hook more fish. Out of 3 spot's my guest's fished, we hit them in all. I got so fed up that I finally stopped in a spot where no fish has been hooked in over 100 years, and my guest's were still able to hook some up. So much for a nice relaxing day on the water. I think I need to find a new, less stressful job, where a person can get a lil R and R. ;)
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Fish Fighting Techniques for Steelhead:
(This one may surprise you. It's an oldy but goodie, from the Archives, Enjoy!)
Yes, that's me with the stupid looking hat and the spinning rod.
The first thing I did upon hooking up was to immediately get even or below the fish. This tires the fish out sooner by knocking it off balance and causing it to work harder to stay upright. (An exception to this would be if there was very fast water (drop in the river), deep hole that you can not get around, snags or anything below you that might cause the fish to break you off. Then I would stay a little above the fish)
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(See all Photo's - www.yankeeangler.com - Fishing Reports -More Tips, Articles, Pic's and my usual Ramblings :)
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I see 95% of the angler's on this river never really load their rod properly when fighting a fish. This is totally understandable (as with everything else :) because if you've never been told or learned much of this, then it's all new. I certainly didnt know much of this when I was new and I still don't know it all. :) Most angler's only pull back 1/4 to 1/2 way back. In the above photo I am about 3/4 of the way back with the rod. Before I stop pulling back, the rod is pointed directly behind me with the rod horizontal and next to my ear. The butt (very bottom) of the rod is pointed at the far bank. It's hammer time!
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By holding your rod upside down with rod tip in the water the fish will normally, slowly and quietly come in without much fuss. By keeping it's head under the water the fish feel's much more comfortable and tends not to freak out. This at times can also be used as a stalling tactic. You will notice some of the more experienced Salmon River anglers inverting their rod shortly after the hook up. This greatly increases the odds for the fish to remain in the hole-pool and not speed off down river. It also helps by hopefully controlling the fish's attitude. Keeping it from thrashing around and breaking off.
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(See Photo)
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The above is an example on how many Steelhead are lost with the rod tip up. (If snag's or strong current's are around you then this would be the correct way) Notice the splash? Miss Steelhead did not like it when I pulled her head out of the water. Many fish are lost-broken off at this point.
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If you listen to the fish it will pretty much tell you at what angle to hold your rod. If the fish is on the other side of the river I always hold my tip high. If I held it low then the full amount of the rivers current would put an awful lot of additional pressure on my line and leader-tippet as it bow's. Many times resulting in breaking the fish off. If the fish is approx. from the middle of the river towards me then I always hold my rod tip just off the surface of the water down low or in the water. (Providing I dont have any real fast currents or snags.)
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(See Photo)
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The funniest thing about this picture and the above photo was as I was playing the fish. Anytime I had my rod tip up I lost total control over the fish. It pretty much went anywhere it wanted to. It also took much longer to tire it out. But, as soon as I put the tip low (down and dirty) or in the water. It came straight in at me. This lower rod position combined with standing below the fish will put approx. 3 times more pressure on the fish when it is within 60 feet or so. Tiring it out sooner and gaining much more control over the fish.
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When reeling in the fish with the tip up:
There are 2 things wrong with the previous sentence.
#1. I will sometimes hold my rod upside down with tip in water when bringing in a steelhead. Fish don't breath air and with tip up it feel's as if (which you are) trying to pull it's head out of the water. This creates a havoc, wrecking ball of nerves that sometimes ends with fish off. I breathe air, so if you put my head under the water you can be assured I would not be happy. (Same with the fish) By holding your rod upside down with rod tip in the water the fish normally will slowly and quietly (within reason) come in without much fuss.
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#2 Whenever targeting large species of fish the rod becomes a flexible lever. We never reel the fish in; we PULL the fish in. The reel is only used to recover slack line. Pull-up, reel-down. Now combine #1 with #2 and by George, you've got it!
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(See Photo)
Nice lil 7lb Female Steelhead along with my Elmer Fud Hat. Whirrs that cwazy wabbit!
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Winter Lyes:
Mistake some anglers are doing presently.
Stick with 2-5 feet rippled water or the heat combined with a current break. (More detailed complementary info. in previous post's.)
Wait for Winter to fish the deep'r, slooower moving water.
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From the Mail Bag:
Time Out's:
Randy'
Thanks for the great trip. We have been steelhead fisherman for a number of years, and I might add with some success, but on wednesday we were students. Thanks for not giving us a time out!
John and Archie
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Multiple choice:
Time outs are something I "suggest" to all my clients when they:
1. Act up or miss behave, but are to old to spank.
2. Don't listen to me. (After I have "politely" "repeatedly" explained the same thing 20 times over and they continue to not get it) (You know who you are, ;)
3. Casting into the trees on the far bank more than once, after I've explained that most of the time you'll catch more fish if your in the water.
4. Get snagged on the same rock 5 cast's in a row when its 20 below zero and I have to re-tie all those knots.
5. Put the reels in the water when it's below freezing, causing everything to freeze up rock solid and become totally non-functional.
6. While reaching out to chip the ice out of the guides they break the tip off my $500 rod. Making my 2 piece into a 3 piece :)
7. When stopping on the trail to re-tie their shoe laces and they set the rod down and break the tip off my $500 rod :)
8. While battling a Salmon they put their hand above the cork and explode my $500 rod :)
9. All of the above :)
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Countless people have been guided by me and most have gone on to live normal lives.
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Stay tuned for more entertainingly informative and mildly educational reports and articles on this never-ending virtual fishing trip with your host Randy "The Yankee Angler" and friends.
I sincerely hope that what little I've been able to share with you will help you along the path to more enjoyable, safe, knowledgeable fishing.
Thanks for stopping in and spending your valuable internet fishing time here :)
Hope your all enjoying this great fishing!
Best Fish's,
Randy