Walnut Creek Pictures & Fishing Report from Week of 10/20/13

 

Rain has changed conditions daily with off color and high water it is a matter of good timing! Fish are very active when the water is higher than normal and slightly off color. Saw fish caught on all types of bait – Jigs, Spawn, Wax Worms, Spoons, Spinners, Insect Flies, etc… Great time to be out! But watch for the crowds because they are out there!

Treatment of Snagged Fish in Streams

 

If you have spent more than one day on a salmon or steelhead river chances are that you have illegally hooked a fish. I know that I have done it numerous times, but watching a person on the Rogue River in Rockford, Mi catch, fight, and land a snagged king salmon brought several questions to mind about the treatment of snagged fish.

Most states DNR indicate a fish not hooked in the mouth must be returned to the stream immediately and can not be kept under any circumstances.

Now some river are easier to tell if you have snagged a fish than others, but my question is “Should you play out a knowingly snagged fish?”

When fish are hooked they begin excreting hormones that allow them to try to get away from their capturer. To avoid making this post overly scientific I will avoid the big terms that really have no place in general reading. As these hormones build up in the fish they require a longer time to recover. Consider it similar to a human sprinting and jumping for a few minutes! After that we are tired and sore and need sometime to recover.

Now fish are built to run and jump for long distances, especially during their spawning time, so compare them to professional athletes, but even they need a break once in a while!

So once you know that you have a fouled hooked fish on your line should you play them out and land them knowing that you are placing the fish in an unnecessary position where they could end up dying and no one is legally allowed to keep them? Or should you break off the line to prevent them from the added stress and tie on an new set-up and go on your way?

This is something I have struggled with for a long time and I have come to the following conclusion:

If you snag a fish when it would be easy to land them and remove the look without added stress on the fish I beliece that you should, especially in shallow streams that receive a lot of fishing pressure. The last thign that we want is another angler catching the same fish and getting your hook in their hand!

However, if the stream is large and it will take a significant amount of time to land the fish and the angling pressure is not too bad – or the stream is large enough to where the chances of another angler catching the same fish is minor – I believe that it should be broken off and ensure the fish will live to fight again.

Please leave your comments as this is a topic that comes up quite frequently in DNR meetings, fish biology research, and other applicable platforms and I would like different anglers points of view on this extremely important topic.

Thank you in advance!

J.Crane Flies & Tackle Staff

Salmon River NY Flies - Bring Biology to Your Fly Box! Catch More Fish!

 

Light Skeen Ball - $2.50 - $3.75

 

Nymph $2.50 USD Streamer $3.75 USD

 

Skeen Dream - $1.25

 

Color

White Roe Pink Lt. Orange Dr. Orange

 

 

ULTIMATE Egg-Headed Wax Worm w/ Krystal Tail - $2.00

 

Krystal Scrambled Egg - $2.00

 

Spawn Color

White Egg Roe Peach Yellow Lt. Pink Bright Pink UV Glow Pink Flor. Green Peachy King (Pink/Yellow)

 

Egg Hungry Nymph - $3.00

 

Spawn Color

White Egg Roe Peach Yellow Lt. Pink Bright Pink UV Glow Pink Flor. Green Peachy King (Pink/Yellow)

 

J.C. Irresistible Krystal Bug - $1.50

   

Michigan Krystal Dream Fly - $1.75

 

Krystal Accent Color

White Roe Pink Lt. Orange Dr. Orange

Spawn Body Color

White Green Lt. Pink Dark Pink

ULTIMATE Sucker Spawn - $2.25

 

Spawn Color

White Egg Roe Peach Yellow Lt. Pink Bright Pink UV Glow Pink Flor. Green

Salmon Slammer - $2.50

 

Salmon River NY Flies & Tackle - Ready Made Spawn & Skeen Leaders

Ready to go leader!

 

 

 

 

When the day comes that you are able to get out on the stream you do not want to be held up because you all are making new leaders for your fishing adventure. Whether it’s a day trip to a local stream or a weekend away with family and friends to a long awaited fishing opportunity your terminal tackle should be the least of your concerns! Our leaders are designed specifically for steelhead and salmon fishing. We utilize extra sharp hooks from companies such as VMC, Mustad, and more. Each leader is tied with a 7 foot long piece of florocarbon to make your presentation looked as natural as possible with almost 100% of the line disappearing once in the water! we offer line weights in 4, 8, 12, & 17 pounds test. If you’re circumstances require you to utilize a heavier line please contact us and we will be able to accommodate you.     Hook come in sizes 2,4, & 8. the larger hooks provide a more secure hook up for salmon, while the smaller hook allows even the spookiest fish to grab hold.   Each piece of monofilament is connected to the hook utilizing an “Egg Loop Knot.” This knot is designed to specifically allow an angler to place their bait on the top of each hook without placing anything on the hook itself to interfere with setting the hook on your next wall hanger! Currently we offer leaders in three different quantities: - Single - Dozen - 2 Dozen Single Leader- $1.75    Hook Size

2 4 8

Leader Strength

4 lb 8 lb 12 ib 17 lb

 

 

1 Dozen - $15.00

Hook Size

2 4 8 Assortment Size 2 & 4 Assortment Size 2,4, & 8

Leader Strength

4 lb 8 lb 12 ib 17 lb

2 Dozen - $27.00

Hook Size

2 4 8 Assortment Size 2 & 4 Assortment Size 2,4, & 8

Leader Strength

4 lb 8 lb 12 ib 17 lb Assortment of 4 & 8 lb Assortment of 12 & 17 lb

Steelhead Alley Fishing Report - Walnut & Elk Creek Erie, PA

This week saw a medium-sized push of fresh fish into the tributaries around Erie, PA. Listed below are pictures from elk and walnut creek. These pictures were taken early this week and documents just how low the creek levels are and the extreme clarity of the water.

