# Frustrated



## brodg (Sep 6, 2010)

I've learned a lot about fly techniques, spent a lot of time on the water. I've looked in the Atlas and Google earth and explored. Still I'm 1 for 4 on the season! Where the ____ are the fish? Just venting..... Seriously though anyone wana go fishing sometime with a fly guy on his first steelhead season and tell me what I'm doing wrong?


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## ShutUpNFish (Apr 17, 2007)

Either hire a guide or keep trying....Nothing comes easy at first - Oh wait, thats right it the internet age. Well....Oh nevermind!


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## steelheader007 (Apr 8, 2004)

check your pm's bud!


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## Bjlampe8 (Mar 25, 2010)

First season on the fly is rough. Are you fishing under an indicator or swinging flies? Like any other technique your presentation is critical. There are several variables that may alter your setup like water clarity, flow, depth etc. With time you will learn that its a process of elimination from fly pattern/color to split shots/depth until you determine what is working that particular day. Send me a PM next time you make it out and ill try to meet you up to go over your setup. Good luck


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

coming from someone who has guided hundreds of folks on fly casting, I can tell you the number 1 trick to success in moving water is mending....( IE getting a drag free drift) proper mending is the key to good presentations and no matter how good you think you are, if your not catching fish then Id say to just keep working on it. Watch others on the stream and try to go with some folks. Youll never get it by reading or watching Utube, it has to be learnt by feel and each rod and reel has a different setup and feel to them, it takes many years to truly master the art of good presentations and I am sure everyone on here will agree, do not underestimate how important presentation is. In flyfishing it is 99% of the equation. Stay at it and each fish will bring more and more confidence. 

Salmonid


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## steelheader007 (Apr 8, 2004)

All great tips, but if you are fishing a hole that has no fish its not going to matter how much of a great caster you are, how you can mend your backing, or how great you are at reading water! First you have to find the fish and understand the principles of trout fishing! Remember these are trout and half the battle is just finding them! Do not make this hard on your self!


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## WhoolyBugger (Aug 25, 2008)

Bro,

1-4 is nothing to be ashamed of. It took many of us a couple seasons just to hook up. Keep at it man.


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## fredg53 (Sep 17, 2010)

WhoolyBugger said:


> Bro,
> 
> 1-4 is nothing to be ashamed of. It took many of us a couple seasons just to hook up. Keep at it man.


Right on dont get frustrated I am new to this compared to the others only my third year. My first year I only caught three all year and they were blind luck on spoons and I fished a LOT I mean a LOT. last year my second year I studied a bit and listened really listened to those who know what they are doing and the fall was decent and I had a great spring. So far this fall i have caught more than I did in the last two combined although I just bougt that darn center pin soo just learned how to cast it more than five feet behind me soo i will see how that goes. I think the little things that matter become more routine and a habit and you also learn where fish are. I remember standing in the river and guys walking buy me looking at me like an idiot for fishing where i was fishing now I know at least a little not as much as most of these guys on here but a bit more about walking the river and finding good water keep at it


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## dcfisherman (Jul 25, 2008)

1 for 4 is not that bad. I'm 1-1 this season so far.


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## brodg (Sep 6, 2010)

Thanks for the tips guys, and more importantly the encouragement. Thanks also for the PMs and phone numbers, I'll be calling soon. I guess my season could be worse. Its always worth it to walk the river and be immersed in nature even if you don't catch anything.


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## Kableguy (Apr 23, 2009)

Don't get too down on yourself. I have always found fall steelhead flyfishing to be less productive than spring flyfishing. You have already gotten lots of good tips. My only observation that I can add is that 99% of fish that will take your bait are in 1% of the river. If you can find the active fish then you have the hard part behind you. I've had many days where I can't find the fish to save my life, and then get five or six different fish out of one tiny hole that you wouldn't think would hold one fish. Good luck and have fun out there.


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## ReelPower (May 18, 2009)

It took me two years to catch one. Now I've gotten past the numbers game due to satisfaction with the ability to hook 'em. Land 'em, well thats another story.

This is not the easiest of Falls and Fall is typically a more challenging game. Tip: look into the ends of long frog water pools.

