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Capt Matt Gutchess
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, May 02, 2002 - 6:39 pm: | |
Subject: fish report 5/2
Hello Fish heads
Well happy 1st of may, the spring river season is just about over, although theres been so much rain so far this spring that we still have plenty of cold water in the salmon river as well as steelhead. The last two weeks staying true to form have been very good on the river. Usually the first week of may means they turn the water off well that’s not going to happen this year at least not for a while, Mother Nature is providing plenty of natural water. So if your still thinking about a last minute float trip call me because from here on out the river can change any day.
Today is Thursday May 2 Turkey season opened yesterday and walleye season opens tomorrow night at midnight. The charter boat is in the water and it took a limit of browns two days last weekend. The lake is just starting to get cranked up and well be out there every day starting Saturday, some prime days are still left open so call now and secure your lake charter today.
May is great unless you like to sleep more than two hours a day and never in succession. Too much to do and not enough time to do it, charter fishing all day, walleye all night and turkey hunting in the mornings when you can squeeze it in. They always say you can sleep when your dead at least ill catch up someday. Well folks this report is short because ive been up since 2:30 am to turkey hunt this morning in the pouring rain and ive got to fish the salmon river in the morning and then go back out at midnight tomorrow night to fish the opener of walleye season so im going to bed right now, GOD I LOVE MAY!
See you out there somewhere.
Capt Matt Gutchess
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Capt Matt Gutchess
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, April 08, 2002 - 9:53 pm: | |
Subject: fishing report for salmon river 4/8
Hello Fish heads
It’s April and so far the river is playing a cruel April fools joke. The Salmon River is running high and cold and has severely turned the fish off. The steelhead fishing has been tough to say the least as of late. I fished the river on Friday and Saturday, pulling plugs both days and in two long days of hard fishing I took one bite and landed one fish. The river water temperature was 34 degrees not very conducive to hot fishing action. On Saturday I fished in Oswego and caught two brown trout in seven hours of fishing, not real good either. As I am writing this report it has rained on and off all day but the air temperature is warm, it’s supposed to rain most of tomorrow as well. The good news is that by Wednesday the rain is supposed to stop and it is supposed to get much warmer. The fish are in pre- spawn as well as some of them that are already spawning in the high water. The fish hatchery has already stripped its quota of eggs and the hatchery is absolutely loaded with fish that will soon come back down the river on their way out to the lake. The water doesn’t have to warm that much to get these fish in to an active mode, if we could get this water into the high 30’s or low 40’s you’ll be amazed at how fast the fishing will improve. There are plenty of fish in the river with a whole pile still to come out of the hatchery. This weekend could be the start of some great fishing, LETS HOPE!
We put the Pirate in the water today, its nice to have the big charter boat in the water this early it’s a great back up plan if the river fishing is tough. I can always take my customers out on the lake. The charter will be going strong everyday by the end of April, May and June is prime months on the lake with some of the best fishing of the year. Brown trout, lake trout, and rainbows are what were catching at this time, and at night it’s all about trophy walleyes. We have it all up here in April, May and June don’t miss out on the best fishing on the east coast. There are good dates still available so call today and reserve your spot.
Thanks and good fishing
Capt Matt Gutchess
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Capt Matt Gutchess
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, March 27, 2002 - 9:12 pm: | |
Subject: salmon river report 3/27
Hello Fish heads:
The winter show season is finally over and I couldn’t be happier about that. I’m much better at fishing and hunting than I am at selling myself to the public. I always feel like saying enough with the sales pitch just come on a trip with me and I promise you won’t be disappointed. That is not a realistic approach, but it sure would be easier on me.
Anyway I got home on 3/24 and I fished yesterday on 3/26, god it sure did feel good to get up in the morning with the purpose of going fishing. The Salmon River has been running high for the last week or two. If you remember we had 70-degree weather only two weeks ago, a lot of the snow pack melted and some of the frost started to come out of the ground. This created run off and in turn they opened up the flow of the river. I haven’t heard of this bringing in any silver fish but I do know its moved some of the fish around, yesterday the water went down to what looked like between 1000-1200 cfs, you could clearly see in some gravel spots that the fish had been there under the cover of the high water. Not every piece of gravel had been freshened but quite a few had, and the only three fish that I saw hit all day came off gravel areas. The water temperature is cold 33-34 degrees and it seems its still going to be a little while before things get really hot.
