# Why can't I catch anything?



## johnati234 (Nov 21, 2006)

So I went out searching for steelhead today and it didnt go well. For some reason whenever I moved from where I was fishing, someone would go right behind me, catch one or two and leave. I dont quite understand what im doing wrong? I am fly fishing with a floating line and I was using wooly buggers and sucker spawns. If anyone would like to give me a few tips and tricks on what I may be doing wrong, I would greatly appreciate it. And if not, thats ok to. But I just cant take seeing people catch fish and me never get anything!! Thank for the help!


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## Danwalleyeguy (Feb 1, 2008)

Your presentation is probably off. Its not your fly choice because they will hit anything if it comes across them correctly. Work on your mends and shot placement. :S


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## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

I feel ya man! I just can't land one yet either. have used same things you mentioned. I have never even seen one to cast to tho so I am fishing blind everytime. I haven't fished for a month or so as the river is froze now. I am hoping for the spring to finally give me a steelie! don't feel bad tho. you are not alone.


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## joewallguy (Jan 18, 2008)

how long have you been at it? 
Everyone puts there time in man. There is a hard felt learning period.
I went threw it. It hurt. Bad at times. Real bad. I was about fed up when?
I started to get a few. Then it turned into cosistant succsuss.People helped me out alot.

Learn and read ALL YOU CAN. Fish ALOT. Ask ALOT of questions and be Nosey. 

I feel your pain.....dont give up, try harder


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## joewallguy (Jan 18, 2008)

Dont worry, once you figure out how to present it, it will seem like you forgot how to set the hook.

Took me 2 outings worth of missed takers to land fish


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## johnati234 (Nov 21, 2006)

This is only my second year fishing for steelhead. So I guess I need to put in some more time before I finally get one. I try to go at least three times a week seeing as though I live in Wooster during the week. So I get out on the weekends. But hopefully this season, Ill at least get one. Thanks for the replies, it makes me want to keep at it.


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## jojopro (Oct 9, 2007)

Don't fret man! These fish can be quite a tuff nut to crack, plus with the very cold water we have right now they can be especially hard to catch. Generally, the colder the water is, the less they will move to strike an offering...(you basically have to hit them in the nose with your fly/bait to get a bite this time of year). I have found that the key is to present your offering down in the strike zone with as natural a drift as possible. I'm not sure how you feel about fishing with bait, (being a fly fisherman), but often times baits will outfish flies due to the added advantage of scent to trigger a strike. I fished the Rocky today and it was a little muddy, but I still had good success fishing with spawn sacs, whereas I doubt that flies would have been as successful. I have never fished with a fly rod, I have only used spin casting, and now centerpinning for steel. The past few years I had made a few attempts to catch steelhead with no luck, but this season I have gone after them hard and have done my homework on how to catch these fish and it has been paying off. I owe much of the success I have had to the knowledge gained from this site, the steelhead seminar put on by Sea Grant, Craig at Erie Outfitters, more experienced anglers I've met on the water, and other web sites such as; http://www.flyandfloatfishing.com/ http://www.questoutdoors.net/ http://steelheadsite.com/ http://www.ohiodnr.com/Home/Fishing...hingfairportsteelhead/tabid/6166/Default.aspx. The key is to not lose hope and enjoy your time out on the water no matter what...do your homework and put in the time and YOU WILL CATCH FISH. Good Luck!


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## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

maybe this time of year just gos to the bait guys? I might have to try next year a couple times when its too cold to bait cast for steelies. its not that I frown on bait cast its just that I got some kind of unexplained love for the fly rod. damn me! oh well I am stubborn also. I could just do what you guys do and have 50 steelies by now or I can just be a stubborn moron and cast yarn at um over and over with no sucess even tho I have a great time out there no matter but I won't lie I have been disgusted with myself when I watch the bait guys reel um in while I watch my yarn spawn freeze into a sucker popscicle with no bites... I know in the spring when its clear that fly fishing will work for sure. this muddy high water I am not seeing it happen tho. maybe I should expand my rod collection with a couple spin cast rods. man let me try to explain that to my buddies lol.


