Steve@BBT
04-08-2005, 01:04 PM
OK guys,
The verdict is in and I'm bumming big time for probably another three weeks. Saw the Doc yesterday and after looking over my x-rays and an examination of my knee he promptly told me to be VERY careful with it until next Friday when he can go in and fix a few things up...
Apparently, it's not the major type of injury that would put you out for months, but I've done enough to cartilage (and some other things probably that I don't understand) that going in with the scope, looking it over and fixing it a.s.a.p. is the only reasonable choice. I tried to convince him that I could hobble thru the next few weeks and take care of my guide trips, but the answer was: "Don't be a fool." It's not that bad now, but I could permanently damage it if not treated and not careful.
This is the same Doc that said he could operate on my shoulder a while back, but recommended not doing so unless it gets much worse. (In other words, he's not only highly recommended by many, he's also not knife happy.) The long and short, he's "pretty sure" I'll be operational and back on the river right at the end of the month, but in the mean time, the only way I'm out is if someone wants to roll me into the front seat of their boat, let me fish from it, then roll me back out and home. Did I mention that this just isn't my spring?!?
Luckily, several of my trips already are people that just want to spend the day out having a good time and have left it up in the air for me to call them when I can do it, still waiting on call backs from some others. If the run goes the way "I think" it will, we should have decent Steelhead fishing well into May along with good trout fishing, so it's possible I can recover a bit of the loss and still have some fun this season. I am supposed to be making hay right now while the sun is shining and it's not only shining in a real sense at the moment, but the fishing is getting pretty darn good as well.
I did stop by the weir again yesterday on my way to the Doctors office and had a pretty good time watching the Steelhead go thru at a very good rate while Tim explained the operation to my wife Karen. (Saw about 13 or 14 go thru in all of 10 minutes if that.) Tim and Hank told me that they had one fish go thru that they've named Kong. When they stopped the video and positioned him at the marks they said he went 36 to 38 inches and was simply a giant shouldered monster! I hope those genes get a chance at spreading...
The count, by the way, was 2177 Steelhead and 3912 Suckers as of noon yesterday. I just got off the phone with Hank a few minutes ago and he said it slowed down a bit last night when the water temp dropped, but it's getting steady again this afternoon. The count as of 6:00 am this morning was 2307 Steelhead and 4079 Suckers. I did get a few more cool photos of fish passing and a couple of one of the lamprey that Tim showed us from the trap. Here are those shots...(Might take a few minutes to download.)
http://bbt.steelcity.net/04-07-05-1.jpg
http://bbt.steelcity.net/04-07-05-2.jpg
http://bbt.steelcity.net/04-07-05-3.jpg
http://bbt.steelcity.net/04-07-05-4.jpg
http://bbt.steelcity.net/04-07-05-5.jpg
http://bbt.steelcity.net/04-07-05-6.jpg
http://bbt.steelcity.net/04-07-05-7.jpg
http://bbt.steelcity.net/04-07-05-8.jpg
The water looks pretty good throughout most of the system now and anglers are finding good to decent numbers of fresh fish in every section from M-37 all the way to Walhalla. (Haven't spoken with anyone fishing below that much.) Yesterday was pretty good for everyone I spoke with, seems like most anglers at least hooked a good number even if they didn't land 'em all.
Water temps have ranged from the mid 40s to as high as 53 the other day and every little warm up seems to turn them on after a drop. The water has now, what I would considered a perfect stain, but still just enough where wading anglers might not see as many as they would from a higher stand point. Best flies, from what I hear, are all of the usual suspects with eggs taking a front row seat. Some of the guys pulling plugs or tossing hardware are having a very good go of it as the water warms and bait fisherman are doing well also, of course.
Guess I don't have much to add from here right now, just get out there, go fishing, and if you would, catch one for me! If you happen to get a good digital photo or two, maybe stop by my house and let me download a few. I'll be needing a few shots for the reports sake since I won't be getting my own. (I have card readers and usb ports that cover most cameras.)
Will try and post another update on Monday or Tuesday sometime, so till then, tight lines!