But now winter is here and that tip is old news. Fish on bottom in the deep $%^*&^.

Don't worry you are doing well for the first season.


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## Shadowcaster (Nov 20, 2010)

I'll probably be repeating some of the great advice you've received so far but my 2 cents are to accept what you can get in the Fall/Winter and that things will pick up as we head towards Spring. In the as Winter ends and we move into Spring the fish are much easier to find and catch. You'll really learn a lot about where the productive areas are in the Spring and this will help you narrow your fishing spots down in the Fall/Winter times of subsequent years. The fish will hold in different water depending on the season but areas that are most productive in the Spring will be near to productive Fall and Winter waters.
The only other advice I can give is if you've lost 3 of your 4 fish to leader breaks don't be afraid to experiment with a higher test. I've not found steelhead in the Great Lakes to be particularly line shy.
This Fall was particularly hard, things will get easier from here on now that we have got our rain (I hope).


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## Clayton (Oct 7, 2008)

Yeah, seriously don't sweat it  I had 5 fish ohios in the spring all in about ten days of fishing. I'm 0-0 this season so far after several days of fishing both Ohio and Michigan.


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## rbrenner87 (Oct 4, 2010)

Had to make my first post here, ive gotten a ton of information from everyone here just by reading. I feel your pain bro, I consider myself a descent fly fisherman but have been doubting myself quite a bit as of late. This is my first steelhead season and although I have been having a great time on the river I still have yet to catch my first. All I can say is keep pushing and stay positive as it is what I will continue to do.
Good Luck,
Reed


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## ShutUpNFish (Apr 17, 2007)

Seriously, If it takes you 2 seasons to catch 1 steelhead in any of the OH/PA stocked tributaries, there is something seriously wrong. Especially with ALL the spoonfeeding and information there is available on the net in all the forums based on the area and the sport. This is not a cut either, I just think it is a shame you had to go through all that for 2 years without a fish....you either had to be doing something terribly wrong or you wife was dipping your flies in gasoline.


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

My experience with steelhead is very limited, I have made a grand total of 2 fly fishing trips up there for steel, one other trip in which we night fished with spawn sacks. The 2 fall trips both resulted in 0 steelhead hooked, not landed, hooked! The one spring trip on the fly this past spring we could only fish for a total of about 2.5 hours because rain brought the water up high and dark in a hurry, and I landed 6 steelhead that morning and lost several more. The difference spring vs fall was night and day. Like I said, I have very limited experience, but from what I have experienced the spring was infinitely easier! That seems to be the consensus here, as well.


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## nforkoutfitters (Jan 25, 2010)

Salmonid said:


> coming from someone who has guided hundreds of folks on fly casting, I can tell you the number 1 trick to success in moving water is mending....( IE getting a drag free drift) proper mending is the key to good presentations and no matter how good you think you are, if your not catching fish then Id say to just keep working on it. Watch others on the stream and try to go with some folks. Youll never get it by reading or watching Utube, it has to be learnt by feel and each rod and reel has a different setup and feel to them, it takes many years to truly master the art of good presentations and I am sure everyone on here will agree, do not underestimate how important presentation is. In flyfishing it is 99% of the equation. Stay at it and each fish will bring more and more confidence.
> 
> Salmonid


Second that! Despite what people say, you can do fine on the fly anytime they are in. #one thing I would say on top of salmonid's post is learn to read water. If you aint in a fishin hole it dont matter much whatcha are doin you WONT catch feesh!


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## ngski (Aug 16, 2005)

One recommendation, after fishing for a season and having simular numbers, fishing with a few fly buds and after reading a couple of books it all made sense by the time spring came around. Two books that helped me out was John Nagy's book and recently I got one last christmas written by Karl Wexler. They pointed out some facts I overlooked which helped me out the following season. One of the points was rigging, and reading the water, where to expect to find fish and presentation.

Don't beat yourself up fall fishing this season was a little tuff all thru Steelhead Alley, even PA having a poor season. My favorite goto stream out east been less then stellar.


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## steelheader007 (Apr 8, 2004)

..dont worry folks soon enough spring will be here and you can rake all the gravel you can find!...all the great fly fisherman will come out in droves!


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