If you are going to go to the river on your own start in the deep pools but if that isn’t paying dividends, move to the transitions and then onto the gravel beds. Keep your distance so as to not spook the beds. Be safe wading the river when it is higher than normal, 33-degree water is no fun to go swimming in and its no joke if you’re alone. Always be safe out there so you can come back to enjoy our great fishery another time.
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Capt Matt Gutchess
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, March 08, 2002 - 12:15 pm: | |
Subject: 03/08
Hello Fish heads:
Its March, the weather is showing signs of breaking our cabin fever is reaching epidemic proportions and we want to go fishing! Now lets relax for a moment and think rationally, spring steelhead season is right around the corner, by the end of the month you will be able to not only cure the need to wet a line but to also work out the arm fighting spring steel. The next two months are not just for show this is prime time, and the fishing will only get better as the water warms up into mid to upper 40’s. Myself and most of the full time guides don’t start fishing in the spring until mid to late march because were on the road all winter doing the sport show circuit. Pirate Charters and Outfitters would like to take this opportunity to thank everybody who came out to the shows; it was great to not only meet potential new customers, but also new friends.
Now lets get back to fishing at hand, if you have ambition to go out on the ice please be very careful, the temperatures have been up and down and the ice is not safe, there’s not a fish in the world that’s worth dying for. The Salmon River is running at normal levels and cold, water temps are hovering within a couple of degrees of the mid 30’s. This means winter conditions still prevail, the rule of thumb is low and slow, fish deep and slow and remember these steelies metabolisms are still very slow. March is a transitional month and thru the course of 31 days these fish will go from lethargic creatures living in 33-degree water into pre spawn, and then out of the depths of the pools and start to actively move and spawn on the gravel shallows. A lot of things are happening in March be willing to adapt to what the fish want. If the fish are sluggish then throw them something that will get their attention, big bright flies, egg sacks, spinners or spoons, those three things will work on all three senses that a fish uses, sight, smell, feel on lateral line. Work on your angling skills that will get these fish to strike, better your skill and the fish will bite, don’t buy in to the dark side that says these fish wont bite, and the only way to get them is to use tiny flies and long leaders and line them as they lay unaware in the bottom of pools. We are anglers, not commercial fisherman, the intrigue lies in outwitting the fish not taking advantage of them.
If your looking for a spring get away we have you covered, march and April we are fishing the salmon and Oswego rivers for steelhead and browns, in may we switch over to our 30 foot charter boat and fish the lake for browns, Lakers and steelhead. May is also the start of MIDNIGHT WALLEYE MADNESS, incredible trophy walleye fishing at night, (great fun). We also offer one on one guided spring turkey hunting on over 500 private acres, NY turkey season is the month of may and you are allowed to take two bearded birds. We can also make combination trips out of anything that we offer and is in season, contact us for pricing and availability of dates.
Visit our web site: www.Piratefishing.com
E-mail: Piratefishingcharters@msn.com
Boat Phone: (315) 263-2233
Thanks and good fishing
Capt Matt Gutchess
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Capt Matt Gutchess
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, February 24, 2002 - 2:37 pm: | |
Subject: fish report 2/24
The Hottest Deal on the Water!
Pirate Charters is offering a special deal this summer on our Lake Charters, book your fishing dates before April 15 and receive a 10 % discount on the charter, book two days and receive 25 % off. This is our way to fight the recession and to get more people involved in the trophy fishing that we have in Lake Ontario.
Now to the fishing report. What little Ice that we have around the region is marginal at best, if your going to go out on it please be very careful this has not been a good year for the hard water fisherman. The good news is that spring is right around the corner. The Salmon River region never really got much snow this year so spring water levels should be medium to low for this spring. That can change in the blink of an eye depending on what becomes of the spring rains.
The Salmon River received one of the biggest runs of fall steelhead that ive seen in 10 years. Late October, November, and early December provided some great fishing and those fish have held over and will spawn this spring in March and April.
The spring breaks down for me in three phases. Late March is the time that I really concentrate on bait fishing the deep pools and the longer runs, looking for Pre-spawn feeding fish. The old saying that nothing beats bait is true. Eggs, worms, and scented plastics will do the trick this time of year.
