# What's the DEAL???



## MuskieJim (Apr 11, 2007)

This past weekend, I was out steelhead fishing and managed a few fish, all caught in front of a father and son fishing together using spinners and spoons. After the son asked me what I was using, so I took 10 minutes and hooked up both of their rods with a float, flourocarbon, etc. to try and get them into some fish. Ten minutes later, the son caught a fish on a jig and maggot and had a great fight. I think I was even more excited than he was!

I guess the point of my post is, why is there such a problem with the steelhead thread? It seems like every other day during the season there is some conflict or problem on here, and I just need some input from everyone. Granted, secret spots, private property, and "fish counts" can cause some heated discussions, but in reality we're out there to enjoy it and catch some fish. So lets try this season to keep things friendly and helpful. And lets be honest, there's enough steelhead for EVERYONE.


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## loganlure (Aug 15, 2008)

I was wondering the same thing. I live in Central/ Southeast Ohio, but read every thread and have kind of gotten a bad taste in my mouth from all the negativity in the Steelhead threads. 
Thanks for posting a thread that is positive.


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## MuskieJim (Apr 11, 2007)

Right? I mean, this day in age, there is no such thing as a "secret spot". And half the time, the "secret spot" in question is really no secret at all, it's PUBLIC PROPERTY. Haha. I'm going to start giving GPS coordinates in my posts


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## fishon (Apr 20, 2004)

Waiting on those GPS numbers.. speed and color and Depth...LOL

Great post by the way.. I can relate to your excitement of having that youngster hooked.. Kudos to you for taking the time out and your gear...

I hope the rest of your season is just as rewarding...

Frank


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## steelheadBob (Jul 6, 2004)

great thread.... Keep the drags SCREAMING, not the forum!!!!!


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## Big Daddy (Apr 6, 2004)

Very nice. You should be commended for helping those guys out in their search for fish. You helped build a memory they will not EVER forget. 

Great job and THAT'S what it's all about.


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## reo (May 22, 2004)

MuskieJim said:


> This past weekend, I was out steelhead fishing and managed a few fish, all caught in front of a father and son fishing together using spinners and spoons. After the son asked me what I was using, so I took 10 minutes and hooked up both of their rods with a float, flourocarbon, etc. to try and get them into some fish. Ten minutes later, the son caught a fish on a jig and maggot and had a great fight. I think I was even more excited than he was!
> 
> I guess the point of my post is, why is there such a problem with the steelhead thread? It seems like every other day during the season there is some conflict or problem on here, and I just need some input from everyone. Granted, secret spots, private property, and "fish counts" can cause some heated discussions, but in reality we're out there to enjoy it and catch some fish. So lets try this season to keep things friendly and helpful. And lets be honest, there's enough steelhead for EVERYONE.



Well Jim let me take a whack at it for ya.

1. Access on private property. Every year more and more access is lost because of inconsiderate and ignorant actions of a minority of fishermen. This is a fact.

There are some people that believe these bad apples would rather look for a report where some one gives out a specific location rather than get out and burn some old fashioned effort to decide on where to fish, and thus possibly gain a little more respect for the resource in the process. 

2. Respect for an area on public property. Yes it is public and all have the right to be there but let me see if I can explain how some folks feel. You and I fish a small pool run or whatever one day and do well. You are going to come back the next day. I go home and give the specific location to the spot on the Internet. You show up the next day and it is packed. Here is where the argument comes from. Did all these guys just luck upon this specific spot? Maybe but not likely. Do you just shrug and move on to find another spot and think what a nice guy I am for helping all these others find a good spot? Could be but you and I found a productive area by doing a little work to find it and some would think that perhaps others should find a productive area that way too.

This can not in any way be compared to giving out numbers on Erie ar a general area as it is apples and oranges.

