I decided to hit the tucannon last week. Fished for about 3 hours and thought it would be cool to hook and lose 2 more steelhead. I lost both of them in mid air again using spinners. That makes me 0/3 so far this year. River was in good shape, and there were plenty of fish to be had. A buddy came along with me and also lost a fish on a jig/shrimp combo. I like bdk_wa need to start having some fish make it to shore!

Dev88T

Dev8, you need to set the hook, man! Hooking 2 is awesome! Is the Tuc barbless only? Like a bonehead I deleted the fishing regs from my computer and can't check it right now.

Anyway, if you need some coaching on how to properly set a hook, I would be glad to accompany you to your secret hole and teach you a lesson or two. I am sure I can demonstrate some methods of improper hook-setting technique that you've not yet tried.

What color- type-size spinners were you using? What was the water clarity? Give us some details, man!


Dan

Thanks for the report, Dev88t. Although I would have preferred to land them, I'd gladly have accepted the chance to feel a couple steelies on the end of my line instead of the 0'fer that I had last trip out to the Tuc. I was there 11/27 and saw/felt nada. Fished the upper section between Marengo and the first WDFW campground, and although the water looked OK, it was definately low and crystal clear. I did enjoy a couple of nice fat 12" rainbow, but none of it's larger anadromous cousins. I tried everything: small spinners and spoons, jigs, and I even drifted some shrimp and yarn (a real stretch for a rookie drift fisherman). In hindsight, I might have done a little better if I'd stuck with my usual gameplan, but I\'m trying to expand my toolbox a little.

Dev88t: What weight of line are you fishing? I've found that with spinners, the take is an act of aggression (in contrast to jigs and bait where the fish is feeding or taking out of curiosity), so they tend to hook themselves. However, it is helpful to give a smooth, controled tug once you feel the fish on, which will hopefully set the hook. Fishing with 8# line will help provide a little flex in the line wich may prevent yanking out a hook which is only tip-deep.

E-mann'

Well as far as line is concerned I had some fireline on my spinning reel from this fall, and using a 2ft 8lb leader. I am stripping off the fireline and putting mono on. After losing these two fish I can see that the fireline is not offering enough stretch (or zero!) on the headshakes and working the hook free. I know I have read somewhere that many people will put a five foot or more section of mono on their braid, but I am just going to get rid of it completely and see if that works better. I am planning on giving it a try next Sat again, and will hopefully be able to put it to a test.

Dev88T'

OK Details

Water is gin clear as it usually is on the tucannon. I was fishing farther up river from the mouth. I usually fish either right out of starbuck or farther up off of the tucannon river road. There really is no secret hole. Just alot of walking and bushwaking to find holdable water. I use some homemade spinners that emann gave me instructions for. The fish I hooked on the Walla2 was a black #3 and the two fish I hooked on the tucannon was on a silver #3 both with red beads. The steelhead my buddy hooked was with a 1/4 oz black jig tipped with a prawn under float in a deeper hole.

Dev88T

I am most likely heading out there on Tuesday. Were you fishing from a boat or the shore? Were you at the mouth?

Adipose, your details are above. I am going to either head to the tucannon or walla2 on saturday if the weather permits.

Dev88T