Went up to Monroe with the wife and dog, to the Lewis Street Bridge. Place looked like the breeding ground for aluminum boat trailers. There were sever gear fishers along the bank and boats were drifting up and down the river and it looked like the Brickyard at Indianapolis on Memorial day. I understand that the weather was dry and better than it has been for some time. It was Sunday and the river was full. I kinda came away with doubts that there were any fish taken, at least this afternoon. Not my kind of fishing, but I understand the need to get out and fish.
i really wish they would make all rivers fly only, or catch and release at least... that way the river would be less occupied
That would help sales !! NOT.... im getting sick of" fly only" mentality, like its harmless or something. To each there own!!
Don't have a problem with gear fishers. It's just the bait. Your going to have a hard time releasing wild steelhead on it.
Before this latest crop of fly fishers came along there wasn't anybody saying that all skinny water should be Fly fishing only. Ban the bait. Why? If you are a meat fisherman, bait is the easiest way to catch a steelhead. I have fished for them all different ways and have caught them all different ways. I was once a bait chucker. It was a lot cheaper then. All you needed was hooks and leader and a few weights. The rods were cheaper and the reels were also.. None of this shit like $500.00 rods and $300.00 reels. I'd go on but why. You all get the picture.
Saying "make all rivers fly only" only serves to divide the fishing community further. That's the last thing the fish need.
Agreed Evan, but what about bait? Mr. Bandy is right, fishermen should not be allowed to use bait where wild steelhead exist...bait is food and steelhead will and do swallow it.
If there is scientific evidence to back up the claim, I'd support it. I believe there is evidence in showing harmful effects to juveniles for sure. I'm not opposed to bait bans if it helps wild fish.
http://www.springerlink.com/content/p58127u76733u42n/ It's a factor. I didn't read the whole thing but they did a meta-analysis of some 200+ C&R mortality studies.
Geeez, guys, I didn't intend to start a war on fishing methods. I was only remarking that the river was full of water and boats. I can understand that. It was a great day. I love that river. It gave me my first steelhead. I have spent some great days standing in it's waters. It has healed my soul on many occasions. The thing that I did notice, was the etiquette of some of the boaters. Roaring up and down the river where the bank fishers were trying to fish was not my idea of good sportsmanship. But I guess to each his own. The racing boats was the reason for my comment that I suspect that not many fish were caught. I think I would find a better time to pursue fish than on a sunny sunday afternoon right after opening day. But that is just me.
I've had this happen more times than I can count. There are runs on the lower river I've pretty much given up on because of the lack of etiquette from the sleds. There's one guy in particular that (literally) thinks he has more rights to the run than the guy on the bank who beat him to it. He has blasted his sled all but 20' away from me, up my bucket, over my line, then parked at the top and had his clients plunk roe right in front of me. The few times I've spoke up to the dipshit have produced nothing but laughs from him and his passengers.
Therein lies the problem Evan. A nice .45 caliber hole in the bottom of his boat would be nice, but I guess society frowns on such action.
