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I mostly read articles online, a lot of those come from regional DFW/G services. Otherwise I like to read Wired2Fish, InFisherman, HatchMagazine. I watch more AnglerWest TV and Addicted Fishing than anything. Davie McPhail has an awesome youtube channel for tying mostly traditional style flies.
 
Used to live by the Fishing and Hunting news back in the day.

Truth!

Nothing anymore. All those rags no longer pertain to my local area. All the great fishing The North West used to have has pretty much been turned into nothing but hatchery trout, bass, and some Kokanee (for @Caveman Jim :D) There's some decent panfish around. People will still say the salt is great, but from what I see it's so regulated you need geniuses to interpret the regs and should have a lawyer/fish biologist on board to make sure you know what you've actually landed. And not to mention seasons are adopted with minutes/hours notice. They've done all that to the basic weekend fisherman and made it too expensive for many people to just "drown a worm" a few times a year.

Yeah, I'm bitter. Came here from Utah in '83. I was surprised at the terrible trout fishing here, unless you wanted "pellet heads" I got into sturgeon, and soon after that steelhead and salmon. Thanks to a few guys that helped me along I got to the point I felt successful as a fisherman and fish eater. ODFW, politico's and the fish huggers have ruined that.
 
I'll ad, Salmon Trout Steelheader used to be pretty good. Information for the brush busters and common man. I learned from STS that I should stick around after the sun hit the water for summer steelhead. That throwing all black spinners in the bubbly water at the heads of runs would catch fish. Boy howdy! Those years between that article, and the cessation of passing hatchery fish over North Fork dam were banner for me!

STS seemed to turn into info most pertinent to the wealthy(er) large boat owning, have enough money to go off shore or travel hundred of miles, buy guides many times a year type fisherman.
 
Yeah, I too came here but in 86, caught my first steelhead in my neighbors funny lookin drift boat (I was a rookie and he just needed some ballast and a turnaround vehicle). A 17.5# hatchery fish on the Poooyallup River kept me fishing here for over 30 years & now I'm ready to leave cuz WDFW can't manage themselves out of a wet paper bag!!!
 
Yeah, I too came here but in 86, caught my first steelhead in my neighbors funny lookin drift boat (I was a rookie and he just needed some ballast and a turnaround vehicle). A 17.5# hatchery fish on the Poooyallup River kept me fishing here for over 30 years & now I'm ready to leave cuz WDFW can't manage themselves out of a wet paper bag!!!

:s0155:/:s0154:

First steelhead...You know when my first was? I had done hauling for a couple and I got to talking with the wife. Her hubby was a fisherman. He invited me out in his "Coleman Crawdad" with the 3 hp Merc. Oregon City, Willamette, in January, pulling Warts for winters. He got my pic holding my first, into F & H news. Next spring he got me into my first Springer at the Sellwood Bridge. My pic in F&H News again. I was hooked. Now ODFW has released me. Maybe forever.
 
Too funny, you're as famous as Amos (cookie dude).;)
My fish made it on the news that evening, King 5 I think it was and I do not remember why the hell they were on the River in a boat that day...:s0092:

Yeah-butt, you win the internet! TV news is the BIG time man! :s0152:
 
The Fishing & Hunting News. Man, I miss that rag! We used to call it the "National Enquirer of the hunting and fishing world". All the "40 lb boy catches 50 lb fish" stories were wild. But it did get me motivated to get out and fish.
I subscribed to STS for quite a few years too.
Caught my first steelhead in the Green River on a Mepps spinner. Used to spend a lot of time at the Barrier Dam too. Great memories.
 
The Fishing & Hunting News. Man, I miss that rag! We used to call it the "National Enquirer of the hunting and fishing world". All the "40 lb boy catches 50 lb fish" stories were wild. But it did get me motivated to get out and fish.
I subscribed to STS for quite a few years too.
Caught my first steelhead in the Green River on a Mepps spinner. Used to spend a lot of time at the Barrier Dam too. Great memories.

At one time I probably stood next to ya, those are my old stomping grounds.:D
Caught many a steelhead on the Green and the Cowlitz.
 
my 1st Salmon.. I think.. was off the dock at Mo's on Slietz bay.. was maybe 4 inches long and hit a spinner about as big as it was.:p

Yeah, but salmon used to go up Schooner Creek, if I'm not mistaken! You had a chance of hooking into a real salmon. 25#-30# in those days.
 
Oh, the 80s were an awesome time there. Barrier Dam and Blue Creek. Then things started turning to "combat fishing" and I quit.

I remember the first time I fished the Cowlitz with a guide, we put in at the blue creek launch before first light, motor down towards the mouth and saw all the lanterns through the fog. The people (I wouldn't call them fishermen) were standing elbow to elbow, three deep and fish were hung in the trees like Christmas ornaments. :eek::eek::eek:
It was an eerie sight that's for sure.:rolleyes:

I was always the lone fisherman that searched non-habitual banks to fish skinny water with corkies and yarn.
 
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^^^ These two.

But I found F&H news to be faking it.... their reports steadily declined in accuracy.

No reports are truly accurate....by the time YOU/WE get there! :D You put in your time, (Wow, that sounds like another thread going now having to do with joining a firearm forum/group!), and after awhile you don't need reports. That was part of the great fun of fishing salmon/steelhead! Learning the nuances of water height and color, weather, lure colors and sizes. Using the old noggin in deciding where to go, when to go where and what to use.

I sure miss it. :(

On Vaca this year. Wifey and I had a spot we've known for years. Have got some great fish off it. I know where small rock piles are, the depth, submerged weeds, submerged wood. I subconsciously remember where many fish were hooked I believe. My boy came down to spend a couple nights with us. He's not much of a bass fisher. He's dinked around with some smallies from shore on the Willamette. And he's never caught a large mouth. We got on the water early and went to the place we call "Jane's Point". Because "Jane' always wants to go there first. I guess. I put a perch spinner bait on for him a told him where to cast. First cast he hooks a nice bass. He was pretty thrilled. I felt pretty good myself!

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