Lest all the beginners get nervous about whether they will ever catch a fish, let me share with you a thought or two.

I've been down this road. I can remember being pissed off years ago when a guy answered, "In the mouth" when I asked him where he caught his steelhead.

I can remember some years when the fish did not come very often.

Then, after many hours on the river, they started to come.

After some more years, they started to come more often.

Now, they come pretty regularly. At least twice a year, most years.

I tried a lot of different things as I was trying to figure this fishing thing out. Let me tell you what doesn't work.

Knowing what hole on what river is hot. I have little fear of telling anyone where I fish. For the record, it's the Skykomish, the Chehalis, the Satsop, the Snoqualmie, the Cowlitz, and the Columbia. There is so much more important information than what river. I caught more steelhead than you want to know on these rivers in October. There were plenty of people there, but most of them weren't feeling the love. You've got to be on a river, and the river has to have fish. But far better to be on a river that you know well, that has a few fish, than on a river that you are clueless about, with lots of fish. You'll usually do better on your home river.

I don't care if you know when I fish. I'm going to the Skykomish tomorrow. See you there, Lewis Street ramp, 7:30. I'll be headed upriver, BTW.

Having the hot lure. I don't care if you know what lure I'm using. K15 kwikfish, silver and green, in case you're checking.

What I do care about mildly is if you are sitting on my rock in the river. So, please understand if I/we hold back that last bit of data, because which stump the fish is behind is something that I figured out or lucked into, and I kind of like that piece of info.

But that last piece is the piece that is easiest for you to figure out, and the most transitory of advantages. The fish is behind that rock for five minutes before it goes upriver. Then it may hang out behind your rock, then behind Mike's rock. Everyone anchored or standing in a hole is telling you exactly where they think the rock is. Make a note of it, and realize that a lot of the folks don't know. Pay attention to the folks with wet nets. And you know what, if you're in the spot I wanted, I'll go look for others, or I'll bat cleanup behind you with different gear. And I'll learn more about these fish we like to chase.

So the point is, get on a river, and start looking for _your_ rock. I spent years trying to buy a fish, by getting the right rod, lure, bait, egg cure, etc. Now I know that it's really about getting a reasonably good lure behind a reasonably good rock, at a reasonably good time, often enough for some luck to happen.

I'll say it again, if you want to know where to fish, go out driving on a saturday afternoon during the season, and the parked cars will show you where everyone else thinks the rock is. If that's too busy, then start looking at the map.

Good luck. Chummies tomorrow.