Second time is during the spawn in early April, when the fish are up on the gravel and actively spawning. This time is a fly-fisherman’s paradise, sight fishing in the shallows for big steelhead. Running big flies with little or no weight across spawn beds, all the while anticipating the strike and the fight that will follow. For the spin fisherman this is the time for heavy metal, spoons and spinners across the beds will give you the needed flash and thump to turn these big fish’s head.
The last time is my favorite time of the year, from the middle of April thru the first part of May. This is the time where most everything works, Bait, Flies, Heavy Metal you name it. These steelhead are post spawn at this point and are headed back to the lake for another year and they are looking for food. This is the time that I like to fish plugs off of the drift boat (Hot Shots, Rapalas, Wiggle Warts, etc.) These post spawn steelhead will absolutely crush a plug. Nothing is hotter in the fishing world than to get into a hole with 5 plug rods out and to have one of them smash over so hard that you cant even get the rod out of the holder. That’s spring fishing!
Pirate Charters has a lot to offer the angler or hunter in the spring. We have spring Steelhead in the River, Steelhead, Brown Trout, and Lake Trout along the Shoreline of Lake Ontario. We have Midnight Walleye Madness in May and June, and you can combine any of that fishing anytime in May with a fully guided spring Turkey hunt. A spring Cast and Blast is a great way to spend a day. Spring Dates are going fast so get the day you want now.
Call: (315) 625-4802 Home
(315) 263-2233 Cell
E-Mail: Piratefishingcharters@msn.com
Good Fishing
Capt Matt Gutchess
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Capt Matt Gutchess
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, November 21, 2001 - 4:46 pm: | |
Subject: 11/15
Hello Fish Heads.
Happy Thanksgiving (tomorrow) and all that fun stuff. Turkey, stuffing, family and all are great but in small doses, about an hour in to the day my mind starts to wander out to the solitude of the river and the excitement of the steelhead that it holds. You can eat turkey any day of the year, you can’t always catch steelhead. This time of year most people turn their attention towards hunting season, myself included, but we forget about some of the best fishing of the year.
I fished last week and had pretty good luck, especially early in the week Monday and Tuesday we hooked a lot of fish, more than you would probably believe if I told you, more than I would have expected especially with four very novice customers. Flies were what they wanted; the water was high so we were using big bright flies. Copper metallic dubbing, black and purple, hot pink and chartreuse. I have not been successful in the last 10 days to any extent with egg sacks; they are on artificials right now flies and plugs. It’s a common occurrence to see these fish change their preferences periodically and that’s exactly why I always stress how important it is to be flexible as an angler. No one technique will work 100% of the time, and that holds true no matter what kind of fishing you are doing.
The water on the Salmon River has dropped down to 350cfs and will probably stay there now for a while barring an unforeseen amount of rain before the snow flies. As the water is getting cold now start to fish the deep holes and runs. I’m sitting here trying to write this report and my wife is in the kitchen cooking pies for dinner tomorrow and the smell is making me loose my concentration, so the report is now done.
If the confusion of the holidays is making you batty, call me and schedule a day on the river between now and Christmas. I also offer gift certificates for fishing trips on the Lake and river. Buy a gift certificate for a fishing trip and receive a 10% discount on the price.
Give thanks during the holidays, for friends, family, and our freedom.
Good fishing
Capt Matt Gutchess
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Capt Matt Gutchess
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, November 09, 2001 - 8:47 pm: | |
Subject: fish report 11/9
Hello Fish heads.
Steelhead season is in full swing. The leaves are gone, the crowds are gone, and the steelheads are here! So what are you waiting for? If you’re a hunter then put it off for a day and get out of the woods and into the water. Steelhead is more of a challenge to catch than wood goats are to kill. Now if we were talking about Duck hunting then that’s a different story. Id walk through a mile of broken glass to hunt ducks. This is the second year im offering fall cast and blast trips. A morning of fast paced duck shooting and an afternoon float trip for heart pounding steelhead. That’s a hell of a way to spend a day. Our duck hunting season runs through the first week of January and goose through the end of January. Usually the best steelhead fishing is before Christmas, but that can depend upon the weather and how soon and how hard the snow comes.
