This winter I’ve declared war on hatchery winter steelhead, and they will feel my wrath with switch rod and thingamabobber. Fly anglers should consider it their personal duty to defend those redds from hatchery pukes. We’ve got all winter to swing flies in secluded rainforests for the steelhead of our dreams. Now is the time to cozy up to the hogline and lay waste to those inferior interlopers.
Karl (pictured below) hasn’t shaved all year, citing his new beard’s mythic power to bring steelhead to the boat. He’s gone four steelhead for four trips, and isn’t shaving any time soon despite any potential negative effects on his love life.
I can’t argue with Karl’s 2010 track record (see evidence below: a nice hen Karl put me on yesterday).
In fact, I’m two-fish for two-trips in 2010 myself. I need to clarify here, in seasons recently past, two fish was my total count for winter steelhead for the year. I’m not going to discount the power of Karl’s beard, or the fact that we’re having what appears to be a large early hatchery run. But I attribute a big part of my new-found success this year to John Larison’s steelhead book: The Complete Steelheader. If you’re a beginning steelheader (or a trout guy that fishes for steelhead occasionally and doesn’t catch them), you need to read this book. Read our interview with Larison here, buy The Complete Steelheader here.
There are several nearby winter steelhead hatchery programs and you’ll have good luck watching for dropping water levels (see our Oregon preferred river level chart) and following the ODFW Recreation report.
Rob Russell’s steelhead caviar and cutlets recipe is a great way to do your part to protect wild fish.
-MS
I see why Karl thought it was a buck. Quite the gator-mouth for a female.
Let’s be sure not to blame the innocent hatchery steelhead for their potential impacts. They still deserve tremendous respect. Our committment to removing them from our rivers is an unfortunate outgrowth of human mis-management. We should be blaming ourselves, not the poor critter who has fought hard to return to their birthplace. My opinion…
Ouch… put the waders back on – you’re scaring the fish. Nice hen, boys!!
I’m gonna grow a beard… that’s the ticket.
GH
Never before and never again.
Geeze – I remember not shaving the week before a big Track Meet (100 yd High Hurdles) in High School (1964-67). My face-fuzz genuinely won me many races and was a strong display of my high testosterone levels, which were entirely wasted in those days.
I still retain the right to release a hatchery fish if I want to. Not my responsibility to clean-up if the fish shouldn’t be there in the first place. In some cases, the hatchery fish rivers should just b managed for hatchery fish. I would, however, like to see some rivers formally identified for “wild fish management “and strong efforts made to keep hatchery fish out, keep angling mortality low, and protect the heck our of the habitat. these fish are tough and can be as strong as the habitat will allow if we don’t choke them with clumsy management.
And if Rob and Carl happen to release (or loose) a steelhead, maybe I’ll have a chance to catch it later, so there is always hope.
Thanks for keeping us thinking gentlemen. Much more discussion is merited on this topic.
JN
… much more discussion over “scotch” and “smoked steelhead” is merited on this topic.
I’m in.
GH
Tough crowd!
I’m generally in agreement with Matt. Hatchery fish must die. Most any hatchery fish that makes the mistake of biting me has pretty much had a fatal lapse of judgment. Right now, I smell blood in the water.
That said, I’m with Rob on respecting hatchery fish–or at least not hating them–it isn’t their fault and they have a will to live like any creature. Rob, I had never heard the term hatchery puke before I met you so . . . you know what I’m saying 😉
and for the rest of you, if I didn’t talk about fish I’d be a mute. So there will be more discussion.
There we have it folks; Porn & Fish
i never heard the term “Swimming Hot Dog” before meeting rob.
just sayin’.
4 for 4 and 2 for 2. Sounds like you’re on to something with the beards…