BooyahMan Posted March 19, 2015 Posted March 19, 2015 This has been a very lousy Steelheading year for my dad and I. We've only been out a couple times as the river has been either blown out on days we are free or I am stuck at home with other priorities. I won't say we've had no luck connecting with a few fish, but so far this season it's been almost comical how we just can't seem to land any. We're not new to catching Steelhead or river fishing either, but this year it's definitely felt like a struggle. Here's a (short) list of the unfortunate events that have happened regarding fish: 1) We were fishing pockets in white-water when he hooked up a good sized fish. As he brought it closer he started to back up, but the rocks gave away underneath and caused him to slip into the river. He had to drop his setup in the river (Sage 2106lb/Islander combo) in order to get himself out of the water, and by the time he had found his rod the fish had shaken the hook. I was about a football field away at the time, and it was terrifying seeing him slip in like that. 2) I came very close to landing my first of the season, a bullet chrome 13lb wild doe. It was lying in about 2 inches of water and ready to be tailed. I bent down to grab it and the hook popped out. I basically consider it landed, but would have really liked to get a photo for my archives. 3) My dad hooked into a very large Steelhead (16-18lb estimate) on his last trip (I wasn't with him this time). He fought it for about 5 minutes before it started to tire and came to the shoreline. The problem was that he was on a 4 foot embankment and had to slowly lower himself down to the water before he could tail it. Just as he was getting himself down to the fish, the line went slack suddenly and the fish slid back into the depths of the river. He thought his leader had snapped, but upon closer inspection it was something much worse: the hook had straightened. In all our years of Steelheading, we rarely break leaders on fish but it does happen. What has never happened to us, however, was a hook straightening out. Talk about heart-breaking. To make matters worse, Bass fishing has officially started here and I find myself having to choose between the green-backs and the chrome-backs. Have you guys ever had a cold streak, when everything just seems to go wrong? Quote
HardcoreBassin Posted March 19, 2015 Posted March 19, 2015 Wow...sounds like a strike of bad luck. Good news is that they "come in 3s" right?? haha I bet the next outing you guys have will be a great one. Try to shake off the funk. I hope you both hook and LAND new PB's on your next outing. Tight lines.....and strong hooks... - Dale 1 Quote
Super User everythingthatswims Posted March 19, 2015 Super User Posted March 19, 2015 Yeah I have definitely been there, but when I get "there", I try to get in the mindset that things can only get better from where I'm at. Don't worry, you'll get out of the slump. The only thing that wasn't out of your control would be the hook straightening, I would suggest getting new hooks, or keep the drag on the reel set lower. You may want to get a net so you don't have to tire the fish out completely before beaching the fish. I know wet rocks don't hurt a fish but when you slide them into shallow water they can beat themselves up pretty badly if they start thrashing. A net makes it easier to hold the fish in the water to revive it if you are taking photos or having trouble getting the hook out too. 1 Quote
OntarioFishingGuy Posted March 20, 2015 Posted March 20, 2015 Hooks bending happens to me too. Using #12 hooks on the Niagara doesn't help either. The 2014 salmon and steelhead runs were a bit off too. But you lucky west coast guys have got HUGE fish. 18lbs is unheard of in Ontario. Although I did see one in particular that must have been pushing 18-20lbs in a small local creek, fish that size are really rare. 1 Quote
BooyahMan Posted March 20, 2015 Author Posted March 20, 2015 Wow...sounds like a strike of bad luck. Good news is that they "come in 3s" right?? haha I bet the next outing you guys have will be a great one. Try to shake off the funk. I hope you both hook and LAND new PB's on your next outing. Tight lines.....and strong hooks... - Dale Thanks! Hopefully the "come in 3s" rule applies here haha. Yeah I have definitely been there, but when I get "there", I try to get in the mindset that things can only get better from where I'm at. Don't worry, you'll get out of the slump. The only thing that wasn't out of your control would be the hook straightening, I would suggest getting new hooks, or keep the drag on the reel set lower. You may want to get a net so you don't have to tire the fish out completely before beaching the fish. I know wet rocks don't hurt a fish but when you slide them into shallow water they can beat themselves up pretty badly if they start thrashing. A net makes it easier to hold the fish in the water to revive it if you are taking photos or having trouble getting the hook out too. Technically, I haven't hit rock bottom yet. For all I know I could get skunked every trip for the rest of the season haha. *knock on wood*. As I said, this is the first time that either of us have straightened a hook on a Steelhead. Possibly an old hook or a defective hook. The only fish I've straightened hooks on are