Right now the water is high and the fish are spread out in the length of the river. The water is supposed to be going down Sunday the 11th, what its going down to we don’t know yet. We’ve seen quite a few very silver fish lately so this big water has brought in more new fish. Remember when fishing big water that the fish will not still be in their low water lies. Fish the current seams on the slow side, and the extreme tail outs. Steelhead have the strength to sit right in the heat of the current, but they will take the path of least resistance when they can. Bait and fly selection should also be bigger, give them something to look at. Remember that each run or hole only has just so many active fish, those are the ones you are targeting, Steelhead bite!
Here are a few tips for the upcoming winter steelhead season.
1) Dress for success; Warm clothing is a must, and wool and fleece is an angler’s best friend. This is not the time to be wearing lightweight or stocking foot waders. Insulated boot foot 3-5 mm neoprene waders are the way to go. With me it’s never my legs that get cold it’s my feet, and they are always cold but here’s a few tips to make it bearable. Buy your waders at least one boot size bigger than what you normally wear. Only wear one pair of wool socks, you want your foot to be able to breath and move around inside the boot. Cold feet suck, and ive had many customers spend their day in front of my heater in the drift boat instead of fishing. Dress in layers, Long johns, fleece pants, waders. On top long john shirt, flannel shirt, fleece pullover, wind breaker fishing jacket. If your walking a long way to the hole your going to fish carry a fleece jacket with you and put it on once you get where your going. That way you wont sweat on the walk and you’ll have a dry warm shirt when you get there.
2) To wade or not to wade; Take extreme caution when wading in the winter, its one thing to fall in during September or early October, its life threatening in December or January. Snow covered banks, floating Ice chunks and twenty pounds of extra clothing can lead to disaster. Be careful, korkers should really be warn at all times. The best part of winter fishing is the incredible solitude that you can experience out there. A fresh blanket of white covers up a lot of sins that anglers leave behind on the river.
3) The tortoise catches more fish than the hare; Fish slow! The water temps are falling and so are the fish’s metabolisms. Get to the spot you think the fish are holding in and work it thoroughly. Don’t be in a rush and this time of year and don’t worry so much about being on the water right at first light.
4) The iceman cometh; the most asked question, How do I keep the eyelets from icing up? Well ill tell you what I do. I bitch and piss and moan about it and then I walk back to the boat set the rod down and break the ice out by hand. And the best part is that you get to do that about every ten casts. Deal with it, were the ones stupid enough to be out there fishing in the middle of the winter.
Those are just a few tips to try to make your winter fishing a little more enjoyable. Here’s to a good winter steelhead season, (it has started good already) and a good holiday season. P.S. Thank a Vet for your freedom, thank a Police or Fireman for your safety, and thank a Service member for your hope.
Tight lines Capt Matt Gutchess
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Capt Matt Gutchess
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, October 29, 2001 - 10:34 pm: | |
Subject: fish report 10/28
Hello Fisheads.
Fishing report for the week ending 10/28.
Salmon River, Pulaski NY
Hello after a long absence. The river salmon season is pretty much over and in the same breath it never really got started. This was a long season that carried over from the last month on the lake to the month of October in the river. We as a group waited for the salmon to appear in the huge numbers that the DEC had said were coming. They never really did! We had salmon in the river, but not all that many, not like its supposed to be. I’m not going to whine about something that I cant control, we fished hard all season and didn’t get the numbers that we are used to. Now for the good news, and there’s always got to be good news. Myself and all my customers that were able to fish this fall were fortunate to do so. Were all-thankful that we live in a country that allows us the freedom to go and do something that we enjoy whenever we want to. I salute with head bowed all the men and women who lost their lives, all of them that helped us get through this, and all the ones that are now protecting us against this ever happening again.
More good news, the Steelhead are showing up in pretty good numbers and are as aggressive as they will ever be. My customers have taken two steelhead to the taxidermist in the last week one that was #17 and one that was #15.5. Both of those fish were not only big but were those anglers first ones, talk about setting the bar high right off the bat. We are seeing a lot of fish in the 5-8 pound range. These fish are chock full of piss and vinegar, and will give even the most veteran angler a run for their money. November and December are prime months to catch these fish before the doldrums of winter set in, so if you can stop chasing deer long enough you can come up and catch a silver bullet. But if hunting is on your mind we offer a cast and blast package that includes a morning Duck hunt and an afternoon of drift boat fishing for steelhead. Call or E-mail me for special prices on float trips, cast and blasts, and Lodging. We have plenty of prime dates still left open, and don’t forget that we are in the heart of snow country, if you want to bring your snowmobile or rent one up here we have local access to hundreds of miles of groomed trails.
