As far back as the oldest old timer can remember, anglers have been looking for the miracle lure that catches fish “beyond belief,” or a virgin lake filled with naive fish. To these people may I say, “Don’t hold your breath.”

Now I will be the first to say that all good fishing is not gone. However, rarely will you have great fishing without plenty of effort and good old fishing savvy, the latter being the most important. Understanding game fish, their habits and biology in general will help you catch more fish than any fishing rod made from the latest space age material or fifty tackle boxes filled with the latest lures.

A number of years ago, a few friends and I decided we were going to go to Lake Superior and take in a little steelhead fishing. None of us had ever fished these overgrown rainbow trout before, but we were willing to learn. I decided the first thing to do was to read up on Great Lakes steelhead fishing. At that time there was very little information available and I ended up ordering a book from Michigan. It was the best thing I ever did.

Several months later, I was in the Brule River along with several other runny-nosed, shivering anglers methodically drifting spawn bags through deep holes. The fishing was as cold as the air; not a single fish moved.

I decided to leave the crowd and do a little exploring upstream. Perhaps there were some undisturbed fish that just might hit. After a few hundred yards the river got shallower-looking more like the rivers referred to in the book I’d read.

“Ah! This looks good.” I said to myself as I slid down the bank.

Slowly, like it was my last chance on earth, I cast toward a spot where fast water dropped into a deep hole. I could feel the imitation spawn sack skip along the bottom. Then it stopped. My first reaction was frustration. Stuck on the bottom again and it was one of my last baits, but just then I remembered a phrase from the book I’d read “…always set the hook when your bait stops. It may be a rock, or it may be a trophy steelhead.”

“What the heck!” I lifted my rod and held tight. For a moment there was a dead weight.  Then it began to move upstream. There attached to my line was the prettiest fish I had ever seen. Through the clear water I could make out it’s olive green back and vivid pink sides. At first the rainbow seemed oblivious to the hook embedded in it’s jaw, but the realization soon set in. With a flip of it’s broad tail, it was into the fast current, with me stumbling after. Three sets of rapids, a borrowed net, and several close calls later, the big fish slid into the net.

Even though I’ve caught several steelhead since, this is still the most memorable fish of all. Why? Because even though I was as green as they come, I was able to take a trophy fish when everyone else caught nothing but colds. I had caught this fish on book learning and the experience of those before me.

Today there is an array of educational fishing material beyond belief; books are written about every specie of sportfish there is, televison shows feature fishing experts imparting their sage wisdom and sportshows tout big name fishing professionals giving instructional seminars. Not to mention the internet, where it all is.

Before you think you already know so much that the experience of others won’t help, think again. I’ve met many of the best anglers in the country and they still study extensively.

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You can learn a lot from an experienced fisherman.  TV fishermen, pro anglers and, yes, even newspaper writers, have many good things to share with those wanting to catch more fish.  But don’t think for a moment that our way is the only way.  Many times the best way to land a fish is the technique or method you decide to use, not just what some fishing celebrity or magazine writer says.

Just about every successful fishing idea that’s come around has originated with some plain ol’ Joe.  The idea was then picked up by a fishing show, magazine writer or fishing educator and touted as a new  breakthrough.  Sometimes the founders never get credit for their own discovery.

Also, suggestions from fishing pros are often motivated by sponsoring lures manufacturers, rod and reel companies, boating products, etc.  I personally don’t think any pro would outwardly lie, but they do owe it to their sponsors to promote their product whenever possible.  Any old jig might work, but you won’t hear that from a guy sponsored by a certain jig company.
As you fish this year, be original.  Don’t let suggestions from others dictate what you should do.  Let me explain.  In the early 70′s, I spent two years in California, near a couple of pretty good steelhead rivers.  Two friends and I decided to try our luck one morning, so I went down to the local tackle store and bought some “Minnesota lures”-  a couple Daredevle spoons and a floating Rapala.

When I met my friends at the river I was greeted with howls and belly laughs.   Here they were decked out in fancy waders, fishing vests, expensive fly rods, and every high-buck trout fishing item available.  I felt like shrinking into my muddy tennis shoes and blue jeans.  So I just put on my best face-saving demeanor and said “Shut up and where are the fish?”  To prove my point I even walked out into the water to prove you didn’t need $100 waders to catch a fish.  I nearly froze to death.

Fishing was poor all the way around.  An occasional salmon cruised by, but nothing showed an interest in our offerings.  We had pretty much decided that neither fancy gear or “Jeff’s stuff” were going to work .

So I decided to stroll down to the river mouth, thinking where the salt water from the Pacific met the fresh water from the San Lorenzo River might hold fish.  I hadn’t been there five minutes when two silvery steelhead came in from the ocean.  Immediately I cast out a big red-and-white Daredevle and reeled it in front of them.  I don’t know what that spoon looked like to an ocean run steelhead, but one of them grabbed it.  Ten minutes later I beached the eight pound fish and became an instant hero.

Fish do not always go by the rules, and you shouldn’t either.  Granted there are proven methods that one should stick with, but when things are slow, or the fish are really biting, try experimenting.  Doing things your way and catching fish is the most rewarding kind of fishing there is.

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