Coaxing slick tailout steel = frustration

[ChezJfrey]

Try as I might, I just can't negotiate with the steelhead I've seen in slick tailouts. Drives me nuts because over the past few months, I've seen a bunch of 'em, so I know I'm definitely casting to fish and that part makes me feel better, but I just can't get them to bite. I realize given the visibility, they're going to be cautious, but you'd think some of them might take an OFFer of some sort...especially the new arrivals I've seen cruise in and stop?

So, yesterday, of course I'm gonna check a certain spot and sure enough, from behind my spy bush, I see one holding about 5 feet behind a rock. I slink off through the brush and start off dead drifting a wet fly with an egg pattern trailer a few times. Then I try swinging something else. Then I try a small black spinner a la Jed's suggestion and, as normal, nothing.

While I'm working, I see a guy move into the pool below and work toward me. When he gets to the riffles he notices me upriver and stops there. Since I've spent about 45 minutes, I pick my stuff up, walk through the shore brush and tell him there's a steelhead hanging out and point out where.

He mentions that he hasn't been there in awhile and last year he had a 7 fish day in that pool he was working on. Of course, I've had no love there either Anyway, I tell him I've tried for quite some time so figured I'd let him have a crack at it and see if he could do anything with it.

He ties on a black spinner, though a larger one than what I was trying, and casts straight up, reeling back with the current, to the left of the lie. Then he casts again, to the right. Third cast, the lure hits the water about 5 feet in front of the rock and immediately as it hits the water, the guy thinks he's snagged...nope, a second later, a fairly large salmon of red and black shakes around in the surface.

For a split-second, I was about to cry because if he actually hooked that steelhead in four casts, with virtually the same tackle and technique I was using, I might have to just quit this altogether...LOL.

He lands the fish and releases it, "Not the one I wanted." Oh, and BTW, that fish must've just cruised as he cast because there was no such fish there while I was looking!

I go check and the steelhead is still there, but I'm sure it's probably much more wary now given the commotion. He casts a couple more times, then really gets snagged and as he's trying to free the line, slips on the rocks a few times and crashes the water a bit too much causing the fish to take off. Of course I'm sure he's thinking I'm making up stories now...hehehehe.

So phew...it's not just me.

 

[Mad dog]

Try a clear float, flouro leader, #4 hook, just enough weight to keep the bait in the strike zone but drift freely as natural as possible. I've been using tiny baits of freshly cured summer steelhead roe, barely enough to cover a #4 hook, I bet I've watched at least 6 slick water steelhead eat the bait this summer.

What time of day are you fishing? Lot's of variables at play, are you sure someone didn't just fish over those fish before you fished it? a lot of the time if a certain steelhead moves around a lot in the hole, looks aggitated, or otherwise shows any interest in my offerings I can usually get that fish to eat it. There are some slickwater spots where I can never or almost never get the fish to show any interest....maybe you are fishing one of those kind of spots?

 

[waco]

Hey you should take me to this spot!!! LOL

 

[ChezJfrey]

Over the months, I've tried morning, evening, cloudy days thinking the exposure on a sunny mid-day would be even more difficult, but still without success. I always use flouro leaders (6 and 8 pound for the clear running summer water) and typically around a 4 and 2 hook since I try to keep things smaller in summer and have also tried the clear float idea, but not with bait...only small corkies, with and without yarn, so bait might be worth a try.

In my time spent there, I've also only had one fish chase a spinner for a little while but that's it. I hardly ever see anyone there, so I don't think anyone was fishing it earlier and even so, I've been there a bunch of times where new fish move in and they still don't bite. Maybe this is like one of those areas you mention that, for whatever reason, are just not interested in that spot.

It's just a bummer since there is little public access on the river and this spot is just enough of a walk to keep many people away, but is not really all that difficult to reach in summer and since I've seen so many fish, was hoping I could latch onto one. Maybe that's why I hardly see anyone...they just don't bite there?

 

[ChezJfrey]

Hey you should take me to this spot!!! LOL

I've seen tons of fish and can't' catch 'em. You show me what to do, with proof of success, and we might have a deal! Though, I will say, my last two times I've only seen about 4 fish, whereas a month or so ago, it was more like a dozen

 

[DYJ]

Sounds like you're on the right track. Keep it small, and use your 6# leader. But I'd deffinatly drift some good roe or a small chunk of sand shrimp tail through there. I've never had much luck catching steelhead without bait. I drift a night crawler if nothing else...

 

[skunk]

Hey you should take me to this spot!!! LOL

Get in line waco! Hahah

 

[skunk]

I've seen tons of fish and can't' catch 'em. You show me what to do, with proof of success, and we might have a deal! Though, I will say, my last two times I've only seen about 4 fish, whereas a month or so ago, it was more like a dozen

Keep trying all diff. types of stuff, specially what maddog said, eventually you will get one or at least learn a whole bunch in the process. I never give up on a spot if I see fish there. Sometimes, its just being there on the right fish.

