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[Taboo]

I have not met Rod (yet  ), but he posted earlier about the frequent "snagger" reference in recent fishing reports.  Admitedly, I have used the reference in some of my reports.  It got me thinking: was I all that different when I first hit the flow?  Was I always on the river with a halo over my head and nothing but a hook in the chops???  Sadly, no.....

So here is my story....for those who care to read on...

I am still a rookie on this site but have been fishing for around 7 years.  I use the term "fishing" loosely as my first few years I was just happy to tag into something..."anything".  This was accomplished by following the lead of those around me and that meant bottom bouncing and learning that it was neccessary to tie 400 hooks the night before in order to keep up with gear lost as a result of snags and the odd fish in anywhere but the mouth that turned tail and made off with aforementioned superbly tied hooks.  We'll call this the early years, almost exclusively on the Vedder.  Allison pools from the cliffs have about 20 pounds of hooks somewhere at the bottom of them all with my name on them!!     In my defense, I never kept fish that were not in the mouth.

Years 3 - 5 had me exploring the river, talking to lots of people, seeing these amazing things called "floats" and leaders that were slightly less than 14 feet.  We'll call this the discovery phase.  This was a cross between being very frustrated with this new found float on my line and lack of fish that I was used to "tagging".  But the scenery was beautiful!  The odd time in this phase I admitedly resorted back to my bottom bouncing ways....you just want that "fish on" thing so you can go home and tell your fish stories.   

Enter the Yoda phase - last year to present.  You're telling me I can fish for a whole day, lose little or no gear, have a fish actually "hit" (know what a hit is versus bottom), play this fish with relatively light leader and land this thing?  You're out of your mind!!!  Alas, dear FWR members it's true...I had the epiphony.  It took running into someone who gave me the gears, who instead of merely beaking off about what I was doing wrong suggested to try "this, that and the other"...who showed me the difference between a take and everything else.  I finally understood.  This lead to exploring new rivers, less crowded areas.  Wow.  This was cool.  This fishing thing and the whole ethics of it, the whole fact that a fish would willingly take my offering....WOW!!

Enter FWR, I read, I try to contribute, I accuse those "snaggers" of being unethical.  Yet I am a hypocrite.  Some snaggers will never amount to more than that.  Then there are those like me who were ignorant, oblivious and/or just needed to see the way.  I say all this in an effort to encourage people on the rivers to speak up.  Most of us "snaggers" want to be taught not yelled at.  There are those who who are clearly not like that, the one's that I get on about who wear polarized lenses and might as well bring a sideways turned shopping cart to fish.  But then there are those who are stacked elbow to elbow in the spots they know that are like I once was.  Should "we" all be called in and reported?  Maybe.  Maybe not.  Talk to us.  Maybe you were there too at one time.  I am not taking away the need to regulate the rivers, far from it, I am just trying to add some commentary for what I know is a lot of people out there who are rookies and not out there bonking fish illegally.

FLAME ON!   

[GoldHammeredCroc]

No need to flame from my point of view.  Well-written and welcome to the "next" level I guess you can call it.  I know what you are talking about too and while I never really had the chance to fish rivers when I first started (fished lakes), I gradually shortened my offering and have been loving the method called "short-floating".  Rodney has an excellent video on this fishing method which all should watch.  I may not always hook fish, which is ok, but when that float goes down, its pretty much a solid mouth take by a fish and that is a huge rush.  Amazing when you find a school of salmon that are willing to remove the roe from your hook, and the excitement builds as you have to rebait and get that offering out there again ASAP.   

[allwaysfishin]

an excellent read and I think it's pretty cool you took the time to post that up. 

[Taboo]

Thanks for your comments.  I considererd joining a 12 step program before actually hitting the "Post" button. 

I've obviously hit a chord as I've received a few e-mails from people too. 

Anyways, likely be back on the river before the week is out.  I just reloaded with bouncing betty's and 5/0 hooks.  Should be good to go!!   

[Pat AV]

I started fishing rivers at 13 and by the time I was in my late teens was quite adept at filling up my mom's freezer. By any means including participating in the Fraser River sockeye harvest. Also including fishing a little piece of peach wool under a float on 3-4 feet of leader. I had fun caught thousands of fish and learned how to read water etc.

Now that I am in my early 30's I have moved away from gear fishing and do 80 percent of my fishing with the fly rod. It is just a natural progression to move to more challenging and rewarding methods. Funny how my freezer is never quite as full as it used to be though.........

Tight lines

Pat

[bbronswyk2000]

I started fishing rivers at 13 and by the time I was in my late teens was quite adept at filling up my mom's freezer. By any means including participating in the Fraser River sockeye harvest. Also including fishing a little piece of peach wool under a float on 3-4 feet of leader. I had fun caught thousands of fish and learned how to read water etc.

Now that I am in my early 30's I have moved away from gear fishing and do 80 percent of my fishing with the fly rod. It is just a natural progression to move to more challenging and rewarding methods. Funny how my freezer is never quite as full as it used to be though.........

Tight lines

Pat

You are very similiar to myself. I have been fishing all my life as I grew up in a family that loved the outdoors. It was always gear. On rivers, lakes, ocean it didnt matter it was always gear. My dad picked up a fly rod when I was in my teens. He got me one as well. All we did was troll the fly behind the boat on lakes and didnt do much casting. I still enjoyed it though.

Now as I am in my early thirties I flyfish about 90% of the time. Like Pat I dont fill the freezer like I used to but its for two reasons. One, I probably catch less salmon, and two I C&R most of the time. I catch a ton more trout on the fly than I ever did using gear. I dont keep trout anymore and only keep enough salmon for smoking for the xmas holidays.

[Pat AV]

I hear you BB2000 it is a good feeling to not care about filling the freezer any more although I really miss the BBQed sockeye.

I would be 100% fly but winter steelhead season is very long and I still enjoy walking my old favorites with the trusty 3106 at that time of year.