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## joewallguy (Jan 18, 2008)

I too am a float fisherman.
However I have friends that are skilled fly fisherman and can hang with the best of them most days. (very murky and high being an exception) 
And even out fish bait chuckers on days.


Those are all very good web sites that have also helped and continue to help me. Do you have any battle hardend fly flinging friends that you can fish with?
I think being on the water fishing together with someone that is helping you is the best way to learn. Some people dont want to just hand away years of hard earned, painstaking knowledge that they had to learn for themselfs. 

Then there are alot of people who love to help newbes out because they know the kind of joys that lye ahead. Good luck man.


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## Patricio (Feb 2, 2007)

things are tough for us flyguys right now. as someone stated, the fish are cold and dont like to move much. many people switch to spinning gear and drift sacs when the water starts freezing. I only managed two today, meanwhile a guy who I usually meet up with on our regular stream did quite well now that he's made the switch.


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## Patricio (Feb 2, 2007)

Fishaholic69 said:


> or I can just be a stubborn moron and cast yarn at um over and over with no sucess even tho I have a great time out there no matter


Henry David Thoreau: Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after.

John Voelke: from anatomy of a fisherman

Trout Fisherman, like Gaul, may be divided into three parts; those who fish mainly to get fish; those who fish mainly to get away; and those who fish because they love the act of fishing and love to be where trout are found. This fisherman counts himself among the last breed, where I suspect most true trout fisherman belong. For trout, unlike men, will not-indeed cannot-live except where beauty swells, so that any man who would catch a trout finds himself inevitably surround by beauty; he can't help himself.


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## Duckdude82 (Feb 26, 2007)

when you are drifting flies under an indicator the biggest problem is keeping that float (indicator) moving the same speed as the current. this is THE MOST important element of drifting anything for steelhead. can you catch fish if you have drag on your float/indicator? sure but you will catch a whole lot more if you can effectively match the current speed. there is really no need to fish anything other than egg patterns and buggers. work on your mending technics and concentrate on keeping that indicator moving the same speed as the current and you will see an improvement in your catch. 

as for cold water fly fishing and fish activity, i don't feel that the cold water makes it much harder to get them on the fly. it is however a whole lot colder on the fingers!


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## ying6 (Apr 21, 2004)

This is just another thought, as I have been reading all of these good tips. With it being so cold most of the time the fish hold in deeper water closer to the bottom. I have fished with a lot of fly guys but the main thing is we don't normally fish the same area of the hole. tailouts and shallower runs seem to be better for those guys, I can almost guarantee that the difference between you and the other guy is 1, how your fly is running and 2 the depth that it is running.
The biggest thing you have to get over is that there aren't fish there...because if you are fishing a high percentage spot. they are. You just have to take the time to change your depths and (as someone above stated) mend your line correctly. 
THE FISH ARE THERE, ALWAYS.


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## ngski (Aug 16, 2005)

Another tip, colder the water, denser the water gets. So you'll need to add an extra weight to get the fly down to the depth they are at. If your using 3 shots maybe got to 4 or 5. Plus look how the rig looks like to the fish. Suggest you take a look at tips and tricks under steelheadquarters.com website, see if how you rigged up your fly properly

http://www.steelheadquarters.com/tips_and_tricks.htm


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## buckeye6 (Jun 17, 2005)

there are also great steelhead clubs out there.i belong to ocbs,and they have meetings that you can learn alot,on river seminars,conclaves, alot of members that are willing to help out.its 25 bucks for a year. they have 2 seminars a yr. 4 hrs each time with very qualfied steelheaders.some work as guides,and thats a total of 25 for a year. some of the members that really help,and teach are guys and ladies like...jeff liskay,kelly riesen,phil hillman,mike duralack,jerry darkes,and many more. the pres is joe m. great guy. everyone is so willing to help. there is a guide monty casey,after a seminar,he took me out to fish and teach me more,he didn't have to,but he did. they do for free,and to educate. i also heard fff has seminars. any questions pm me.


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