Hit the Dungy today. Above Old Oly Hwy is the pits...hit it in the morning unless you're a diehard snagger. The main hole several hundred yards below the Old Hwy bridge has some serious fish in it ... chrome and dark. Lot's of snagger types.
Hot cerise yarn flys was workin for me and several others interested in obeyin the law.
Would have better if I'd remembered to bring the eggs I'd set out on the kitchen counter.
These are some serious kick butt piggies...they kicked mine! Goin to hit it tomorrow with some stiffer leader and eggs!
Didn't land a legal hooked fish but the several unavoidable dorsal hookups were fun to release in front of the snag crew....they were really upset by this! Good location for a "Possee!" Gawd I really love these big piggies!

Cove RV Park & Tackle Prostaff (1)
AlwaysFishOn!
Gooose

Don't you think this river has enough pressure already? The small streams can't handle the 2500 extra people and buddies you are sending to them..remember the Quil. Hope you feel good about your post.

If 2500 legit fishermen show up, where will all the snaggers go??? The Dungeness is no secret; I first fished it thirty years ago, and it was full of fish and snaggers, then. On that trip, I watched a bystander take a treble hook clear to the bone, when a snagger missed a "strike". Thanks for the report, Gooose. The more successful sportfishers there are, the louder the protest will be when WDFW and the politicians try to reduce sportfishing seasons and allotments.

Any river is no secret. Please publish your favorte holes, all of us sportsmen would like to fish them. We can band together to keep away the evil element.

I am a little slow.. Please explain..


Ignorance is bliss keep living the dream

Goose and challenged...

You have to hike in more than 100 yards from the bridges on the Dungee to find undisturbed fish. The snaggers have no reason to pass up the first hole they find with fish.

Goose, I have been trying black yarn with no luck this week ??? I have been catching them with small glow corkies and pink yarn. Should I keep tryin' the black yarn?

Todd

Challenged really don't see how my posts about the Quil or Dungy would have any significant effect in increases the # of fishers deciding to head for a river. Doubt that my posts on either would or did influence more than a couple of dozen fishers. Would a simple scentific poll of this board calm your waters? The fishin reg's do most of the attracting work simply by advertising 4 fish limits followed up by your newsprint media. I'm with Cedar...if I can get a few more sportsmen on a river then we have a chance to combat the snaggers. Check out my Quil and Snaggers threads. I'm all about actvism and providin hopefully helpful info to the members of this BB.

Cedar yeah you do have to hike a little to find solitude from the frickin snaggers. I've been down at "my favorite hole" just across from the Gray House. Have to tolerate the snaggers to some degree but it sure ain't the likes of the Quil! Actually had a couple of those guys show up yesterday...recognized them from the distinctive sound of their hookset
....it's almost a trademark.

Todd I've been using hot pink or cerise yarn with no corky and doin well at hookin them...it's just the landing I'm having problems with especially with those extreme chrome pigs. Zero legal yesterday and only two today both CNR'd. Both days released several foul hooked fish including two nice chrome piggies....one of which had a blatant snaggers hook in it too! He asked me if I wanted it...told him I didn't keep illegally caught fish...he didn't keep it either and was super polite the rest of the day.

Cove RV Park & Tackle Prostaff(1)
Always FishOn!
Gooose

I agree with challenged. This site gets tons of hits. I dont really understand why someone would want to tell anyone willing to listen where EXACTLY they are catching fish. As if the rivers aren't crowded enough. I do however think your raising awarness about snaggers is great goose. Goose read the artical in the new STS on page 70 by Tony Dunnington in this artical Tony stresses 10 major things to catch more fish. Flipped to page 75 and READ 10. confidentiality! I like to know what you think of it. I dont know you but I do have good friends who do. They say your a great guy, and you probably are but maybe a little too much so. Anyways please read the artical. I know I have noticed a signifigant change in fishing pressure at certain fisheries due directly to the fact someone has anounced to the world on the WWW where its happen and where its not. If I just had a thirty fish day on a river I truly enjoy it would be a cold day in hell to tell anybody but the best of friends.

BK is right! There are a lot of guys that look at this sight just for the info they can scavange from it who never even make a post. And im sure many of them are like the meat heads on the Quil and Dungie. Infact I know this to be so because I have met some of them.

