troutologist

Wait are you using a baitcaster? Kidding aside. Check out an article by Gord Ellis in OOD last year, gives a bit of a breakdown on reading water and different types of holding area. Look for water that moves about walking speed. Places where fast water meets slow water are good bets. When you pick a place to fish. Make a mental grid of the area and start at the top of the run close to your feet and make successive casts out from there. After you have fished across the river from one position move down a few steps, the dirtier the water the smaller changes in position you should make. One thing that took me a while was getting enough weight under my float. Don't be shy. When I was a kid and started out bottom bouncing I fished with my dad and didn't catch a fish the whole first spring. He put on a clinic right beside me. One day it just seems to come together. Keep at it.

The rapids, though pleasntly scented by the paper mill, are a pretty cool place to fish. To me, out there on a winter day with no one else on the river it seems a lot more secluded than it is. The flow is constant, and I could turn off the computer at work and have my first drift 15mins later. Learning how to catch in the rapids will make you much better at reading water. Turn some of those skunkings and maybe instead of catching shakers up north you can hit some better fish.

Can't understand why you aren't there all the time. When I was home I went before and after work many days. Only during the peak of the run salmon run is it rough on the weekends or after work. At dawn or after the main salmon snag, the guys you encounter out there are better people to fish around than the beachballers at the hwy plaque. I think you're afeerd of wading out and catching a big fish. Im bringing my float stuff home at Christmas to show you what a nancy you are.

Nice fish man. Gotta love the raps. Just gets better from here on out too. Watch where the guy with the red cap fishes. See you were using spawn but drift some jigs in natural colors or a baitfish mimic.

Great pics and write up! Those are a nice collection of bass for tough conditions.

No pics of mine but its a 2000 Tundra LT gotta love the reverse button for RER. It floats over anything.

Great pics there Mike. Can't wait to see more steelhead reports. Keep it up.

Thanks for the replies Gents, sounds like there is some more to this than I initially considered. Maybe I will have to rethink this, I was hoping there was the potential to really do something on the cheap. Maybe another year of savings is in order. Speaking of Alaska Drifter have you fished the Situk in the spring or fall? I suspect thats outrageously expensive to access? I was just looking at the feul costs and other expenses to get back into ontario or michigan and that adds up quick as well, thats why I started to consider other places, for hopefully a few bucks more....back to the drawing board.

I sold an 11'6 to a buddy and wish I would have kept it. Trying to bushcrash and cast in very tight quarters was much easier with that rod. But overall I found many more things that a longer rod does to make fishing easier. Tell me if theres anything more frustrating than negotiating through alder tangles and thick brush to get to a sweet looking spot with no access, getting all set up to make that perfect cast, then having a branch catch your line behind or above you as you attempt to cast out.

Folks, Ive been thinking about steelhead fishing a little too much these days and was contemplating a trip to BC or Washington. I was hoping someone had undertaken such a trip before and could pass on some experiences. What I was looking to do is either drive out or find a seat sale and fly out subsequently aquiring a rental car. Hoping to sleep in the car or camp to keep costs down. Basically Im looking to do a little tour of some rivers out there as wallet friendly as possible. Any help with experience, resources or contacts would be appreciated. This is in the fledgling stage of planning at this point. Thanks

One aspect I really appreciate the topo map for is snowshoeing into lakes in the winter. Sometimes the GPS helps to decipher exactly which valley Im in. Typically the terrain I use this in has a alot of hills, valleys etc, I find it really shines in predawn hours. The map and compass is key, learn how to use them first, batteries will run out, gps units fail. Holdfast still appreciate those files you sent on orienteering a while ago, look at those from time to time to refresh things.

Ive had a Garmin 76 Map and upgraded to the 76csx. Have been great units and are expandable, maps and memory (csx). Will last about 2-3 full days on the water with 2AA Batts. I find these units very user friendly...at this point I dont have to look to mark points, and get to various screens etc.

I think its a VH sauce or something to that effect but its a butter chicken sauce. Its top notch. Cut into cubes, season fry 3 mins or so add 1 can of sauce for 4 breasts lower heat and simmer until sauce thickens (sometimes I add frozen veggies to the sauce) serve over rice Another one. 2 or 4 breasts cut into chunks pototos, carrots, onion, garlic, celery, peppers (leave everything expect garlic larger chunks to prevent mush) seasoning to your taste, I like lots of crushed chilis among numerous other herbs and spices a bit of white wine (not too much, what are you gonna drink then?) 2 cans of cream of wildmushroom and garlic (somthing to this effect its campbells) fire it all in a crockpot on low before you go to work its tenderized and delicious come dinner time.

