When do you start getting the itch?

swimmy

swimmy

An honest tune with a lingering lead
Most of you know, I love skiing. Winter is a special time here and I enjoy taking the winter off from fishing.

But usually come March I start getting the itch. Days are getting longer, snow in town is beginning to melt, and the first major hatch is only two months away. Today it was like 55 degrees and for the first time of the year I felt it.

What say you? Anyone else noticing it?
 
swimmy said:
Most of you know, I love skiing. Winter is a special time here and I enjoy taking the winter off from fishing.

But usually come March I start getting the itch. Days are getting longer, snow in town is beginning to melt, and the first major hatch is only two months away. Today it was like 55 degrees and for the first time of the year I felt it.

What say you? Anyone else noticing it?
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I am on a somewhat opposite schedule. Living in Oregon, I fish my tail off in the Winter, a little bit in the Spring and Fall, but not a whole lot in the Summer, and that will sadly get to be even less the way the steelhead fishery is heading. I have to say that once Christmas rolls around, I start getting pretty giddy.

Growing up in the Florida panhandle, I used to get excited about Spring and Summer pelagics, Fall redfish and Winter speckled trout. Thanksgiving time and Easter were the happy anticipation indicator holidays for me down there. Valentines day, too, when the water was at its coldest and the big mama specks were easy to find with big, slow foam.
 
Leland Miyawaki said:
You aren’t fishing now?
Leland
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Skiing keeps my attn through most of the winter.

This was just last Monday.

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This year is getting pretty bad. Lost a little over 2 months of the local salmon/steel season, so didn't really have a chance to spend my desired irresponsible amount of fishing days. Then a brief reopening during really tough conditions, now the big wait til june to be back on the river.

Usually i spend March making up hours at home and work. But this year there is nothing but itch. Only fish slime will help.
 
Nick Clayton said:
I really can't relate to not fishing year round.
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If I didn't have the option, I'd probably be there with you. But the below freezing temps from Nov-Feb also make it easy to take time off. Last week was 20 below.
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I also like shifting gears into winter. Then the transition from winter to spring.
 
swimmy said:
If I didn't have the option, I'd probably be there with you. But the below freezing temps from Nov-Feb also make it easy to take time off. Last week was 20 below.
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I also like shifting gears into winter. Then the transition from winter to spring.
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Ya, I get it. I reckon if I lived elsewhere I'd have to find another hobby for the winter months. Luckily for me that's not an issue.
 
Ummmm. If you are getting itches some penicillin and lifestyle changes might be in order...

Childish kidding aside.. I start to get into it as I get my gear together for a trip... local fly fishing does absolutely nothing for me here in Colorado.
 
I am able to walk out my backdoor and fish in a lake all year round.
BUT my wife gets the itch. She will ask ' when are you going fishing?' meaning away for awhile. Then a little while later 'time for you to go fishing'. I only got her third inquiry once ' equivalent to GTFO and go fishing now'.
 
I'm past due. Last time out was late October. First time out last year was late February, but I don't think I'll get out until late March or mid-April this year as I'm writing and defending my dissertation this spring.

If I can't get out by mid-April, then I likely won't get a trip in until the middle of May, which might kill me.
 
I can relate a bit, my kids had my car for 3 weeks (about $10,000 difference private sale vs. trade) so fishing was way limited, and I was happy to get out yesterday. One of the reasons I picked here 30 years ago was small town, and year round fishing opportunities. I've been out about 150 days the last few years, all seasons. I like to fish, and get antsy after a few days. My back won't let me ski anymore and I miss it, I grew up weekday night skiing at hyak and weekends on big chief.
I enjoy your ski shots, the river drift boat shots, fishies and camping are nice too.
 
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Usually March is steelhead out on the OP, which leads right into Chum fry.
This year I'll probably do projects at home till Chum fry.
 
Rob Allen said:
Ummmm. If you are getting itches some penicillin and lifestyle changes might be in order...

Childish kidding aside.. I start to get into it as I get my gear together for a trip... local fly fishing does absolutely nothing for me here in Colorado.
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That made me laugh. Funny quip Rob.

My get up and go, done got up and went.

I am a steelheader and that is not an option right now. It used to be that my mind and body would gravitate to a steehead river right now. Tents, inflatable boats and grilled meat was the game. Not this year.

I have a bunch of life to deal with so it's ok. Time to attend to other more important things. So it goes for me and my family these days. Probably going to go non-stop until elk season.

I could use the locally sourced respite that steelhead provided. I do not know what the replacement will be. My brain only allows for so much uninterupted every day grind before it goes sideways.
 
I go crazy if I go about a week without fishing.
The itch itself started about 60 years ago and hasn’t stopped itching…..
I’d have myself an ice house and take up ice fishing if I lived somewhere really cold.
I’m glad I live somewhere with a temperate climate that allows you to fish 365 days per year if you wanted to. Living somewhere without east access to saltwater would be a tough sale for me.
The concept of my season just started seems foreign.
SF
 
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