Goose, publicity is bad juju for these little river systems. I yousto fish the Quil when I was 5 and 6 years old and I never remember seeing more than 5 or 6 guys on the river in its peak times. I havent fished it for years but drive by somtimes to see the mad house. I couldnt believe the all the rigs you see from Oregon, Seattle, Tacoma. How do ya think they found out about it. The Salmon is another good example. Its been exploited and now is a fall snagfest also.

Challenged, BK-
I know it isn't any of my business to disagree with ya and it's not that I recommend that someone posts a specific rock or river but aren't ya getting a little over excited considering the returns this year. The Dungy isn't the only river getting fish, you can go out to just about any creek or river and produce double digit days up there. Heck, most all the rivers in WA and OR are having record returns and are a lot hotter than the Dungy. I've fished that creek about this time of the year last year with great success, but at the same time did great on every river we fished up there.
I'll admit crowded rivers suck, but posting success is a good thing, and I'll be the last guy to worry if there's 1 or 10 or 25 people in a hole when I walk up to it, it's fun watching people catch fish at least in the mouth that is!
Keith

I realize goose has good intentions about reducing the numbers of snaggers and wants to help. I am glad he follows the rules, but this site is huge and is read by every fishermen with a computer I guarantee it!! It can create a aluminum hatch on larger rivers and a onslaught of bankies on the smaller streams.
I have seen numerous small streams wrecked by publicity and its a shame. For that matter many of the larger Forks rivers suck because of crowds.
Keith I am surprised you haven't realized the impact this can have on your spots, you seem to be a informed fishermen. Ever wonder why Herzog doesn't tell where he is fishing? Or Bob? (why he closed his vacation journal)
I cringe everytime I hear a spot that will/could be impacted by loose lips. Being the fishermen that you are, surely you must deal with guys who will see you lay the smack down on fish one day, then be standing at your spot a hour before daylight the next day? They may not catch fish all day but will stay because they seen it done. Heck they will even bring a friend to show. Ya I can adjust and do, but I do enough of that already. Just use the term zipperlip or send a private email if you can't fight the urge to spill your guts.

I see nothing wrong with posting about semipopular rivers. I live in Oreon and I know about the Dungenese. I dont plan on running up there anytime soon to fish it. In fact I like it when someone posts or when there is article written about a larger more popular river been hot. It takes pressure off the smaller streams.
I dont care where you go anymore, There are always going to be more people than you would like to see. The population in the Pacific Northwest is growing. you are going to see more and more people on the rivers.
If you are confident in your abilities to catch fish, crowds shouldnt bother you.
Go get em gooose, show those snaggers how to catch them legal. I plan on doing it later today on the Kalama. Which by the way is getting a bunch of fresh silvers.

Why???????
I am sure Goose has good intentions
and I know the Dungy is no secret,but give me a freakin break ..........why post???
Doesn't anyone keep their mouths shut.I use to fish the Quilcene,But not this year.last year it got very little press,this year was another story.
Look whats happened to Hoodsport also.
Don't you Guys realize who powerful the WWW is??????????
Sooo many people just check this site out for info .....like you just posted.
some things are better left unsaid
This was one of them!!!

I'm not impressed ......Os

Got to agree that posting about the smaller river systems is bad policy. I was one of a few who used to fish the Salmon for fall salmon and winter steelhead. At this time (less that ten years ago), fish were plenty and fishers few. This was a river you could actually fly fish during the peak of the runs and have good water to yourself. An article in the paper put a permanent end to that. Just won't go there anymore, you can't even find a place to park now! People are generally lazy and don't scout much...lets keep em that way.

Fishy

I agree, small rivers are taking a pounding the last couple of years... maybe the internet has something to do with it. I don't think it is a good idea to post about how "hot" rivers are, but it is important to share some information. Look at this board, most people started to go to this website to see if the OP rivers were blown out before they drove 4 hours to look at high-brown water and then drive home.

I think it is helpful to post information about different fishing topics. Look at Goose, his crusade on snaggers is helping raise awareness. Maybe a few lurker's on this board will decide to stop snagging.