Steve
The verdict is in and I'm bumming big time for probably another three weeks. Saw the Doc yesterday and after looking over my x-rays and an examination of my knee he promptly told me to be VERY careful with it until next Friday when he can go in and fix a few things up...
Apparently, it's not the major type of injury that would put you out for months, but I've done enough to cartilage (and some other things probably that I don't understand) that going in with the scope, looking it over and fixing it a.s.a.p. is the only reasonable choice. I tried to convince him that I could hobble thru the next few weeks and take care of my guide trips, but the answer was: "Don't be a fool." It's not that bad now, but I could permanently damage it if not treated and not careful.
This is the same Doc that said he could operate on my shoulder a while back, but recommended not doing so unless it gets much worse. (In other words, he's not only highly recommended by many, he's also not knife happy.) The long and short, he's "pretty sure" I'll be operational and back on the river right at the end of the month, but in the mean time, the only way I'm out is if someone wants to roll me into the front seat of their boat, let me fish from it, then roll me back out and home. Did I mention that this just isn't my spring?!?
Luckily, several of my trips already are people that just want to spend the day out having a good time and have left it up in the air for me to call them when I can do it, still waiting on call backs from some others. If the run goes the way "I think" it will, we should have decent Steelhead fishing well into May along with good trout fishing, so it's possible I can recover a bit of the loss and still have some fun this season. I am supposed to be making hay right now while the sun is shining and it's not only shining in a real sense at the moment, but the fishing is getting pretty darn good as well.
I did stop by the weir again yesterday on my way to the Doctors office and had a pretty good time watching the Steelhead go thru at a very good rate while Tim explained the operation to my wife Karen. (Saw about 13 or 14 go thru in all of 10 minutes if that.) Tim and Hank told me that they had one fish go thru that they've named Kong. When they stopped the video and positioned him at the marks they said he went 36 to 38 inches and was simply a giant shouldered monster! I hope those genes get a chance at spreading...
The count, by the way, was 2177 Steelhead and 3912 Suckers as of noon yesterday. I just got off the phone with Hank a few minutes ago and he said it slowed down a bit last night when the water temp dropped, but it's getting steady again this afternoon. The count as of 6:00 am this morning was 2307 Steelhead and 4079 Suckers. I did get a few more cool photos of fish passing and a couple of one of the lamprey that Tim showed us from the trap. Here are those shots...(Might take a few minutes to download.)
http://bbt.steelcity.net/04-07-05-1.jpg
http://bbt.steelcity.net/04-07-05-2.jpg
http://bbt.steelcity.net/04-07-05-3.jpg
http://bbt.steelcity.net/04-07-05-4.jpg
http://bbt.steelcity.net/04-07-05-5.jpg
http://bbt.steelcity.net/04-07-05-6.jpg
http://bbt.steelcity.net/04-07-05-7.jpg
http://bbt.steelcity.net/04-07-05-8.jpg
The water looks pretty good throughout most of the system now and anglers are finding good to decent numbers of fresh fish in every section from M-37 all the way to Walhalla. (Haven't spoken with anyone fishing below that much.) Yesterday was pretty good for everyone I spoke with, seems like most anglers at least hooked a good number even if they didn't land 'em all.
Water temps have ranged from the mid 40s to as high as 53 the other day and every little warm up seems to turn them on after a drop. The water has now, what I would considered a perfect stain, but still just enough where wading anglers might not see as many as they would from a higher stand point. Best flies, from what I hear, are all of the usual suspects with eggs taking a front row seat. Some of the guys pulling plugs or tossing hardware are having a very good go of it as the water warms and bait fisherman are doing well also, of course.
Guess I don't have much to add from here right now, just get out there, go fishing, and if you would, catch one for me! If you happen to get a good digital photo or two, maybe stop by my house and let me download a few. I'll be needing a few shots for the reports sake since I won't be getting my own. (I have card readers and usb ports that cover most cameras.)
Will try and post another update on Monday or Tuesday sometime, so till then, tight lines!
Steve