# unstocked tribs



## steelhead sniper 860 (Nov 6, 2013)

found some time to make it out on 2 of my favorite unstocked tribs, I ended up landing 4 fish total and missing two other bites. Caught an awesome brownie, 2 big steelhead, and 1 jack skipper. at the first creek I started at I landed 2 nice steelhead and missed a giant buck. The one I missed went bezerk when I hooked it and came off. One steelhead landed was about a 4-5 pound hen, other was a smaller fresh jack about 18-20 inches.
at the second creek I stopped at I landed a nice fresh Brown Trout, and a big male steelhead id estimate 6-7 pounds. I caught the brownie on a piece of shrimp and it was about 20-21 inches and around 3 pounds or so. 
with warmer temps All the fish fought hard, As much as I loved catching the bigger Steelhead the rare brownie made the day for me. good luck to everyone.


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## jiggin'fool (Dec 18, 2005)

Nice job!!!!


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## dlancy (Feb 14, 2008)

Sounds like a great day, especially with the bonus brown! Hopefully some streams are fishable by Sunday with these rains coming in today. I'm itching to get out.


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## creekcrawler (Oct 5, 2004)

Sweet! I have yet to snatch a brown.


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## steelhead sniper 860 (Nov 6, 2013)

Thanks guys, yeah it was quite exciting when I got the fish to shore and realized it was a brownie and not a steelhead! And Im not sure how the weekends going to look but this hard warm rain will make for some great fishing hopefully in the next few weeks!:G


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## salmonsteel97 (Dec 26, 2013)

Wow that's sweet!!!


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## mykiss78 (Nov 7, 2013)

@steelheadsniper860 did you use spawn sacks or was it all on shrimp?


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## steelhead sniper 860 (Nov 6, 2013)

Caught the hen and the brown on shrimp. Got the skipper and big male on spawn.


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## lowhole4trowt (Feb 1, 2014)

I'm still green enough that I get excited to hook anything on unstocked water. Not sure that that feeling will ever go away though, something about it that's just cool. Well done.


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## steelhead sniper 860 (Nov 6, 2013)

I agree, when Im on unstocked tribs anytime my bait bumps into a rock or bumps off bottom I am anticipating a take and get excited. Ive had plenty of bites where the fish would just barely pull the bobber under, not even taking it all the way under. Unfortunately with the Warmer water in springtime it also makes the other river dwelling fish like Creek Chubs and Suckers more active also.

Ive been paying closer attention to the fish and fins on the fish I have caught on unstocked waters and I have noticed some of the fish look to be quite clean with no fins clipped etc.. some possibly naturally reproduced. who knows. 

lol the only downside to unstocked tribs is they usually aren't crowded so There is nobody for you to "lowhole"


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## lowhole4trowt (Feb 1, 2014)

Yeah the natural thing is a very cool thought whether they are or are not, fact is there is a chance, especially in some of those waters, that they are. I know its very difficult to really judge based on physical appearance alone but I always keep that thought in the back of my head. 

Lol it's been a rough winter for me with fewer anglers on the streams I am having a really tough time chasing my true passion, can't wait to bust out the wd40/vaseline and get to work next week. 

Whether it's the decreased pressure or just the layout of the water I fished a good amount this winter it seemed those fish can be anywhere. Caught more fish hiding tight to a single boulder or current break near shore than in your conventional deep pool/tailout scenario with 20 spawn bags/minute floating through it.


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## rickerd (Jul 16, 2008)

sniper,
Great job NOT posting the names of unstocked waters. Very good practice since so many of those waters have no space for overcrowding.


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## dlancy (Feb 14, 2008)

So I'm going to fish some streams on Sunday on an unstocked trib. Looks like they will be the only thing fishable. With the winter we had this year it seems like up until this past week all that was in the rivers were fall holdovers. The locations I'm fishing are pretty far inland and I doubt that any spring run fish have made it that far yet. What are my chances of finding fish in these streams? Has anyone had any luck fishing something similar? Either way I'm still going to try, but just sitting at my desk this afternoon with steel in the brain haha. 


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## lowhole4trowt (Feb 1, 2014)

They can cover a lot of ground in just a day or two. Hopefully they are en route to your spot as this is typed.


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## dlancy (Feb 14, 2008)

lowhole4trowt said:


> They can cover a lot of ground in just a day or two. Hopefully they are en route to your spot as this is typed.


Haha I hope so!


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