Be safe and Ill see you on the river
Capt Matt Gutchess
Black Dog Outfitters
(E-mail) Blackdogoutfitters@msn.com
(Home Phone) (315) 625-4802
(Cell) (315)263-2233
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Capt Matt Gutchess
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, September 14, 2001 - 1:51 pm: | |
Subject: fish report 9/14
Hello Fish heads.
This will not be a normal fishing report, after the tragedy that struck our country on Tuesday morning its tough to think of something as trivial as how’s the fishing. The fishing is good in the lake right now and the river will start picking up in the next week or two. This past week has put so many things into a greater perspective. We fish and hunt because that’s what we love to do. Not because we have to catch or shoot something to feel joy, but because we love the natural environment in which these activities take place.
As a group and as a country we need to come together and offer each other support and kindness. As sportsmen we know the value of freedom and peace for ourselves and for the country we live in. How much do we value the time that we spend in the outdoors, alone, with family or with friends? I value my time more than anything in my life; it defines me as a person and rejuvenates my soul. I will not allow a group of terrorists to change my life and fill it with fear, nor will I allow these same people to make me untrusting or hateful towards my fellow man. Maybe now more than ever sportsmen and women need to take an active role and show somebody who has never been introduced to our way of life all the richness and beauty there is to be found in nature. The calming effect and the cleansing feeling that comes from standing knee deep in a river as the morning comes and awakens everything around you. Solitude is your guide and adventure is your compass. In these trying times we don’t retreat into the natural world we reflect upon it for guidance.
I wish that Tuesday had never happened, but we cannot turn back the clocks. Our fears have become reality and now we must not let them overcome us. I hope all Americans can overcome what has happened to us. Unbelievable thanks and prayers go out to all the people in New York and Washington D.C. Especially all the Fire and Policemen and other rescue workers who are working tirelessly to save others and of course those who have lost their lives needlessly. We will not let your lives be in vain.
God Bless America
Capt Matt Gutchess
Black Dog Outfitters
Pirate Charters
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Capt Matt Gutchess
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 03, 2001 - 10:24 pm: | |
Subject: fish report 9/3
Hello fish heads.
This report is a long time coming, partly because ive been working everyday, and partly because the fishing has been less than stellar. This will go down as one the most inconsistent and frustrating Augusts anyone can remember. Years like this we as fisherman are quick to start to point fingers at different things that we think might explain the unexplainable. Fish bite and don’t bite, that’s the way things go. As good as we think we are at catching fish we still have to wait for the fish to bite. Fish have brains the size of a pea, we have opposable thumbs and they still make us pull our hair out. Much like women we will never figure them out completely.
For the most part we felt pretty good if we caught 2 or 3 salmon per trip, those are pathetic numbers for prime time fishing. Its now Labor Day weekend and the fish are moving ever closer to the mouth of the Salmon River. This is combat fishing in close quarters and you can put a lot of fish in the boat in a short period of time, this is a time that we can always count on because these salmon have to run up the river.
There are some fish in the Salmon River; they ran water on Sat 1 of September. This push of water brought some fish in as it does every year. The water temperature is still in the mid 70s and that is too warm for those fish to survive, most of them will die of suffocation because of lack of dissolved oxygen in the warm water.
If you are coming up to go fishing in the river right now concentrate your efforts on the deepest pools at first light, fishing tight to bottom where there might be a little cooler water. Later in the day move your efforts to the fast water where the oxygen content is higher and the fish will lay even in the most turbulent of water. Large bright flies on short leaders will get your fly down fast even in fast water. Be smart and fish hard and you will be rewarded.