Fish were being taken from the pier along the east bank of the Walnut Creek channel by people using spinners , power bait, and spawned sacks. 

Fish in the streams were available for the taking, however it was imperative that you found a time when the fish were not completely spooked . at some points during this week even fish in larger holes would spook with the drop of a split shot into the water .

Anglers were hooking into fish with both live bait , spawn , and flies. minnows seem to be the bait of choice for live bait anglers , while small spawn sacks with a single BB split shot under a float seem to do the trick. fly fishermen were utilizing a combination of streamers, nymphs, and egg/spawn imitations.

From talking with a number of successful anglers it is clear that the following patterns for flies emerged over and over. (pictures listed below)

The rain this week may bring the creek levels up , however I do not expect a significant change in fishing conditions until the water level increases and a new run of fish enter the stream.



Tight Lines - Until Next Time,



J.Crane Flies & Tackle


REMEMBER: always respect land owner property and signs. pick up any garbage that others left behind and leave only footprints behind.








Elk Creek Just Up From Mouth - Week of 10-14-13
 



Mouth of Walnut Creek - Week of 10-14-13

Just Above Stop Sign Hole at Walnut Creek

Stop Sign Hole







 

NOTE ON PICTURE USE:
You may use these pictures that were taken by J.Crane Fly & Tackle Staff for any non-commercial work. We own the right to all pictures placed on this blog and allow their use for educational, news, or other work that is for the greater good of the public AS LONG AS J.Crane Flies & Tackle receives credit for the photos.

ULTIMATE Sucker Spawn - Essential Salmon & Steelhead Flybox Series

The ULTIMATE Every Situation Sucker Spawn

 

 

This sucker spawn is tied to exactly replicate a chunk of skeen floating down the river that has been broken off from the nest and already ferteralized. This piece is especially powerful for BROWN TROUT sitting at the back end of beds collecting eggs! It also works magic for steelhead in rivers where the Salmon come uo and spawn before the Steelhead do!

 

Available in a number of different colors.

$2.25

White Spawn When Wet w/o Skeen Covering



Red Spawn with Skeen Covering when Wet

Spawn Color

White Egg Roe Peach Yellow Lt. Pink Bright Pink UV Glow Pink Flor. Green

Krystal Skeen Dart - Salmon & Steelhead Flybox Series Part 1

A J.Crane Flies Staple Fly - Part of the Salmon & Steelhead Fly Box Series

 

A MUST HAVE for any trout, salmon, or steelhead fisherman fishing larger water with deep pools and a good mix of baitfish, insects, and fre-flowing spawn and eggs!

Available in a number of different body colors and tied on a size 12 streamer hook.

$2.25

Body Color

White Bright Pink Egg Blood Red UV Glow Pink UV Glow Lt. Pink Roe Steelhead Orange Salmon Egg

How Strategic Scientific Research on Stream, River, and Fish Behavior Creates an Optimal Fishing Experience for Salmon & Steelhead Anglers



Michigan's Grand River's 6th Street Dam in Winter after a Thaw

-          Each river ecosystem presents a unique set of variable that must be accounted for in order for an angler to place themselves in an optimal position for success during every outing. Just like market research is undertaken when a company considers launching a new product or service research on a stream provides the same information on how to position yourself in the marketplace.

-          Most angles do not take biology into consideration when heading out on a stream to fish, however it should be the first thing to consider before any fly, lure, or tackle is placed in the water.

-          Just like a young child that asks “why” about everything – an informed angler must do the same thing! Some examples of typical “Why” questions include:

o   Why am I fishing this particular spot?

o   Why did I place this bait on my line?

Winter Male Michigan Steelhead From the Rogue River

o   Why are the fish positioned where they are?

o   Why are other fisherman using what they are?

o   Why are the fish eating what they are eating?

-          These are just a few of the large number of variables that a fishery researcher will consider. In addition, the river itself holds many questions, such as:

o   What is the river made out of?

o   What is the primary fish in the river?

o   When do fish come into the river?

o   What is the natural reproduction rate for certain types of fish in this river.

o   How far do fish travel in this river?

o   How long do the fish stay in the river?

o   What is the geographic makeup of the surrounding area?

o   What do fish feed on during their spawning run?

o   What type of insects are present in the stream?

-          The answer to these questions are all combined to make up a strategic fishing plan for the river. Strategy is a concept that is often used in the business world to describe a set of steps a company will undertake to achieve a goal – often called strategic planning. The same concept is essential for success in a Steelhead or Salmon outing. As the cliche says goes, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”

-          Too many anglers just show up to a stream, place a bait on their line, and off they go to begin fishing, however if you don’t want to place your time, energy, and success on the water in jeopardy it’s time to become more scientific in your approach.

-          In the next article we will discuss the use of each of these research questions and how they specifically impact angler success.

Tight Lines!

J.Crane