Since you are a muskie guy though I will give a closer comparison. Lets say you are muskie fishing and have a great day on a lake within or close to big cities and it can be accessed by foot. You go home and share your day on the Internet giving specifics. You then get an unexpected day off and want to do it again but when you get there there is every imaginable type of fishermen there winging all sorts of stuff into this nice little cove that you found after fishing this body of water for years.

Perhaps some have noticed That I mostly stay out of these types of threads but rarely is there an opening that happens that thread has not turned ugly. Let me also say that most will find no fault in stating that a stocked trib is fishing well in the upper, lower middle,,,,,on (insert bait or fly) near fast, slow deep shallow,,,,,near wood ETC. In other words all the help that is needed without a specific location so that spot will not be mobbed by those that would glean such easy info. Does this mobbing happen every time specifics are posted? No, but I have been around long enough to see a fairly peaceful public area get rushed after an Internet post.

One last question of my own for those who think the WWW has no effect on pressure and ESPECIALLY if you are a tourney guy. Why no posts about Erie walleyes as a tourney approaches??? No reports on prefishing until the event is over??? Colors?? Techniques?? Speed?? Programs in general?? Is a little money or pride getting in the way of helping others??? 

While we may not agree on the topic it would be nice to disagree with some respect.

reo

PS I wish much good karma to you for helping the father and son. Where was that excactly?? lol


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## ryosapien (Jul 5, 2008)

LOL i think you missed the point of this thread reo.


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## MuskieJim (Apr 11, 2007)

I appreciate your enthusiasm reo, and I recognize that you have legitimate points. Maybe we should establish some ground rules for the steelhead forum. Like, send a PM if you are going to give specific details on a location???

And in regards to private property, most of the landowners that I know will not hesitate to kick you out of their backyard. That being said, anyone that you do have legitimate permission from to fish their property should and will continue to let you fish there. Most private property that I do have permission to fish does have a few trespassers, but the landowner likes the fact that I'm out there, pushing any stragglers off their property.


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## mrphish42 (Jan 24, 2008)

MJ......you banged that one out of the park.......thanks for being the kind of fisherman that I associate to 99.99% of what OGF stands for with the caliber of posters that we have on here........PS... some time next season ( god willing) we'll do that WB thing you mentioned to me in a different thread......That's a promise.....Jon Sr.


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## kruggy1 (Feb 6, 2008)

MJ, I have to commend you not only on your good deed of the day,but good deed of the year for the father and son. Im sure they wont forget that gesture for awhile,and probly out now buying more stuff ..lol. Keep up with great work and sharing of info and Good luck the rest of the season!!!


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## reo (May 22, 2004)

ryosapien said:


> LOL i think you missed the point of this thread reo.


??? How is that???



MuskieJim said:


> I appreciate your enthusiasm reo, and I recognize that you have legitimate points. Maybe we should establish some ground rules for the steelhead forum. Like, send a PM if you are going to give specific details on a location???
> 
> And in regards to private property, most of the landowners that I know will not hesitate to kick you out of their backyard. That being said, anyone that you do have legitimate permission from to fish their property should and will continue to let you fish there. Most private property that I do have permission to fish does have a few trespassers, but the landowner likes the fact that I'm out there, pushing any stragglers off their property.


Jim I could not agree more with the first part and it applies even more to the second part. When bad apples start piling into a private area and do what bad apples do, that is when it gets ruined for those who have permission.


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

MuskieJim - what have you done? Now there's two more fisherman out there and there going to tell their friends and before you know it that spot will be wall-to-wall. What were you thinking? 

Seriously, thanks for taking the time to help out a couple of fisherman. May your good deed get rewarded. The world could use more people like you.

Snakecharmer


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## corndawg (Oct 24, 2007)

First off, good karma paying it forward MJ. Defiantly a class act.
Secondly, Reo hit the nail on the head and I agree with everything he pointed out.


