So... Now that I'm driving... It's time to lay the smackdown on the Applegate... Really can't wait for winters!!!

Don't know much about the holes... Just the Tavern... So if anyone could clue me into where there are some public holes... It would be MUCH appreciated.

Thanks for your time guys,
Greg

I have said it before and I will say it again, fish the tavern stretch as much as you can I guarantee you will hook your first adult steelhead!! Bobber and Jigs, roe, spinners all will produce in that stretch. You can explore down river as well. I cant wait for winters either!

I know... I have hooked plenty of adults... Just not one on float and jig lol.

Someone told me there was a hole up off of Williams Hghway by a tree farm... It might of been you who told me chad... Is it any good?

Where are the pics of the adult steelhead? I thought you would have posted them here! Did you get one this summer? Anyway, the tree farm area was not very good last year and its a lot of work to get back there.

K.


I got it back in January of 2007:


And this one was 16 inches so its considered an adult, Caught september 21st, 2008:


This one was about 17 inches... An adult.. Caught october 11th, 2008:


And there have been a couple more... Landing one in 2003.. The first one between me and my dad since being back in oregon(released). One on the upper rogue during christmas break 2003 too on a yellow corkie and yellow yarn with nightcrawler juice...

Shows how much I remember em when I hardly ever get em.

Its considered a steelhead when its over 20 inches. Those are nice half pounders though. You are going to really be hooked when you get into an adult on the applegate this winter. Forget working you will live on the river!

Actually Chad... If you look at the reg... On the Rogue... 16 inches is an adult...


I was freaking out about the 16 pounder I got.. The first pic... That thing was jumping.. And I was like oh **** stop jumping.. haha

That one you got in 07 on the Chetco is a really nice fish. Those other littln's are cute for sure. Lets see some photos of lots of nice ADULT steelies this winter Greg.........you live right in the middle of Rogue River steelhead heaven. Time to have confidence and start hangin' some nice fish. Im sure you will see me out ther every weekend through mid April. Maybe you will wave back when I wave at you. Fish the jigs hard and have confidence, they LOVE EM!! You see what myself and Chad tie up, they are both so different, and both work so well........make some and fish em' .
I cant wait to see the photos of your success

Finally!!! January 1st has arrived!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Probably going to go one of these next couple days... Its at 1587Cfs now!! Which leads to me only question... What is too high for the gate?

Thank you, happy new year, and hope you all have many tight lines this year!!!!

I like the lower river at around 700 cfs and dropping if I remember right. Two years ago I got a nice native on the 2nd of January on the lower river so there should be a few around on a decent year! I cant wait to fish it again.

So 1300 is high im guessing?!

I just cant wait to fish again. haha Haven't been since November and its been a monkey on my back to get another fish!!!

Greg,

Wouldn't you like to catch your second large steelhead on a jig?? The Applegate is a great place to do that, nice small river. Every fish I have pulled out of the Applegate has been on a jig, great place to learn. You have to fish them with the attitude that every time that float drifts down river, it will go down. Confidence makes you fish better. I know its hard to have confidence when you havent had success with them, but you seem to know enough about them to have some confidence.
Heck, you had enough confidence to write an article called Jig Fishing for Dummies http://www.lunkerhunter.com/Fishing_Articles/Jig_Fishing_For_Steelhead.htm
In your instructional rigging photos, my suggestion would be to actually slide the bobber stop off of the straw after you slide it on your main line. If that is actually the way you are rigging your stops, that is why it is not working . Others reading the article may be misled into thinking that is the correct way too.

Also, a photo of a steelhead at the top of the article would be better than a pair of stripers

There is LOTS of great info on this site, now go out and get em. We all are looking forward (I think) to a photo of your grinning mug holding a nice winter fish with a jig stuck in his mouth!!!!!

That right up is way outta date! hahahahahaha! They wanted to see how to rig up so thats what ended up being put together... hahahaha! I don't even associate with those people cause of a argument between the mods which include me even tho i wasnt a mod at the time.Hahahaahahahahaha!

You wanna see a pic of what I using now?! Lets just say... When a lil package comes in... I'll be running a rig even you would use if you were in my situation, John! lol.

