Any tips for a first time steelhead angler?

[PK Yi]

I'm looking to try steelhead fishing for the first time. I've been researching on youtube about rigging and technique and gear, so I have a general idea there. but I'm unclear about the "when" part, in particular the best weather to target them.

is it better during a rain or after a rain? it's been raining buckets lately, so now the rivers are pretty full, is now a good time? or do you wait until the rivers start to drop?

I'm reading online siletz is a good place for them.

thanks.

- PK

 

[DrTheopolis]

Before you go, and while you're waiting for the rivers to drop, you need to "practice" steelhead fishing beforehand...

First, completely wrap your entire body in Saran Wrap. Then, turn your shower on as cold as it goes. Get in there, and hold a fishing rod for 6 hours.

That's good prep for winter steelheading.

Weather doesn't really matter (unless it's a cold, howling east wind, then save yourself the trouble), river levels and color do. After a rise in the water, it's ideal to get there after the water drops back down, and the water turns "green."

 

[Berg03]

you are looking for "steelhead" green almost any video you find on youtube about steelhead will be that good green color. That green happens after it rains and dirties the water and it is trying to clear up from brown to clear. The green happens in the middle. Be ready to cast over a thousand times before you ever get a bite, not that uncommon for a new person to go a year or two without hooking up. Of course you could always be at the right place at the right time though. Learning where the steelhead hold in the river you are on will help a lot. You see a deeper hole after rapids and a solo rock in the middle, probably a steelhead right behind it. Colors can make a difference as well. Have plenty of gear to spare as you will lose gear. Most use a bigger main line (i use 20 braid) to a small leader (ive seen a lot of 8-12lb leaders) to save your bobber (if bobber fishing) when you get hung up on the bottom. Want to fish about a foot off the bottom in most cases. The Siletz can be a good river, not a TON of access for bankers though.

Good luck and keep trying. Once you catch one you will be hooked!

 

[Dizzy Fisherman]

I'm looking to try steelhead fishing for the first time. I've been researching on youtube about rigging and technique and gear, so I have a general idea there. but I'm unclear about the "when" part, in particular the best weather to target them.

is it better during a rain or after a rain? it's been raining buckets lately, so now the rivers are pretty full, is now a good time? or do you wait until the rivers start to drop?

I'm reading online siletz is a good place for them.

thanks.

- PK

You want to fish as the river is dropping. That being said with this much rain the rivers are going to take much longer to drop in to shape. Learn to read the USGS graphs and understand the optimal CFS for the river you intend to fish.

 

[PK Yi]

thanks for the info, everyone. it was helpful. especially the saram wrap one.

 

[ChezJfrey]

First, completely wrap your entire body in Saran Wrap. Then, turn your shower on as cold as it goes. Get in there, and hold a fishing rod for 6 hours.

That's good prep for winter steelheading.

LOL, you're just being mean and frightening. OK, it's not all that untrue most of the time, but still, let's not scare the newcomer too much

Weather doesn't really matter (unless it's a cold, howling east wind, then save yourself the trouble), river levels and color do. After a rise in the water, it's ideal to get there after the water drops back down, and the water turns "green."

Yes.

you are looking for "steelhead" green almost any video you find on youtube about steelhead will be that good green color. That green happens after it rains and dirties the water and it is trying to clear up from brown to clear. The green happens in the middle. Be ready to cast over a thousand times before you ever get a bite, not that uncommon for a new person to go a year or two without hooking up. Of course you could always be at the right place at the right time though. Learning where the steelhead hold in the river you are on will help a lot. You see a deeper hole after rapids and a solo rock in the middle, probably a steelhead right behind it. Colors can make a difference as well. Have plenty of gear to spare as you will lose gear. Most use a bigger main line (i use 20 braid) to a small leader (ive seen a lot of 8-12lb leaders) to save your bobber (if bobber fishing) when you get hung up on the bottom. Want to fish about a foot off the bottom in most cases.

Again, yes. But don't forget about in FRONT of that rock either. Many fish like that spot. But, it takes much time to figure out where those 'spots' are. A river section can look perfect and you never, ever find a steelhead there...it happens they just don't like it, even though it 'screams' steelhead.

Took me 13 months of fishing all the time to catch/land my first steelhead. Keep at it.

 

[ChezJfrey]

You want to fish as the river is dropping. That being said with this much rain the rivers are going to take much longer to drop in to shape. Learn to read the USGS graphs and understand the optimal CFS for the river you intend to fish.

Agreed.

Some good, basic info so far from these people.

 

[plumb2fish]

Don't do it, if you catch one your life will be ruined

 

[jamisonace]

Let me give a slightly more positive experience of a first timer. 2004, everyone remembers 2004 as the "gold standard" return over willamette falls....anyway, I just moved back to Oregon and all I had was a 5wt fly rod with 5x leader. I decided to try for steelhead so I picked up a handful of egg sucking leaches, purple and pink, and headed to leaburg. Within 2 hours I'd hooked 5 steelhead and been broken off 5 times. Took me five years to have another 5 steelhead day.