I've been scoping the new boat out as a sweet spot to crash. Im gonna just sleep on the casting deck under the tarp. Just sleep in your truck. You won't freeze, it wont be the best sleep ever, but I'll guarentee one thing....your gonna be up early to catch fish. Ive done it in the winter and all other seasons. For a couple hundred bucks you get a great sleeping bag. Or Prop a tarp in the truck bed or get a bivy and sleep there. Truck sleep= more $ for gas and tackle not to mention its a way better story to tell your buddies.

Soaking sprucies in milk overnight will make them taste milder. I usually cook it with some kind of strong sauce to make fajitas, or some type of stir fry. Hot sauce makes everthing taste better.

Still one of my favourite books ever. Another good Hemingway read on fishing it the Big Two Hearted River (Parts I and II). Cool story about trout fishing in Michigans UP. He could capture conversation and inner dialogue like few could.

That CTS is unreal....for the power it has its very light. It is as stong as my 15' IM9 and so much easier to fish all day with. Wish I had it on the manistee last fall, IM8 didnt have enough backbone to move those fish. Theres a video on here somewhere that Mike took, thought I was gonna break the rod.

Into the winter or early in the spring thats the first spot to thaw thats easy to fish other than the top hole that everyone is at.

Thats my rock get off that spot!!!

The Raven IM8 is about my favourite rod for moderate cost. 200 or slightly over. Im a big fan of this rod, if you fish big flows it might lack the heavy duty backbone. As an aside, Ive got a CTS 13'6 and it is the bee's knee's for heavy water.

Maybe some clarification, this seemed to stem from the stocking thread perhaps driven by chronzy's attitude. It seems many are all too happy to side with a tv personality and diminish any efforts coming from biologists. Perhaps foolishly, this gets me ire as I have sat in the hot seat at been berated and watched other science types berated by those who are ill-informed on the realities of resource management. Not intended as a shot or dig at any individual, not exonerating the MNR from any poor decisions. Maybe just because its on tv or on the internet doesn't mean its so...

MNR has a sightings database of SAR. Usually if SAR are known to inhabit watercourses connected and within a certain distance of the area in question a full scale assessment is required. It seems as though a permit was issued if stipulations were discussed re buffer zone. Wherever this permit was from, there should have been contact with the township or planning board and the MNR/MOE/CA in the area.

The fact you claim that a wetland was bulldozed and filled is suspcious. There would need to be site visits and inventories. Not to mentioned the red tape that goes along with the new Species at Risk Legislation. This usually precludes the development of wetlands. There will need to be very publicly available documentation that the MNR, MOE and local conservation authority (if there is one_ has checked this out and provided the appropriate permits. These are all public documents. Ask for these if you suspect wrong doing. Though it does happen I would be very shocked if a developer (in a controversial case nonetheless) ignored the permits.

This has been festering in my mind for a while. I prefer not to play into the infantile bickering as a rule but this topic is close to my heart. Raise your hand if you are a biologist... Having opinion regarding fisheries and fisheries management is great, your passion for the sport and interest to leave things better is a great step forward. Should you question decisions made by the Government agencies in managing a resource? Of course. This is what grinds my gears, is the constant belittling of MNR bio's. Obviously like everyone they have made decisions based on the info they had at the time or pressure from above and turned out to be wrong. Thats the way science goes. Thalidamide was a great idea at the time too. I've got a number of friends and collegues that work as biologists and technicians in various levels of Governemnt and in various areas of specialty. To a person they are dedicated, interested and care profoundly about the resources and the job. In most cases hunters and anglers too. Being a Gov't biologist is not the field to go into to make money. No one puts up with the revolving door of contracts and beauracracy because its a job. Everyone one I have met put up with this since its exactly what they want to do. So next time you want to rag on the biologists, think about directing your ire to those in Toronto or Ottawa that make policy, dream up priorities, provide funding . Position on most if not all issues come from far above the field group. If you have any experience in Gov't you understand this. Not towing the line is a tough way to keep working and theres not an over abundance of jobs in the field. As I've previously stated if you feel so strongly that the MNR biologists are doing a poor job. Go to school and get a biology degree, get a foot in the door at the MNR and work your way into a position to make a difference.

John Giuliani guides on the river for steelhead, atlantics, walleye and pacific salmon. He's in the phonebook. About the best guy for salmonids in the st marys. A few other guys come up from the states during various salmon runs, Brad Patzke (sp?) is one who has good reviews. Chris McMillian guides also walleye in the river. I believe I directed you here before, bottom of the page