# A Straight-forward Report with a Pic 3/12/10



## Fishslayer5789 (Mar 1, 2007)

Fished a SW michigan river this morning. It was cloudy with fog. River was very high. Bounced chartreuse bags with 6 lb flourocarbon leader and a 1/2 oz pencil sinker. Hooked 4 fish. Landed one and lost one at the net. I had a lot of fun. Then I went to class. Here's a picture of the one I landed.


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## jrv (Nov 11, 2008)

Good lookin fish! By the pic it looks like you still had some bank to fish from. No more rain for at least a week please.


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## Fishslayer5789 (Mar 1, 2007)

Yeah, the river was up a bunch. There wasn't a whole lot of walking room on any of the banks. In another week, especially if it rains, its going to get pretty difficult for walking around.


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## monoman (Nov 18, 2009)

on days when rivers are low any reports of spawning yet?


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## Fishslayer5789 (Mar 1, 2007)

About a month from now. But why would someone ever want to fish for steelhead on gravel? Sounds a little fishy to me...:16suspect


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## big_phish (Jan 1, 2009)

Fishslayer5789 said:


> Fished a SW michigan river this morning. It was cloudy with fog. River was very high. Bounced chartreuse bags with 6 lb flourocarbon leader and a 1/2 oz pencil sinker. Hooked 4 fish. Landed one and lost one at the net. I had a lot of fun. Then I went to class. Here's a picture of the one I landed.


Yep, that's pretty straight forward to me.


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## Stealheadslayer (Dec 28, 2009)

Fishslayer5789 said:


> About a month from now. But why would someone ever want to fish for steelhead on gravel? Sounds a little fishy to me...:16suspect


 Unless the gravel is deep on a big river. Those fish get fiesty! Deep gravel on the Mighty Muskegon...thats pretty hard to beat!


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## Fishslayer5789 (Mar 1, 2007)

Stealheadslayer said:


> Unless the gravel is deep on a big river. Those fish get fiesty! Deep gravel on the Mighty Muskegon...thats pretty hard to beat!


 
The mo was rippin' today. It was a flooded river of chocolate milk. I agree with the deep gravel thing. Those fish seem to keep actively feeding as well. The thing that irritates me is watching some yahoo fishing for a steelhead on gravel in 2 ft of water and expecting that fish to be feeding.....in most cases, it would formally be called "flossing".


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## lunker69 (Oct 20, 2007)

It is my understanding that once the steelhead start their spawning run, they are no longer actively feeding. I think that they will eat, but quite minimally. Just because they hit a spawn bag doesn't mean that they're trying to digest it for nutritional value. I think a lot of time they're just instinctively biting, because that's what they're programmed to do. Getting competiton off of 'their redd' is a big part of it as well. 

And YES -- Spawning fish will still aggressively take lures/flies in shallow water. You can absolutely catch fish off of gravel in a foot of water without flossing them. Conversely, flossing can still occur in deeper water as well. Just because they're 4 feet down in a faster run, doesn't mean that your fly was taken on purpose -- especially if it's on the outside of the mouth!


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## TorontoTom (Mar 5, 2010)

Are those zebra mussel shells on the ground?


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## johnnie555 (Jan 25, 2005)

Great more lectures about people fishing gravel.. I guess its getting to be that time of year.. Listen up people.. everyone has a right to fish where ever they want on any river system, whether that be in a deep run, pool, deep gravel bed or small gravel bed. I fish em all and yeah I even fish the shallow gravel beds, and have caught PLENTY of fish off them as well... Just because ya fish em on a shalled red, doesnt mean your snagging but stuff like that does occur from time to time.. I'd prefer to fish a nice stacked pool, but I will take whatever I'm given.. Just respect others rights and oppinions, if thats their thing then let it be.. Just get sick and tired about people whining about people fishing gravel!


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

If someone catches, and keeps a fish that was in a deep hole, that fish will never make it to gravel to spawn. What is the difference between catching it in a deep hole, or on gravel, from the fish's perspective? I don't see any. A caught fish is a caught fish.


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## Big Brown (Sep 18, 2007)

AMEN


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## thousandcasts (Jan 22, 2002)

Fishndude said:


> If someone catches, and keeps a fish that was in a deep hole, that fish will never make it to gravel to spawn. What is the difference between catching it in a deep hole, or on gravel, from the fish's perspective? I don't see any. A caught fish is a caught fish.


I can tell you that there's one fish today that's not very happy. 

He went from this at noon: 










To this just a little while ago: 










Now for dessert...

:evilsmile

Report: Sloooooooooooooooooooooow. Water's still up and dirty and there are not a lot of fish around yet...


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## Fishslayer5789 (Mar 1, 2007)

Nice fish TC. Looks like the water's still chocolately like it was this weekend. Were you bouncing? What color bags? PM if you want.


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## wintrrun (Jun 11, 2008)

Wtg!!!


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## wdf73 (Sep 14, 2009)

Oh boy; now you guys have done it! I all but promised the wife that I would not go fishing for a while, but after seeing those pictures my steelhead outfit is whining for me to take it out!
I agree with the thought that fish on shallow redds will bite; they are finicky and you can't have a lot of company close by, but they will strike a lot of different baits. In fact, I believe I have only ever landed 1 foul hooked steelhead; try that with salmon! Of course if the truth be known, I have landed somewhat less than a thousand fair hooked steelhead also.:evil:


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## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

Fishslayer5789 said:


> The mo was rippin' today. It was a flooded river of chocolate milk. I agree with the deep gravel thing. Those fish seem to keep actively feeding as well. The thing that irritates me is watching some yahoo fishing for a steelhead on gravel in 2 ft of water and expecting that fish to be feeding.....in most cases, it would formally be called "flossing".


They will feed. The problem is that most don't give them the chance.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Big Brown (Sep 18, 2007)

put anything obnoxious in the vicinity while they are doin it and they will crush it:evilsmile :evil:


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## thousandcasts (Jan 22, 2002)

Big Brown said:


> put anything obnoxious in the vicinity while they are doin it and they will crush it:evilsmile :evil:


Goes without saying. I mean, you put a pizza in front of me while I'm doing it and I'm gonna crush it.


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