And back to float fishing... I love it even tho I haven't landed a fish on it yet! And I can't wait til I land one!

I recently picked up some of those thill turbomaster fixed floats from sportsmans... Love the design... Cant wait to use em!!!

That was funny John!

Greg, you have spent your money everywhere but here so I figure your not quit ready to hook a steelhead on a jig!! I told you exactly where to go on the applegate and even gave you some jigs about a year ago and your still slacking. There are some very good float fisherman on this forum so the advice you are getting is about as good as it gets just get out there and put in the work.

I still have em! And I havent ordered any jigs... Nevermind.. Only one but it looked so purty!!! But i've been tying my own micros. When I have another job, Chad... I promise I will.

Just waiting for someone to say "yes lets go to the 'gate!" lol.

Other than that... Im stuck fishing the water I can't get to.... Waters too high in the winter. And walking a mile and a half in waders thru the all sports park would kill me.

And you should be proud of me... I went from an 8ft6 to 9ft6 and now I have a 10ft9 IM8. Moving up in reels too! Using a abu cardinal whenever it gets here... They were out of alot of the 2500 series shimanos when I ordered and I wanted a new reel asap, so I got a abu cardinal C302I.

And I went from cheap walmart floats to Thill and West Coast Floats. I loaded up on WCF when I had a job!

Now I just have to get out there and show em whats up!

I was talking about the first bite jigs and video you bought. I was just giving you a hard time. Sounds like you have the gear you need now its just getting on the water. Good luck.

Yeap.. That was the one or two... Dont know, it was mainly jighooks and the brass beads and thread, and feathers that I bought plus the dvd.

Greg,

If you still have the jigs Chad gave you, you gotta get em' wet to catch a fish. Unless you have set up a hatch box and established a winter run in your tank top drawer, the winter steelhead wont find em'.
He gave you a winning lotto ticket.......go cash in. Get those proven killers floating down river, there are willing fish waiting to gulp them down.
You didn't have to go with a fixed float system, The sliding floats do work, again...all you had to do was remove the straw from the bobber stop and tighten the stop on the line
All kidding aside (for now) I can see a benefit to using a fixed float in the summer when the water is low and clear, my personal opinion in the winter, when the water is usually higher, a sliding setup is the way to go, easier to manage the whole rigging when you are fishing deeper slots.

What is this:

It looks like your inspiration came from shooting a black tube of orange toothpaste with a shotgun and then stepping on it
Just hackin' on ya Buddy.......I know that was one of the ones from your early days of tying.........I know you have gotten alot better since you discovered brown tubes of green toothpase

OH boy......thanks for being such a good sport and having a sense of humor. By now you probably know enough about me (even though you dont wave back when I see you on the river) to know that busting each other chops is part of the fun. Feel free to hack away at me too!!! Thats what makes it fun......
If you would ever lower yourself to our level and make it out on the boat with Jon and I , its non stop laughing and comedy. We all get our turn in the pickel barrel........just ask Josh Zander........he spends most of his day in the pickel barrel when he is on board, we rarely let him out.

I'd put you in the pickle barrel John (reeltech) but you out fished me the only time we fished together, so I'll have to wait for a rematch.

I'd love to fish with you two one of these days! lol
It'd be like a hands on class!

And I do have the straw off now.
Im just trying it out... It'll be easy to switch over to sliding... And I'll throw a lottery ticket on my line right now so I will fish it. lol. Will also throw my WCF back on for you John! Maybe I'll dedicate this steelhead season to you and chad!


it was inspired by archers orange jig... And it caught a bass so back off!

I guess I got lucky that day Daniel . If a rematch means I get to spend another day on the water you guys then Im looking forward to it. We can have a MOUSE vs. MICRO day on the Rogue
I like being in the pickel barrel ya know

Sounds good to me, lets set a date.

OH Yeah..........I remember that bass Greg.......the one with the egg sac still hanging from it in the photo

Wow, I think this is the best thread I have ever seen!!! I don't even know what a pickle barrel is but I guess I will be in it some day. LOL!

We need to setup a steelhead stalkers flotilla then!!!!

That was a globug john!

And atleast it was something other than a sucker fish!!!!!