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

your story is yet another fine example of what this site is all about.

and as for those rules,here they are.they apply equally to all forums,which is much simpler than setting rules for each individual forum,which is not an option.
if everyone would read and follow them,this forum would be just fine.
http://www.ohiogamefishing.com/community/faq.php


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## 1roofmusky (May 20, 2008)

You guys better cut it out or Jims head won't even fit on the internet! It barely fits in his car now!!!!!!!


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## ryosapien (Jul 5, 2008)

i just thought the thread was about positivity and fish not the politics of internet fishing forums. i guess i imagined that no preaching about "proper fishing etiquette" would pervade a forum about there being too much gab about politics on the forum ............


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## jojopro (Oct 9, 2007)

MuskieJim, kudos to you for helping out the father and son on the water. It's always great to hear of good sportsmen passing on their knowledge to others. That right there is what this Steelhead Talk forum should be about after all...passing on knowledge and not bashing others or preaching from a soap box.

Reo, you make very valid points, and by you doing so in a non-attacking way your points are not lost in the hostility that others have shown in the past. I share your views on choosing not to post specific locations. Granted there are many viewers of this forum who don't really want to go fishing, but rather just want to be spoon fed very specific information so that they may catch a fish without putting any real thought or effort into it...very sad.  Such individuals are totally missing out on the whole point of fishing, and will never really improve their angling skills by depending so heavily on others. I agree 100% that posting on ones success at a very specific location will bring heavy fishing pressure to it. 



loganlure said:


> I was wondering the same thing. I live in Central/ Southeast Ohio, but read every thread and *have kind of gotten a bad taste in my mouth from all the negativity in the Steelhead threads*.
> Thanks for posting a thread that is positive.


It's quite sad but true that this is how this forum often comes across. Only in steelhead related forums do you see so many petty arguments and attacks on members over and over again. There are some very eccentric steelheaders who take themselves and the sport way too seriously. I understand the obsession, God knows I'm stricken with it, but we must remember that there are more important things in life, such as being good to your fellow man. If more people cared about the rest of humanity even half as much as such fanatics care for steelhead, we'd live in a much better world. 

John


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## Patricio (Feb 2, 2007)

Message deleted


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## loganlure (Aug 15, 2008)

Patricio said:


> I prefer the bashing. it's a lot funner. maybe people shouldn't lie about their photoshopped fish or claim that a dead salmon attacked their spoon.
> 
> reo hit it on the head. dead on. its happened to us, some idiot hotspots a place then the next day there is 5 times as many people there.


That's it... I am ignoring all steelhead threads from this point on.


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

> I prefer the bashing. it's a lot funner. maybe people shouldn't lie about their photoshopped fish or claim that a dead salmon attacked their spoon.


and i prefer anyone with that mindset have their fun somewhere other than this site,because that's the fastest way to the exit.


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## kruggy1 (Feb 6, 2008)

misfit said:


> and i prefer anyone with that mindset have their fun somewhere other than this site,because that's the fastest way to the exit.


 HEARD THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

if anyone wants to learn or asks me questions I will help them anyway I can. don't know if I will point um to my secret holes but I wouldn't mind showing um a thing or 2 about fly fishing or what flys to use.


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## One Legged Josh (Jan 27, 2008)

Musky Jim, Right on brother keep up the good work!

Just a reminder to everyone what YOU agreed to when you signed here. Keep it up with the fish reports and tips some of us that dont know it all yet are learning every time we log on. THANKS FOR THE HELP!....olj

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## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

put it this way. if noone helped people on fishing forums then I wouldn't know jack about flyfishing. thank you to all the people who helped me out.


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## 1roofmusky (May 20, 2008)

I am sorry if anyone mistook my earlier comment to Jim as an insult. He and I have been fishing together for years and regularly bust each others chops. We actually fished all night on one of my boats from mon 11pm-tues 2pm. Sorry for the confusion everyone. I guess I take for granted that he and I know each other so well and you guys only have cyber relationship with him. -Gabe


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