It was total luck. Just happened on the right place at the right time. I hope you find the same luck on your first time out.

 

[BamaDan]

Before you go, and while you're waiting for the rivers to drop, you need to "practice" steelhead fishing beforehand...

First, completely wrap your entire body in Saran Wrap. Then, turn your shower on as cold as it goes. Get in there, and hold a fishing rod for 6 hours.

That's good prep for winter steelheading.

Haha that's good! Better go ahead on down to the bank and withdraw all your money while you're at it. Take it in the shower with you when you go and tear it up if you want the full experience.

 

[adamg]

Before you go, and while you're waiting for the rivers to drop, you need to "practice" steelhead fishing beforehand...

First, completely wrap your entire body in Saran Wrap. Then, turn your shower on as cold as it goes. Get in there, and hold a fishing rod for 6 hours.

you forgot the part about draining all the gas from your rig into the sewer and flushing all the cash in your wallet down the toilet!

 

[ChezJfrey]

Let me give a slightly more positive experience of a first timer. 2004, everyone remembers 2004 as the "gold standard" return over willamette falls....anyway, I just moved back to Oregon and all I had was a 5wt fly rod with 5x leader. I decided to try for steelhead so I picked up a handful of egg sucking leaches, purple and pink, and headed to leaburg. Within 2 hours I'd hooked 5 steelhead and been broken off 5 times. Took me five years to have another 5 steelhead day.

It was total luck. Just happened on the right place at the right time. I hope you find the same luck on your first time out.

Ouch. Thinking about this, I'm not sure if it's worse not hooking into any steel for a year, or what you describe. Oof!

 

[C_Run]

Save the Siletz for later in the season. It tends to be later than some others.

 

[pinstriper]

The saran wrap isn't realistic, as it will block some of the water for a while.

As for the rest of it, I agree. He's better off getting an XBox.

 

[Aton]

I'm unclear about the "when" part, in particular the best weather to target them.



- PK

Go fishing WHEN you CAN! If conditions happen to be perfect on a day you CAN go....great. If you wait for perfect conditions, or chase reports, get used to hearing "you should have been here yesterday".

 

[jamisonace]

That day is a top 10 memory for me. I wouldn't trade it for too many other days on the water.

Ouch. Thinking about this, I'm not sure if it's worse not hooking into any steel for a year, or what you describe. Oof!

 

[DrTheopolis]

Go fishing WHEN you CAN! If conditions happen to be perfect on a day you CAN go....great. If you wait for perfect conditions, or chase reports, get used to hearing "you should have been here yesterday".

Best advice yet.

Assuming the river is at all fishable.

 

[OnTheDrop]

Steelheading is like cocaine. Just one more cast...Just one more cast... Set time limits, Daily Spending, Etc so you don't get consumed by it, and forget about everything else in life. I also hope you don't have a wife, or a husband.

I'm a full blown addict, that likes to share with others.

Good luck on your quest.

( PS. You can't overdose on Steelheading, so ignore the people who say you can. )

 

[bubs]

Go fishing WHEN you CAN! If conditions happen to be perfect on a day you CAN go....great. If you wait for perfect conditions, or chase reports, get used to hearing "you should have been here yesterday".

Yeah this. Days that aren't the perfect conditions might actually offer their own unique possibilities (not mention fewer fellow anglers) and almost even simplify things. For example, steelhead might make big collective pushes at certain times (e.g. when it starts to rain and the river is just going up) so if you can find a spot where they'd be pinned into a narrow area as they move up, you might drift something repeatedly at that spot to act as a sort of gauntlet they have to pass. Or, if the river is pretty high already the fish might be either moving/holding near the bank, or in sheltered upriver spots, and you can pin them there. Or, if the river is low & clear, you might be able to guess those few spots where they're going to feel the most safe and rule out the rest of the river.

On the other hand, when the river is in perfect condition, sometimes I find myself doing more work because I feel the fish are more spread out and I'm on the move trying to find them across wider areas - not to mention, with perfect conditions your options of how to catch them are pretty much wide open so sometimes I almost get a bit crazy with changing riggings from bobber to drift to spoon/spinner because I'm working all kinds of water..

 

[Casting Call]

Steelheading is like cocaine. Just one more cast...Just one more cast... Set time limits, Daily Spending, Etc so you don't get consumed by it, and forget about everything else in life. I also hope you don't have a wife, or a husband.

I'm a full blown addict, that likes to share with others.

Good luck on your quest.

( PS. You can't overdose on Steelheading, so ignore the people who say you can. )

Tanner you think you have it bad! try center-pin with those long,long drifts!!!!! bobber down eh! Tony