Available Fishing Guide:
Website: Darrell & Dads Family Guide Service
My report today will come in three parts, a fishing report, a story, and a little rant. I'll make it clear which section is which so you can target your reading.
Fishing report:
Got up on super early to the Reiter hatchery on the hatchery side. I parked right after 6 and hustled down to the river to get a spot as its been shoulder to shoulder up there recently. I waited till it was light enough to see to throw my bobber out there as I will continue to do until I see one of the guys with a glow in the dark bobber catch a fish. Fifth cast and fish on. Nice bright late summer run buck ~5 lbs. I think I have found the perfect jig pattern. Same one landed a 8 lb winter run hen the day before. He put up a great fight and made three strong runs, two aerial shows but wasn't able to spit the hook.
Story:
At about 10 my buddy and I ran into the McDonalds to get a little breakfast. Since we hadn't done it before and ha heard some good things we decided to test out the Wallace. We had heard that the mud path down to the river was bad but we didn't expect it to be a 6" deep clay slide the whole way down to the river. Once we had slipped and slid out way down there we threw out a few casts and my buddy got snagged. He was pretty shallow so tried to wade out to retrieve his terminal gear. He could see the jig just under water and reached for it but as it was a little too deep the river came over the top of his waders, swamped him and he was in the river. I see a spot a little down stream that looks good but is only accessible from the opposite bank. After carefully wading across the river I walk out onto a gravel bar close to the spot and I hear something rustling in the woods behind me. I turn around right as a grizzly looking dude with shoulder length hair and holes in his clothes you could drive a truck through emerges brandishing a huge machete. I look down river and contemplate if it is swimmable. Thinking I have met my end I decide that contacting him when he is still 30yds away and I have time to make a dash is the best option. Luckily he was just clearing out an old trail and was walking over to ask how the fishing had been. Completely harmless but terrifying.
Now the rant:
If you are going to fish the Reiter hatchery it is going to be crowded. This means two things. Be patient and considerate. If there is a fish landed, do not rush over to 5ft above the guy that hooked it and start casting. Obey the casting order. Wait until the person down stream from you says and then cast above them; this will most likely keep you from getting tangled. If you reel in before him do not cast out again to try to get a quick drift in. Do not let your gear go 200 yds down stream. We all wish that we could have the river to ourselves and work the whole hole but this isn't a reality and you are just going to have to do the best with the little piece of real estate that god has granted you on that day. By the same token. If you are the downstream caster don't cast 100 yards upstream. If you get snagged on the bottom, notify the 2-3 fishers around you (not the whole river) so that they do not tangle on you too, try 3-4 yanks to get off then accept defeat, grab your line, and break off. If you have rigged correctly you should only lose your leader. And finally, when you snag another guys line which will happen, decide if it is coming to him or you, if it is you get the lines apart and notify him that you are free. Most of all just try not to be a jackass because it has an effect on everyone's enjoyment.
That's all
Cheers and tight lines
Available Fishing Guide:
Website: Darrell & Dads Family Guide Service