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View Full Version : Quit praying for rain


jj7leaf
08-31-2006, 03:59 PM
For they guys who have done this for a "few years" rain is only a small part of the trigger, if it is a part of the trigger at all! I have lived here my entire life, we have had plenty of rain and cool enough water temps for the fish to run many many years, including this one, and the fish didn't come! The fish will run when they are ready to run. Some years for no reason at all the run is a late one. Last year was VERY VERY early, adn remained fairly strong. That doesn't mean that this year the fish will be there on the same days.

This year on the kenai river the fish and game warned of lower than normal returns for the year because there information on fish close to the area staging to run was off. There first action was to issue and emergency order cutting th limit to 1 fish per day from 3. Three days later in the normal "PEAK" of the red run on the kenai they closed the season to all fishing for red salmon. People on vacation were in an uproar. They were spending money to go and fish and then they couldn't even fish and release. On my way back to anchorage I stopped at the russian river ferry to ask teh riverkeeper how things were going. The russian river was still open for 3 fish and he saidthat the fish were there form the early run (typically in june) and that run haddn't hit it's peak they were 3 WEEKS LATER than a typical year.
After I returned to NY i checked the fish reports for a while and sure enough within two weeks they had completely overshot there escapment quota. The limit is form then till NOW is 6 fish per day and no more than 2 being coho. The red salmon season is usually over early in august and they are still running.
We have had plenty of rain in recent years for an early run. Look at the labor day storms we have had but the fish only come in very small numbers until they are ready to run. In the eighties and ninties we used to troll in august and early september in the lake off stream mouths. It wasn't because it wasn't cool enough or there wasn't enough rain it's because the majority of the fish were still there.
We are about to get pounded again with rain, will this bring in enough fish for some of these guys to set up on funnels in the river and brag about raking in 3 for 24 sure but the majority of the fish will still be in the lake.

I posted thse pics last year This is the Oswego river the last weekend in august. There were very few fish in the river at that point. Looks like enough water , NO?

Flythrower
08-31-2006, 04:05 PM
I agree, Salmon will run when they are ready. I am praying for rain so the steelhead will begin to run in the Erie Tribs.

I believe the weather is more of a trigger for steelhead than for Salmon.

scottyfishon/offcreature
08-31-2006, 04:07 PM
I wanted rain because i like to fish in water at 750cfs not 185 or 385! thats all I think the water temperature is one of the most important triggers for them to move and the rain cools the water temps!

goat ball
08-31-2006, 04:07 PM
Hey leaf, I hope it don't rain! I need to get my back porch roof done this weekend. SAT and SUN ain't looking good. I hear we are going to get pounded with rain.

Flythrower
08-31-2006, 04:19 PM
Hey leaf, I hope it don't rain! I need to get my back porch roof done this weekend. SAT and SUN ain't looking good. I hear we are going to get pounded with rain.



UGGG!!!...Unfortunately it is not looking good for the roof!!!:(

jj7leaf
08-31-2006, 04:23 PM
Some times they stall out in an area. Only problem it is they usually stall here over upstate NY. LOL! I am chomping at the bit just like everbody else. I am waiting on the high build to dry on 3 and 1/2 rods right now.
You got enough help on your roof?

goat ball
08-31-2006, 04:24 PM
Yea we are all set. May have to do it Monday.

Craydaddy
08-31-2006, 04:42 PM
Hey Leaf can you get a pic of Oswego this year just for comparision??

Great summary man!! Enjoyed reading it!! :D

Tiogafishaddict
08-31-2006, 04:54 PM
we will pray for anything that gives us dreams of fish in the river just before any of our trips,, let us alone, let us think the rain, the sun, the chubs biting, the ugly women are gathering at teh bars in pulaski,, any of thouse things are gonna draw the fish in,,,, cuz it helps our simple minds..:rolleyes:

pulaskinaut
08-31-2006, 04:57 PM
Everyone is antsy because of the early run last year and hoping for the same. The growth of Salmon Crazy and other sites fuels more people's desire to get the run going but it is up to the salmon. We also had a wet cold spring and the brown trout fishing stayed hot very late. The Kings were a little late off of Oswego and now it's on fire!...Everyone wants to be there when it happens because you can get some spectacular fresh fighting Kings......soon?...maybe??..........any day now!! The guys who get it right (like Ditch) will have a blast!!

jj7leaf
08-31-2006, 05:12 PM
we will pray for the ugly women are gathering at teh bars in pulaski

cause they know they got no where to run at 2am.

cray I'll be there tonight i'll snap a few pics, there has been water flowing over the damn this whole week. nothing like the pics from last year but the entire tailrace is full with the flow at the damn and the addition of the curb by the power house keeping water on the east side. I have no doubt that the rain that is coming will blow these waterways in no time if we get hit very hard at all.

Eric**
08-31-2006, 05:13 PM
I'm no expert and not trying to put anyone's fish running dreams on hold, but I believe one of the major triggers for either salmon or steelhead for that matter to commit to running a tributary is photo period, that along with other factors which include water temperature and tributary water levels.

Think about it. Both Salmon and steelhead ( depending on strains of coarse ) always make there main push or run nearly the same time every year, within a month at least. Year to year there is only one contant - photo period ( length of day ). Water temps and levels surely are a big part of the triggering mech., but typically the large runs will happen when all those things come together. Everything with the exception of photo period is a variant.

Point is as much as I want the fish to run early ( all year for that matter ) I think the heavy runs need more then just rain.

Just my opinion ( commonly worth .02 or less ) :D
Eric

PS. I'm still hoping higher water will bring in good numbers!:)

jj7leaf
08-31-2006, 05:15 PM
Did you use your inland lake tide theory to time your run up here or were you just here for the bake and in the right place at the right time?

Eric You are completely correct. photo period is THE major factor. For ducks, caribou, all salmonids, and alot of the plants on earth.

Hamj
08-31-2006, 06:04 PM
I'll do a rain dance for you!!

stumpjumper
09-01-2006, 01:54 AM
I don't know as though I am going to pray for the ugly women gathering. I ended up getting stalked by one of these women at an undisclosed bar in Pulaski last year - not only was she ugly but she must have left her dentures on the night stand at home before she left the house because she didn't have a single tooth in her head. :scared: The worst part was she was only 28 yrs. old. The ugly women gathering is no myth so beware when your out for a night on the town. As a side note make sure you bring friends that will aid you in this situation not ones that will egg it on just so they have something to talk about while on the river the next day!!! :laugh: WTF!!!

pulaskinaut
09-01-2006, 12:31 PM
Shouldn't you be going up to Pulaski to FISH??? I may be old now but I can still think of a few other places to go rather than Pulaski to look for women!!!
Good luck!!!

stumpjumper
09-05-2006, 01:45 AM
I guess that was the problem I wasn't there for the women - my brother was getting married the following weekend so we took him out for a few drinks our last night there. We were definitely there to fish and we had a blast doing it - one of the best fishing trips I've ever been on. I'll be back up in a about 2 weeks - hopefully things will start to pick up a little more. This past weekend sounded pretty grim from some of the reports. It's still pretty early yet though I guess.

champlain fisher
09-05-2006, 01:51 AM
hopefully things will start to pick up a little more. This past weekend sounded pretty grim from some of the reports. It's still pretty early yet though I guess.

Whats that, all the women had teeth. LOL;)

stumpjumper
09-05-2006, 02:13 AM
I should have seen that one comming!!:fear: :fear: