How's the fishing in your part of the world (my report of today's adventures)...

[Todd Oishi]

I thought it would be interesting to hear about the different fisheries that everyone on this forum are currently enjoying. So I thought I'd start...

My stillwater fishing season is pretty much over now (made my last trip to fish the interior of our province two weeks ago), so I am currently fishing for the Coho salmon and sea-run cutthroat in the river in the Fraser River Valley. Our rivers are currently packed with Chum and Coho salmon, so nymphing for trout is pretty much out of the question for now, as the thought of salmon (weighing in the double-digits) on my 2-weight sends shivers up my spine!

Here are some shots of this morning’s adventures...









Look forward to hearing about yours!

Cheers,
Todd

[Chris Smith]

Did you say 2 weight Todd?  I can only imagine.

Thanks for sharing what looks like a beautiful day.

I'm headed to the mountains this weekend with my 7 year old son.  He's quite the fly fisherman already, so we should be able to return the favor Sunday. 

[Mike Nutto]

well here in Oregon the dechutes is winding down but there are still fish at the mouth of the river which are headed back out to run up to idaho ,They call them b runs here and they weight anywhere from ten to twenty pounds ,i did hit a six pond hatchery hen last week swinging a tube fly on a skagit head last week .
The Oregon coast got hammered this weekend with rain and the rivers blew out we did manage to run into a couple of coastal cutthroat  before the rivers blew out , the chums have arrived but not in numbers but that could change after the rain . Im hoping to get out to the dechutes at the end of this week for my last trip there .

[Chad Drawbaugh]

Great read guy's, I love reading about everyone's adventures. I have been chasing steelhead in NY on the salmon river. This past weekend we got into Pulaski on friday with just enough light to fish for about 15-20 minutes, as we walked to a well known hole but also a easy access hole I was thinking it may be to crowded, as we get to the hole everyone is fishing the top of the hole from my experiance after all day pressure the fish slip and hang right at the tail and that is were they were, we both landed nice females about 10-12 pounds. I am thinking the stage is set for a great weekend.
Sat. we were guided and fished low with a good morning bite all steelhead with 6-8 pounders, Our guide is a very good freind of mine so he said around 11:00 lets take the boat up river. As we are passing the parking lots at the differant access's we are thinking this is going to be a boat ride, there will be know way we will find water to fish, it was amazing I have never seen that many people in Nov. but the 50 degree temp and low water brought them out. Well to our surprise we float into an area I have never seen NOT crowded and it is wide open not a sole in it, not knowing what was open below us we fished it and ended up with 7 ranging between 8-10 pounds. We had a great day with great weather and to our surprise little crowds.
Sunday was open day for my friend/guide so the three of us fished together with just an absolute spectacular day, next to no wind, no crowds, lot's of sun, warm weather and the fish were hungry we ended up with 13 fish by 11:00 when we called it to start heading home. This male bite at around 10:30 and was just absolute awesome fight, great color's and tipped the scale at 17.5 pounds.

[Chris Smorul]

The browns seem to be moving off their redds in Bushkill Creek here in eastern PA.  There were aome rather large fish sitting on the nests a few days ago but yesterday the redds that I observed were all vacant.  Fishing was a little slow yesterday compared to the last few weeks, even the newly stocked rainbows weren't taking anything I threw at them.  I'm going to hit McMichaels Creek in northeat PA tommorrow.  I'll post a report when I get back.

(EDIT) I thought I was going to McMichael's but my friend told me today that he had Ressica Falls in mind.  I'll still post a report.

[Paul Bourcq]

Here in the smokies we dont have any real limestone creeks.  With that said its tough to find really big browns.  But this time of year is the time.  THey are on the move.  We went on the hunt a couple days ago.

Dropping into the valley


Water was up and clear.  Bluebird skys with high sun....ugh


I had a several refusals on streamers by some huge fish.  Backed the flash off in the streamers hoping they would commit to it.

Buddy stuck one before we left.  

[Dejon Hamann]

Great idea Todd and nice posts thus far guys.



November is prime time Lake Run Steelhead and Big Brown Trout in our area.  Living smack dab in middle of downtown Buffalo I'm about 1hour drive from good Trout Fishing.  Many guys in our neck of the woods "hang up" their inland trout gear once the big migratory fish start running, but mine is always hanging right near the front door.



Of course there are Steelhead rivers almost just down the street from my down town house.  But I've never fancied catching trout under bill board signs and behind shopping malls.  



Many of our streams can get quite crowded at times, but with literally 100s of miles of little tributaries you can always find a peaceful little spot if you do some driving.  And drive you must some days to find good Steelheading as many of our systems ebb and flow iwth the slightest of precipitation.  With either slate or mud bottoms you can usually find a stream on the clear.



Sunday is a great time to fish because most people leave to watch football.  And just about this time of year the Salmon die off on Ontario tribs and shotgun season opens for Deer so many of the "harvest" crowd leave the streams.  



I juggle my personal fishing time between fishing for Steelhead with friends and then heading out solo for my true love: inland trout fishing.  Just yesterday I was honing my Euro Nymphing techniques on a local spring creek type waterway.  Most of our local inland waterways are for small fish.  We are fortunate to have a true artesian well fed Spring Creek with completely wild trout.  And a few other very difficult "free stone" characterized streams also have stream born brown or rainbow trout, but a 12" fish is usually a trophy. We have a few other stocked systems where you can find a lucky holdover from time to time.



In recent years I've really lost a good deal of my zest for Steelheading.  I still take great pleasure in guiding new people to the sport though.  Maybe it's the crowds and the battered fish, but really in the end it's the palate of lake run fish.  It's kind of like dating a girl that wants to eat nothing but hamburgers.  Freaking awesome for the first year, but it gets a bit old after awhile.  Spey fishing to the rescue!  



We're truly lucky to have such a diverse trout fishery in our area.  I just wish we had a few killer stillwaters.

[Nick Naclerio]

Great pics as always Dejon. With any luck I'll get some of that WNY steel this weekend.

[Chris Smorul]

Dejon, have you ever fished the Grand or Chagrin Rivers in Ohio.  When I lived near Cleveland I always saw a lot of fisherman there chasing those Lake Erie steelhead.

[Dejon Hamann]

Not much Lopat.  Problem is I have to drive over a dozen fishy streams just to get there! Never happens:)

[Robert Jordan]

Great topic!  I have been trying to get time to post in this thread but have been so busy!  
So many great pictures and stories… It makes me want to quit this job and take to the road to sample a little bit from all the places.  I was in NC for 15 years and fished those awesome little freestoners that Paul posted up and loved it.  This is the 1st full steelhead season that I have been in WNY for so I have become obsessed with them.  I have had quite a bit of success since the run started in mid September and feel that I am fairly competent now.  





Dejon makes some very interesting points about these big bastards… they are not the smartest things in the world that is for sure.  I think once I get the initial rush of fishing for them out of my system (I am sure that it will last at least this season) I will scale back on the lake run and extend the inland trout season longer and longer.  I love catching wild trout on bamboo rods.



But for now it is steelhead mania!  I’ll let you all know when the novelty wears off  

[Adam Wellington]

There is a lot of novelty to a 10 lb steelhead. It wont wear off that quick. 

BTW, is that 'boo still in two pieces?

[Robert Jordan]

There is a lot of novelty to a 10 lb steelhead. It wont wear off that quick. 

BTW, is that 'boo still in two pieces?

yeah but not the correct 2 pieces... still need to get that fixed 

[Dejon Hamann]

Nice post Rob.  That really was a spectacular looking brookie.  I might have to go back to that spot soon.