More next week
Bent rods to all
Capt Matt Gutchess
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Randy Jones
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, January 01, 2001 - 6:44 am: | |
Subject: Salmon River Report
-Reports-------Tips--------Articles------Humor--------Predictions------Pictures-
12/29 Report
I just returned from a holiday gathering of family in Iowa. It was nice to take a break from the river and spend some quality time with
loved ones. There are times in everyone's lives where we get caught up in our hectic work schedules and put our friends and family
second. I'm very guilty of this, so it was nice to spend time with the folks that mean the most to me.
I'm afraid to get on a scale, so maybe later today I'll go on a long walk and do a little fishing on my own for the first time in the last 4
months.
The Salmon River is presently at 335 cfs until Sun. Dec 31. Then its going to 285 cfs until Fri. Jan 5. (Forecast could change)
There are fresh fish through out the river with the bulk being from Pineville down. The last high water brought in a very good number of
Steelhead. Combine that with the previous good run in early Dec. and you guessed it. There are presently a good number of Steelhead in
the river. (This is only my opinion based from my experiences and other reliable sources who work and fish these waters on a daily basis)
One friend hooked 7 fish in 4 hours of fishing. Two other friends had 20-25 hook-ups each day combined, over a 3 day period! (No, they
were not in the fly zone or in the hatchery, He-he) I've heard several other pretty amazing reports, but I will refrain from posting them as
some of you would think I was exaggerating.
Do to winter weather patterns, catching up on winter, spring, summer, fall tying. Also speaking engagements, writing articles, spending
some time with my girlfriend and maybe doing a lil fishing, I will not be updating my reports on a daily basis until the end of Feb. When Im
out on the water working, fishing for pleasure or here something important I will post it here. If the fishing does not change drastically in
any way, then you can count on my last report as being the latest update on the river and it's ways.
Tips for the next week.:
With the upcoming weather forecast I would start my day up top due to the ever present slush from Pineville down in the A.M. Then I
would either stay there depending on how will I was doing or race to the middle, lower end for some freshies. Another option that I like
the most would be to sleep in, let the air temp's rise above 20, at around 10 A.M. look over the side of the short bridge in town (lower end
of river) to check for slush and then make my decision on where I was going to fish. If the lower water levels of 285 cfs and frigid cold
air temps are combined you will see slush all day long from the middle to lower river.
Another tip that I'm going to follow is to buy an inexpensive, small propane tank with heater head and bring it with me in a back pack to
take the edge off the cold. It can really make the difference between being comfortable or not when wading the river in the winter time.
Fishing Forecast:
Everything lately is shaping up nicely on the river for some fine Steelhead fishing throughout this Winter. With the last high water it
created a very nice run. A good portion of these fish remained in the lower river. With the most resent running of 1200 cfs plus run off,
expect those fish to transition up the river and hold for the balance of the Winter. The present flows should also bring in additional fish to
fulfill everyone's wish's.
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Colors and their importance:
Why do blue, purple, black, brown, dark red, olive, colors work so well? I feel that when fishing to educated fish, during the Winter Mo.
(fish that have seen it all) Sometimes it's best to throw subdued colors. Color's that more closely match the naturals they are seeing on a
daily basis. I'll throw something bright for the first 45 min. in the early a.m. times, then switch to the above colors. Having watched and
studied for year's how these fish react to bright color's, it doesn't take long to notice there reaction is not always positive. They tend to
spook off of the brighter colors. When retying with a darker, more natural color. Even if they don't take it, there is not a fleeing reaction to
the fly. So it tends to blend in more. I tend to use mostly darker colors up top on the river, and sometimes brighter colors down low where
fresher fish are more likely to be found.
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Do you remember my 3 main rules?
Presentation, bait-flies, line diameter are becoming critical to successfully fooling some of the more educated fish.
1. Presentation- Putting it in the right place, so the fly is presented to the most fish. Dead drifting it correctly, at the right speed and depth.
2. Line diameter- Anytime you can disguise what your fly is tied to, you will fool more fish, anywhere in the world, any species of fish.
3. Flies- Change your fly often. This means color of fly and size, until you find what works. When it no longer is productive, start changing
your fly again.
If you think about it, when fishing to educated trout, we have all gone to size 22's with 7x tippets. Just because these fish are 8-20 lb.'s
doesn't make them any less educated. You would think that for something that has a brain the size of a pea, they'd be a little easier to
catch! HA. So now that winter is truly upon us, start treating these Steelhead like very educated trout, and you hook-up rate should
increase
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Dropping Tip to Extend Drift:
An additional way to extend your drift is to start with your tip high on the drift, then lower it before your fly starts to swing. This will
normally extend your drift by 3-10 feet depending on how high your rod tip was at beginning of drift.
