Washington Fly Fishing Forum banner

Low holed and pocket picked

11K views 101 replies 40 participants last post by  KerryS 
G
#1 ·
Words cannot explain my furiousness at this moment in time


I arrived at hwy side of reiter at around 530 figuring the rain would push fish into the system. There was 2 other cars riggin up at the same time and beat me down to the river. all of those guys were fishing up high directly across from the feeder creek, so I decided to march down towards cable. I was the first mother fucker on the hole. I swung it for about 20 minutes on an intermediate tip and then decided to run some t-11.

Then the dam assjacks start showing up. one guy running his stupid bobber and shrimp low holes me and tangles with my line while im swinging. He un hooks his shit and created distance. I was already a little irritated now.

and then......
two young kids come into the hole as I started at the top and assjack #1 left already. Well needless to say as im working through the meat of the run assjack #2 steps 30 feet below me and starts pitching his stupid ass cheater bait. Then ass jack #3 steps in 20 feet below him with his gay ass kitchen utensil lure. Im working the run step by step swinging and these mother fuckers wouldn't budge. I end up wading around them so I can fish the rest of the run.

And guess what fucking happens. the second I step around assjack#3 hooks a god dam 8-10 lb steelhead on his third cast just where I was going to swing until they low holed me.


Words cannot even explain how fucking mad I am right now.

asjack#3 shit in my Wheaties and I am so fucking butt hurt right now
 
See less See more
#7 ·
When you fish a hatchery blood hole, or the hole just downstream of it, on a river open to all tackle and bait, you ain't likely to get a lot of respect, let alone human courtesy. I think you could have shot assjack #3 and called it self defense.

You could also learn from this experience, as in note where the fish lived, and fish there first next time, even if you have to low hole a gut-slinger to do it.

Sg
 
#9 ·
I doubt the issue here is courtesy or the type of gear they're fishing. Excluding out in front of Reiter, there are only 4 runs, with Cable hole being the most popular (followed closely by Proctor Creek these days) between the hatchery and High Bridge and the Sky is really the only summer run game in town for most people. These guys that showed up are Reiter anglers and the idea of a cast-step-cast lineup is unheard of. They have a different idea of what steelhead fishing is about. For some reason, they don't seem to see steelhead fishing as a zero-sum game like many of us do and may not think that fishing a hole with another guy or two or three substantially reduces their chances of finding a fish. I've had guys like that come out of the bushes in the middle of nowhere and stand just down-stream of me in their rubber hip-waders and chat me up. After fishing a few runs downstream or up and returning past them, I notice that they're still fishing the same damn spot. I just think it's the way they learned to fish for steelhead and I don't think there's any assholery intended.

I've started going straight for the sweet spot of runs, before I can get low-holed. Might miss a fish every once in a while that's holding upstream of what I think is the sweet-spot, but it beats the hell out of watching kitchen utensils fly through MY perfect water I haven't gotten to yet.
 
G
#11 ·
Cable hole... you need to set realistic expectations. Swinging flies through there is almost pointless.

And by the way, throwing "kitchen utensils" is really fun. Swinging spoons is a blast. You should give it a try sometime and come down off your high horse.
I was never on a high horse to begin with
 
#16 ·
If you're going to join the party at a meat hole, go ahead and swing. Just hit the sweet water first. Check that, always hit the sweet water first. Then you can fish methodically and know you at least got a solid pass at the good stuff!

And I feel your pain. That kind of happening will cause "steelhead blueballs."
 
#22 ·
There is an item called the Wells Spoon. It was made to be cast with a fly rod. It is one of the most deadly lures out there and throwing one with a spey rod using tips increases its effectiveness by several factors. The line control gained with the longer rod and using various tips for depth control give you total control of the lure and its presentation. Absolutely deadly on coho. The death star of spoons.
 
G
#25 ·
so do you just run a Skagit head with a sink tip? im looking at the setup for gear fisherman, and they recommend swinging it. downstream and I jive with that. I also found in my searches that it isn't uncommon for fly fishers to use a spoon on a fly rod. just goes to show how ignorant I am about gear fishing. I guess for some reason when I hear spoon I think 3"metal with treble hooks coming off it in 9 directions
 
#26 ·
...just goes to show how ignorant I am about gear fishing
You said it...;)

While I don't typically practice the art of spoon/spey rod, I do have some friends that ALWAYS have a dick nite in their pocket for such occasions. Yes, if you go with the smaller wee dick nite, could probably toss it with a scandi. Oh man, that'll get the tweed crowd in a fit. Grease lining a spoon... LOL
 
#35 ·
I toss a dicknite or a Wells Spoon with a bait caster when ever I want coho for dinner. I use a basic drift setup, swivel with about 8 to 10 inches of leader to weight and another length of leader about 30 inches to spoon. Cast and swing just like a fly. Use lighter line to the sinker so you can break it off when it hangs. Works very well if you know where to fish it. It is more fun with a spey rod but the bait caster is a more effecient means of fishing if meat is what you are after.
 
G
#48 ·
I toss a dicknite or a Wells Spoon with a bait caster when ever I want coho for dinner. I use a basic drift setup, swivel with about 8 to 10 inches of leader to weight and another length of leader about 30 inches to spoon. Cast and swing just like a fly. Use lighter line to the sinker so you can break it off when it hangs. Works very well if you know where to fish it. It is more fun with a spey rod but the bait caster is a more effecient means of fishing if meat is what you are after.
Damm ,next you'll be telling them how to slide plugs down your line for plunking
 
#37 ·
The dick nite is so light it's even difficult to cast with a spinning reel. Maybe try some flash flies. I think they look "spoon like" in the water. If I was to spoon fish I would do it with a more conventional set up - one that is geared up for spoons. I have a 6' G Loomis bass rod that kills it with spinners or spoons - I fished the shit out of it not too long ago but usually stick with the fly rod now. I've been known to chuck the gear - especially in winter when the water is up and colored
 
#42 ·
Bass_t, i have been fishing the reiter area since 1975. have had my encounters there over the years. one was my fault. that aside. if i bring my bug rod or drift rod for that matter i go expecting to fish around those types of folks. no worries. i have caught my share of steelhead from that area.
for bug rod water i like the run just below the cable hole on down almost to proctor ( which is a great hole on the hatchery side, long walk though). and dont forget the water upstream of the ponds all the way to index. try your trout tactics upstream. just use a bigger bug and maybe an indicator if that suits you.
hint : the farther you get from the ponds upstream the better your chances of picking up a fish on the floater/skating fly.
just my 2 cents.
 
#51 ·
Bass_t, i have been fishing the reiter area since 1975. have had my encounters there over the years. one was my fault. that aside. if i bring my bug rod or drift rod for that matter i go expecting to fish around those types of folks. no worries. i have caught my share of steelhead from that area.
for bug rod water i like the run just below the cable hole on down almost to proctor ( which is a great hole on the hatchery side, long walk though). and dont forget the water upstream of the ponds all the way to index. try your trout tactics upstream. just use a bigger bug and maybe an indicator if that suits you.
hint : the farther you get from the ponds upstream the better your chances of picking up a fish on the floater/skating fly.
just my 2 cents.
+1
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top