Chinooks and Chums. Hooks bending happens to me too. Using #12 hooks on the Niagara doesn't help either. The 2014 salmon and steelhead runs were a bit off too. But you lucky west coast guys have got HUGE fish. 18lbs is unheard of in Ontario. Although I did see one in particular that must have been pushing 18-20lbs in a small local creek, fish that size are really rare. Us West Coasters use much heavier gear than you guys too, if I remember correctly. I could totally see straightening a #12 fairly easily, but for the most part we are using #1 Gamakatsu or Vision hooks and they usually only bend (or snap!) when trying to stop a 25lb+ fish from running downstream. In this particular system 18lbs or more for a Steelhead is rare but not unheard of. However, some of the systems a bit further away from me (Skeena and Thompson come to mind...very well-known rivers for Steelhead) have Steelhead pushing 25+. One of the elderly gentlemen that I work with told me of a Steelhead he hooked into on the Thompson a long time ago that was over 30lbs. Fought it for 20 minutes and his leader finally snapped. You lucky guys in Ontario have such a diverse amount of fisheries and fish. Here it's Salmon/Steelhead/Trout. Anything else is "garbage", or at least that's the general mentality. 1 Quote
Super User SirSnookalot Posted March 20, 2015 Super User Posted March 20, 2015 Cold streaks happen. With the exception of some good sized jacks I'm struggling with many species. It always turns around. 1 Quote
BooyahMan Posted April 6, 2015 Author Posted April 6, 2015 Well, tried my hand at Steelheading again and...there must be something conspiring against me. Hooked a nice one drifting a colorado blade only to have it pop off mid-fight. :/ I rarely lose fish mid-fight like that; usually it's either right at the beginning if I didn't get a good hookset or at the end after a lengthy battle. At the very least no snapped leaders or spread hooks this time though. Maybe the good luck I've had in seasons past is finally catching up to me... Quote
BannedForSpamming-1234555 Posted April 7, 2015 Posted April 7, 2015 At least your getting onto fish..you'll get them landed soon. I struggled last year with only one steelhead in the fall...lots of skunked days. 1 Quote
ChrisWi Posted April 7, 2015 Posted April 7, 2015 I only got 2 last fall, gonna try getting some later today. Hopefully I'm a little luckier than you. 1 Quote
OntarioFishingGuy Posted April 7, 2015 Posted April 7, 2015 Yea, this spring has been tough here. At least you're hooking fish. 1 Quote
ChrisWi Posted April 8, 2015 Posted April 8, 2015 I got a bit luckier, one nice male first trip of the year. 1 Quote
BooyahMan Posted April 9, 2015 Author Posted April 9, 2015 I got a bit luckier, one nice male first trip of the year. Right on bud! What did you get it on if you don't mind me asking? Quote
ChrisWi Posted April 9, 2015 Posted April 9, 2015 Right on bud! What did you get it on if you don't mind me asking? spawn, I'm fishing great lakes tribs so it's kinda a staple Quote
OntarioFishingGuy Posted April 11, 2015 Posted April 11, 2015 spawn, I'm fishing great lakes tribs so it's kinda a staple You fish lake Michigan tribs right? Quote
ChrisWi Posted April 11, 2015 Posted April 11, 2015 You fish lake Michigan tribs right? correct! Quote
OntarioFishingGuy Posted April 11, 2015 Posted April 11, 2015 Right on! Our rivers aren't fully open until the end of April, so I'm stuck fishing piers to get away from the crowds. Still beats the monstrosity that is the Niagara though.... Quote
ChrisWi Posted April 12, 2015 Posted April 12, 2015 Right on! Our rivers aren't fully open until the end of April, so I'm stuck fishing piers to get away from the crowds. Still beats the monstrosity that is the Niagara though.... we got a lot of rain, fish are in thick. Going to head out for a couple hours and see how it goes. My buddy got 9 this morning! Quote
BooyahMan Posted April 13, 2015 Author Posted April 13, 2015 Could have been another notch in the series of unfortunate events today with my first hook easily breaking on a snag (can't imagine what would have happened had I hooked a fish with that hook), but finally stuck one tight.Just a little one, but I'll take it any day of the week over a skunk! 1 Quote
BooyahMan Posted April 14, 2015 Author Posted April 14, 2015 Anyone here centerpin? That's the only thing I use for Steelhead and Salmon Quote
ChrisWi Posted April 14, 2015 Posted April 14, 2015 That's the only thing I use for Steelhead and Salmon what kind do you use? Quote
OntarioFishingGuy Posted April 14, 2015 Posted April 14, 2015 Anyone here centerpin? Yup! Using a Matrix Special Edition. Hoping to upgrade to an Islander soon. Quote
BannedForSpamming-1234555 Posted April 14, 2015 Posted April 14, 2015 I fished a creek a couple weeks back and most of my time was spent on retying. I can't believe how many snags and tackle were lost. Quote
Super User J Francho Posted April 14, 2015 Super User Posted April 14, 2015 I do a little pinning. 1 Quote
ChrisWi Posted April 15, 2015 Posted April 15, 2015 Yup! Using a Matrix Special Edition. Hoping to upgrade to an Islander soon. my buddy fishes a islander, he loves it, I'm on more of a budget, thin. Im going to get a Matrix 4 3/8, the non ported one. 1 Quote
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