On that note, tomorrow I will be taking 13 middle schoolers to the Dungeness hatchery for a tour and then we will go fishing the rest of the day. Education is the key. Take the time to teach someone how to fish instead of whining about snaggers.

Todd

I find it hard to believe that many snaggers are coming to this board to find information where to go snag fish. These people are to lazy to try to catch a fish, they just run a hook through the back. From my experience they also do not like to drive to far from home or walk more then 10 steps from the car. They usually have a hole near their house and if the fish are in they go snag, if the fish are not in, they do not go fishing. I know this because I know many snaggers in the town I live in. No I am not one of them and I do not fish with them, but I know how they work. I did offer to take one of these guys out for a real day of fishing and catch some fish the real way, with the hook in the mouth. When I told him it was a 20 minute walk into the hole from the car he declined. A post on this board may lead to a few snaggers invading one of your holes but they will not go their for long it is to much work for them.

I wonder how Mr. Dunnington can tell you to keep your rivers or holes secret while he is busily writing articles about them? I wonder if Tony worries about attracting crowds to The Satsop, Hump, Skok, Hood Canal tribs, The Nooch, and all the other rivers he's written about. According to him, the internet is evil, but magazines are OK to give info in. Makes me wonder.........

I think that one thing that has to be recognized is that salmon are one fish and steelhead are another. The reason you have so many snaggers during salmon season are these two reasons. First salmon tend to pile up in specific holes due to lower water conditions or there destination being reached (a hatchery). The second reason people snag salmon is that they are tougher of the two to catch (salmon, steelhead). You can stress all you want about snaggers, but the problem is they will always be out snagging, and the reason these people choose to snag is the lack of education they have about catching salmon legally. So if you're going to ***** about snaggers take it upon yourself to show them that these kegged up defenseless salmon will bite.
As for steelhead, the only rivers you'll ever see me post about are the larger rivers ie. North Fork of the lewis, Cowlitz, etc. Steelhead are much more aggresive fish and typically your average person will catch most of the biters on the smaller creeks. The last thing that I will say as mentioned earlier is about your confidence level. If you are confident in yourself and your abilities to catch fish you'll never worry about being the first to a hole, or the first person down a river in a boat. You will become a better fisherman over time when you fish on pressured fish and face the facts with the #'s of people that fish the pacific NW, any river or creek you decide to get up and fish tomorrow or this week or whatever will have some sort of pressure.
Keith

How did we get back to snaggers....again
damn Goose you must attract em

The problem is smaller rivers cannot take the added pressure!!!!.....PERIOD!
what is so hard to understand about this?????

I fish more small rivers than anyone I know,do you see me posting....Uh ..No
I have no problem with shareing info....just depends

some of us had to earn our technics and fishing holes the hard way......then came the web

If you haven't seen the difference than open you're eyes.

As for Mr Dunningham
I hear his camera man out fishes him
and I hear He's a Huddler

Come on Dan,you aren't gonna eat all that....Os

Hey Dan grab the net........just practicing for the Foatilla

I still disagree with goose. Heck I dont even fish the dungy but if you think reports about good numbers of fish present doesn't attract attention of fishermen following good reports your wrong, big time. I guess some people just like their favorite fishing spots crowded. To me the less people on a river the better the experience. Like I said goose must like fishing in crowds. And keith, I know you just like to outfish people on crowded rivers. Hell me too but I would much rather have a great day without crowds. Its just a more "one with nature experience." And DanS very few articals in STS refer to exact locations. A good friend of mine and great fishermen(one of THE best)had a chance to write an artical about one of his favorite springer fisheries. Quess what, he said hell no!

[ 10-22-2001: Message edited by: BK ]

BK,

Yeah, that's exactly what Tony said about writing in STS.........but how exact does one need to be? If you write about the Hood Canal tribs, there's not much left to the imagination. One doesn't need to name holes to be stepping on SOMEBODY'S toes.

Tony bags on me for talking on the internet about where we fish. I bag on him for telling about every technique we ever used, even if he isn't naming rivers. I guess it just gives us something to bag on each other for. Well, that and the way he's always trying to raid my lunch bag.

PS: Hey, Os, who IS that cameraman? I've been trying to figure it out, but I guess Tony photographs himself holding fish?

[ 10-22-2001: Message edited by: Dan S. ]