4 trout and 2 summers!

[WillamiteNewbie]

Went out to the clack an hour before i had to work and tossed on a spinner within the first ten minutes fish were bitin'. caught two trout, and then right before i was about to leave a big summer gets on my line reeled this sucker in got it on the bank, to the hook out of it's mouth and before i could take a picture it slipped out of my hands and swam away. had many witnesses to this too so it's no BS. then after work i decide to hit the river before it got dark. caught two trout within the first ten minutes again! and then...hooked on to ANOTHER summer steelie set the hook and then my line broke, took my spinner and everything, jumped out of the water. whatever. and there was a guy i was fishing next too who is on the forum that can back all this up. today was a great day of fishing, would have been better if i had those two steelies in my fridge.

[waco]

Those are smolt winter steelhead!! it was nice to meet you there!!

[WillamiteNewbie]

nice meeting you too man. if you don't mind maybe sometime we could go fishing together show me whats up. i'm pretty new to fishing and really want to just learn as much as i can. that rod you saw is the only one i got, well that and a cheapo fly rod.

[rippin fish lips]

Nice report man! But those are salmon/steelhead smolts, mainly steelhead. There is a **** ton of smolts in all river systems right now. They are hungry, they are feeding agressivly, They are really soft jawed. Not gettin on your back about it... as it is impossible to keep them from hitting lures, but i find that... if you catch smolts in 1 hole, if you move down to the next hole you may find some cutties or bows! notice how they are clipped? Def not planters, and look at the fins an how they are (white tipped). You can tell if it is a smolt by looking at the tail to, The last picture is a real good example.

[ChezJfrey]

They are hungry, they are feeding agressivly...

No joke about them being aggressive! Last year, I couldn't keep them off #4 spinners and some larger spoons at a certain point...like around May. Those little critters just go after it!

[rippin fish lips]

No joke about them being aggressive! Last year, I couldn't keep them off #4 spinners and some larger spoons at a certain point...like around May. Those little critters just go after it!

Yeah it's insane.... I love it, buty i don't like it one little bit!! Hate hooking them lil pesky smolts!! That is why i went and pinched down every single barbed lure i own!!! Now they just shake off before i land them!! So helpfull.... Best thing to do when catching smolt... is to move down or upriver, find a new hole and work it.

[Kevinb5688]

Ya, 100% smolt. I caught at least ten of them today. My buddie got 1 18 inch cuttie and one bright buck, today wasnt my day, i lost 3 steelies.

[rippin fish lips]

Ya, 100% smolt. I caught at least ten of them today.

Sometimes there is just nothing you can do about it tho! Sometimes there is just "smolt" days, and sometimes there is alot of ""cutty action!" Today was the day where i stayed away from the smolts