# east sidem small stream, shale bottom.



## Patricio (Feb 2, 2007)

hooked 3, landed two. the one I lost was huge. it swam around the pool, made a jump, then went to the bottom and was unwilling to budge. I could feel him moving, but could get him to really do anything. sadly, it not only would have been my largest of the season, but picture worthy. I've never had a steelhead just sit there n the bottom. 

anyhow, a little hint: when fishing small streams, ESPECIALLY shale bottoms on a bright sunny day, the fish wont be where you think they would. they tend to avoid the center of holes and stikh to either hiding near rocks, or along the shelving. even under the shale if that get a chance. and they barely move at all. even to go after a passing fly. I was the only one there who caught fish. not that I mind. I'm not really competitive or anything. but I do occasionally like outfishing the guys who look like they just stepped out of an ad.

in the pic below, its probably hard to see, but the arrows are pointing to several fish that were holding up under this rock. this pic is from a couple of years ago. I remember going upstream, and trying to drift a fly under that rock to see if one would take. I dont think I succeeded.


----------



## FISHIN216 (Mar 18, 2009)

I know how you feel that happened to my twice a couple weeks ago..horrible when you cant move them but can feel them. Is'nt it great being that guy when fishing a crowded area. I feel what you are saying about the guys who just came out of ads too LOL


----------



## salmon king (Aug 20, 2008)

I also fished a east side creek this morning got one steelie


----------



## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

FISHIN216 said:


> I know how you feel that happened to my twice a couple weeks ago..horrible when you cant move them but can feel them. Is'nt it great being that guy when fishing a crowded area. I feel what you are saying about the guys who just came out of ads too LOL



everytime I hooked a steelie and couldn't budge it from the bottom it was always foul hooked. If you get um in the mouth then you can feel them shaking their heads and all that stuff and should be able to land um.


----------



## Patricio (Feb 2, 2007)

Fishaholic69 said:


> everytime I hooked a steelie and couldn't budge it from the bottom it was always foul hooked. If you get um in the mouth then you can feel them shaking their heads and all that stuff and should be able to land um.


thats what I was thinking. but it looked like it was legit from what I could tell. still...I'm not certain it wasnt.


----------



## Lima Eyecatcher (Aug 13, 2008)

I had one hooked last year in the mouth on the bottom hook. After fighting it a few minutes all of the sudden I couldnt make any ground. It felt like it grew 5 lbs. After 10 minutes I finally netted it and found my second fly 6 inches up the line hooked it in the back. What a fight. The 2 lber felt like a 10.


----------



## ParmaBass (Apr 11, 2004)

Boy, those arrows are hard to see


----------



## BigDaddy300 (Nov 1, 2004)

ParmaBass said:


> Boy, those arrows are hard to see


They are right there next to the fish!


----------



## BaddFish (Jun 20, 2009)

nice post patricio... sorry about that fish! it would of been nice to see.
last year I had one like that were I couldn't budge him from the bottom. I had him hooked in the mouth for sure. We played tug o war for awhile and then my knot at the fly gave way. later I watched a couple other guys that positioned themselves up the river from the fish and bent their rod at a 2-3 o'clock position- they yanked those fish right out of that water column in no time... ? they were fly guys too?????


----------

