This beautiful chrome hatchery fish was hooked during
the heart of winter when temperatures were frigid and the water was
murky. Here is a prime example that fishing during harsh weather and
water conditions can still produce some outstanding fish. Monitor hydrographs
for ever changing water conditions but don’t let the information
prevent you from hitting the water with every little fluctuation. Be
aware of what rivers and lakes are doing without letting the information
make you gun-shy about fishing where water conditions look like they
“might” blowout. So long as something can be learned from
each fishing trip, no time out in nature is wasted making all preparations
and efforts worth it with or without fish hookups.
Note how this fish is “tailed” rather than
netted. Because I was in the water knee high I was able to successfully
grab onto this fish without the threat of losing it. When releasing
fish back into the blue “tailing” is by far the most effective
way to ensure that scales are not lost and gills are not damaged. Since
this particular fish had wrapped itself up with the leader and mainline,
I had to take the time to carefully reverse the spinning process before
letting her go.
Summer, Fall, Winter, and Spring;
Salmon, Steelhead, and Trout can all be caught literally year-round!
All the gear necessary and the knowledge needed
to get fish on the hook all the time will set you apart from everyone
on the water. If instructions are followed correctly, fishermen can
spot you out of a line of anglers over a hundred strong just by the
techniques, gear, and garb your using and wearing; that's how distinctive
my fishing techniques are, but the most obvious nature of all these
variances will be the amount of fish YOU WILL hook into. Other anglers
will want to know what it is that's getting you fish as they stand there
skunked!
Fluctuating River and Lake levels can have a profound
effect on fish behavior. Before heading out to any body of water it’s
imperative to make sure that the water is “Fishable”. It’s
entirely possible that by the time you get to your favorite fishing
hole that it could be completely Blown Out, especially if the hole is
significantly far from where you live.
© Timothy Kusherets, 2004/11