My main concern when dropping the tip is
1. Dropping it at the correct stage of the drift
2. Dropping it at the correct speed.
My goal is to keep slight contact with the bottom to detect the subtle takes immediately. If rod tip is dropped to soon in the drift or to fast,
you have induced slack. Thus causing snags and loss of all sensitivity too subtle takes. If rod tip is dropped to late or to slowly in the drift
you will lose contact with the bottom and your fly will start to swing thus ending your dead drift. By experimenting, you will be able to
determine exactly where in the drift to drop it and at what speed.
Keep in mind that every piece of water moves at its own individual pace and depth. Unique characteristics revolve around all area's to be
fished. So every time you move, you will need to re-evaluate proper rod movement. I also use the first few casts to determine proper
weighting, depth, and contour of bottom. I never try to fish my first few casts. All variables need to be re-evaluated when moving to be
proficient.
12/20 Report
I will be away for the holidays, Dec. 22 until Dec. 28. When I return I will continue to update my reports. See you then!
Water flow at 900 cfs until Friday Dec. 22.
Today was Brents first time ever fishing the Salmon River. He hails from Texas so fishing in the blowing lake effect snow and wind chills
in the single numbers was a new experience. His friends thought he was absolutely crazy to be fishing at this time of year. ( I'd have to
agree, He-he)
Brent hooked 7 fish (8-12lb) and lost all, until the below 8th Steelhead cooperated. This all happened by 10:30.A.M. !!! 1 for 8 in 3 1/2
hours of fishing! Yikes, this guy is good.
We ended the day early as the wind chill got continually worse. I bet this day will never end, in Brents memories.
(See Photo - www.yankeeangler.com)
Brents bright fresh Steely was released. Congrats !
12/19 Report
Scheduled day off
River is running 1200 cfs, but is higher below Orwell brook, Trout and town due to run-off. Here they come!!
12/18 Report
Canceled today's trip due to high winds and dangerous wind chills. Water flow is at 900 cfs until 7 P.M. today. Then going to 1200 cfs
until Friday. River is fishable with good number of fresh fish between 2A and the D.S.R. area.
12/17 Report
Scheduled day off.
Major run-off happening presently. D.S.R. is about 800 cfs due to recent rains and snow melt. Visibility this A.M. was about 12 inches in
this area. Very good # of fresh Steelhead in that area presently! More on the way with the expected water flow increase from Niagara
Mohawk. Upriver water flow is still 335 cfs with very good visibility..
12/16 Report
With the weather forecast for warm temp's and rain I would look for the creeks to open up and flood and possibly produce some good
fishing. Also, I would guess higher water flows for the Salmon river. This will only help to continue to bring in fresh Steelhead. And move
some of the most recent fish further upriver to prepare to spawn. To soon to tell.
After yesterday, I was not sure if Dave was going to be a willing participant for another adventure aboard the .com boat with new oars.
He came along with me at 6:00 A.M. with out much fuss. We left earlier than planned after yesterdays success's. We wanted to lock-up
the HOT spot by getting there early and staking our claim to some PRIME Chrome real-estate! It worked in spades as Dave out did
himself from the previous 2 days of fishing. He was 0 for 13 today! We lost most fish to the currents, my bad knots (he-he) and log jams,
but enjoyed the incredible fight of these magnificent fish. Dave only fell in once today, but boy was it a good one. He went up to his ears
while fighting a Steelhead in the 32 degree water. He came out of it sounding like a choir boy but with the biggest grin from ear to ear.
That's steelhead fishing for you, it can be addicting. Why else would people brave sub- freezing temp's, near death experiences (he-he )
aboard the .com boat to catch a fish that has a brain the size of a pea? (Beats me)
Best,
Randy
12/15 Report
Dave joined me again, for another incredible non-stop adventure filled day aboard the .com boat. Where do I begin. Well, how about the
very first cast of the morning resulting in the steelhead pictured below. We had a fresh 25 lb. King Salmon on, that took us under a log
jam and broke us off. The Brown pictued below was an unexpected treat. It was a female and full of eggs. Dave was in Chrome heaven
by landing 2 out of 12 Ya-hoo! We spent 6 hours working just one hole. I guess all that learn'in yesterday, paid off for today's feast of
jumps, runs, bent rods and scream'in reel's. There is only 1 thing better than a day like today. (Come on, your not that old, you do
remember, don't you?)
