i try to remain positive, as someone who likes to fish for steelhead, i'm an eternal optimist. i've noticed that i start hanging up my gear earlier each year. just don't have the willpower to fight the crowds on the coast with all the closures up north these days. i used to have no problem standing in a combat line when the fishing was hot in the peak of a run. off the peak times, one could get some great solitude and still have a shot at a fish. now, the crowds just show up even if there's no fish around -- that's the depressing part. most of the rivers that i fish, require you to keep moving to find the fish. can't do that when there's a guy posted up every 50 yards or less for miles. find myself driving farther and farther to get away from the masses...harder to justify the expense when supporting a family on a budget.

i've found myself getting interested in fishing lakes again like when i was a kid, dragging a flatfish around with my feet up, one hand on the kicker and the other holding a cold beverage. big holdovers can be fun too.