Bugnuts (and others that care to be bored with my philosophies),
...However I've come to the terms that my goal is not about catching numbers...I really get bored catching multiple steelhead over and over on a gear rod, not too mention I have an internal dilemma about hooking and playing a lot of native fish....However, if we wanted everything to be easy we would just fish for carp...
Well said, but after 25+ years of doing nothing but flyfishing, I can honestly say that your point is lost...there simply aren't enough fish left. If you are truly bored catching "mulitple steelhead", then most of the boys on this board will smack you. If you are good at landing fish with your flyrod, then you are definitely good at landing natives with a gear rod and releasing them safely. I banged my head against the wall enough years, and caught some really special steelhead, but the problem is that I live in western Washington and flyfishing for winter runs is simply not realistic...trust me.
We'll see what happens this year, but I am completely ready to catch less than 10 fish a year instead of 100+. Yes, it is most important that the fish are landed quickly and safely, regardless of technique used. This again requires further thought on the layout of the water to be fished prior to making a cast with a fly rod vs. just chucking gear into log jams.
Yes, we do live in Western Washington during poor times for steelhead, but perhaps where we live in Western Washington also contributes to our difference in opinions?
p.s. Where's the clean shaven handsome fella?