The other highlight of the day will be one I will not forget nor hope to repeat anytime soon. Remember the old saying, up a creek with out
a paddle? How about up a creek with out 2 paddles. There is a spot in the river called the trestle hole. You drift and drop through a slot of
fast white water rapids before digging heavy on your oars to miss an intimidating 20 foot high by 6 feet wide cement pillar dead ahead. As
we made the drop I was on my second BIG dig on the oars when snap went my left oar blade. With the white water rapids taking control
of our fate, I yelled (politely) hold on, were going to hit the trestle! I noticed a slight jump in Dave's normally calm disposition. With about
1 second before impact I jumped into a phone booth, spun and turned into "Super Guide Man." I used my right oar to break the impact of
an aluminum boat crunching into a solid pillar of " I hope my life insurance policy is paid up" cement. Yup, you guessed it, there went my
second oar blade with a snap. Whew! I dropped anchor and retrieved the broken blades from the water. The balance of the boat ride
down was one of drifting with the current and me poling the boat with my 10 foot net handle safely to the ramp. All that practice of poling
my friends flats boats on the crystal clear water flats on Monomoy Island, Cape Cod paid off.
Today was just another dull day in this never ending boring adventure aboard the .com boat. .
Best,
Randy
(See Photo - www.yankeeangler.com)
Fresh 10 lb. Steelhead and a beautiful 7 lb. Brown. Congrats again Dave! ( All Fish Released )
12/14 Report
Guiding Dave brought found memories of my best day of Steelheading ever. Last March we started out the morning fishing through the
slush. I think it was Pucker Brush Creek? Anyway, by days end we had landed 10 out of 22 fresh Steelhead!
Today was a combination of re-learning, (it only took him all morning) , fishing, catching and having a lot of laughs. I kept reminding Dave
that 12 O'clock was straight across the river and not up river. I think he must a been on West coast time, forgot to turn his clock back or
flunked "when the big hand is on the 12."
Dave hooked an even combination of fresh and older Steelhead off the .com boat today. Dave ended the day with a great 1 for 7 count. I
kept reminding him I needed a photo for my web site and all day long we came close, but no cigar. Finally in the last hole, on the last fish
we managed one. It did not come easy as Dave took a nice fall into the water while he fought it. He managed to keep his tip up and was
rewarded with a nice male. Thanks !
Hardly anyone fishing of late. Fish are in just about every spot. Not a lot in any one place. Still having to work for them. This weekend
should be good to most of you coming up. Good Luck and Happy Hookin!
(See Photo - www.yankeeangler.com)
Nice bright Iron head of 9 lb's. Congrats Dave! (Fish Released)
12/13 Report
Mike and Jim wanted to go fishing, but today we did not fish, we went catching! They hit fish in 3 out of 4 spots today with a 3 for 13 tally
by days end. The fish below were the smaller of the bunch we had on. Mike had the biggest one on, that was at least all of 15 lb's. For a
fresh December fish, it gave us a show more like a November fish. 6 jumps, several torpedo runs and a couple of real nice water spraying
head shakes on the surface. Four minutes later it finally rolled on the line and broke us off.
Most fish were bright fresh with only a few darker ones. The air temperature rose to a balmy 24 degrees. With no wind, sun and a good
number of Chromers it was actually very pleasant. A heater in the boat and a little schnapps in the coffee helped also. The first victory
cigar was lit by 11 A.M. with noon time kicking off the cocktail hour. ( I only had coffee-hehe) I thought I had Clark Kent on the boat
today after Mike did his Superman imitation before falling into the water! (That happened before cocktails ?? )
(See Photo - www.yankeeangler.com)
I knew I could count on Jim to land a couple for you all to see. (Just kidding Mike, you did land the first one) The fish on the right was a
dime bright 9 lb. freshy. Congrats to both! - All 3 fish were released!
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