 

[ChezJfrey]

Keep trying all diff. types of stuff, specially what maddog said, eventually you will get one or at least learn a whole bunch in the process. I never give up on a spot if I see fish there. Sometimes, its just being there on the right fish.

And that's the same type of thinking that keeps me going back...I know they are there so I can't just let it go! hehehehe

 

[halibuthitman]

try using a black muddler minnow or a stonefly nymph, cast upstream of the fish, after your line lays out throw a powerful mend upstream and try to drop and roll the fly on the bottom in front of the fish, mend as much as needed but you will not be able to avoid slack line with this approach but if the steel hit it they will be hooked or not anyway. sometimes you can lift the muddler right in front of the beast and provoke a hit-

 

[Mad dog]

Over the months, I've tried morning, evening, cloudy days thinking the exposure on a sunny mid-day would be even more difficult, but still without success. I always use flouro leaders (6 and 8 pound for the clear running summer water) and typically around a 4 and 2 hook since I try to keep things smaller in summer and have also tried the clear float idea, but not with bait...only small corkies, with and without yarn, so bait might be worth a try.

In my time spent there, I've also only had one fish chase a spinner for a little while but that's it. I hardly ever see anyone there, so I don't think anyone was fishing it earlier and even so, I've been there a bunch of times where new fish move in and they still don't bite. Maybe this is like one of those areas you mention that, for whatever reason, are just not interested in that spot.

It's just a bummer since there is little public access on the river and this spot is just enough of a walk to keep many people away, but is not really all that difficult to reach in summer and since I've seen so many fish, was hoping I could latch onto one. Maybe that's why I hardly see anyone...they just don't bite there?

Sounds like you have a firm grasp on the situation as far as technique and tacklewise, 1st off, ditch the corkies and Jed Davis book and get some orange beads or EZ eggs. I'm telling you, there is no better summer steelhead bait than good roe, if you have never put roe in front of them before, do it next time! :think:

Water temps??? Maybe the temps in your river are too high and has put the fish off? Also, what is the bottom structure like? Rocks, boulders, ledges, gravel, sand??? Do the fish hold uniquely to a couple structures in the hole or spread all over? My favorite summer water is slick water and there are 2 or 3 spots that the fish prefer to lay, if there are only 2 or 3 fish in the hole they will almost always fill those spots first. If a good push of new fish is moving through there are others spots that they will begin using, I can get those fish to bite more frequently than what I call the top spots. One such top spot I fish is a big square rock under the surface....doesn't really look like much, if you weren't sight fishing and didn't know that steelhead liked to lay there you wouldn't give it a 2nd look! The fish will lay behind 1 certain corner of that rock without fail, those fish are all but impossible! But if fish stack up around the rock outside ot the top spot, more often than not, I can get one. One particular day this summer, this hole was covered up with summers, probably a dozen or more. There was one good sized fish laying behind the corner of the square rock and another good sized fish laying outside of the top spot. The 2nd fish seemed aggitated, he moved in front of the rock, alongside the rock, behind the other fish, he just didn't seem happy where he was! I had fished over these guys a couple of times that morning over a couple hour period, the fish behind the corner of the rock wouldn't budge while the other moved from lie to lie. Once the sun was bright on the water I fished them again, after only a couple of casts the 2nd steelhead turned and followed my bait a good 15-20 ft. The next cast as my bait swung across in front of the fish he turned and followed it down river. He turned towards me following the bait and I watched the white of his mouth as he ate the bait, never felt a thing! Within a few seconds the rod loaded all quivery like....34 years of steelhead fishing experience told me what that was! A quick set and I was on!!! It was pretty cool to watch that fish that morning! I knew I would catch him!

 

[halibuthitman]

1st off, ditch the corkies and Jed Davis book and get some orange beads

he he he he... can I get a shirt in a size large, one hoody and mabe a long sleeve for mornings... oh and about 200 bumper stickers to hand out. -Thanks

 

[ChezJfrey]

1st off, ditch the corkies and Jed Davis book and get some orange beads or EZ eggs.

LOL. I see so many touting that book as some sort of bible, so I figured I'd try to stick with the principles he mentions. You're probably the first I've seen to say fuggeddaboudit. I'm definitely not gonna argue with you because Jed's gotten me nowhere with these fish!

Water temps??? Maybe the temps in your river are too high and has put the fish off? Also, what is the bottom structure like? Rocks, boulders, ledges, gravel, sand??? Do the fish hold uniquely to a couple structures in the hole or spread all over? My favorite summer water is slick water and there are 2 or 3 spots that the fish prefer to lay, if there are only 2 or 3 fish in the hole they will almost always fill those spots first. If a good push of new fish is moving through there are others spots that they will begin using, I can get those fish to bite more frequently than what I call the top spots. One such top spot I fish is a big square rock under the surface....doesn't really look like much, if you weren't sight fishing and didn't know that steelhead liked to lay there you wouldn't give it a 2nd look! The fish will lay behind 1 certain corner of that rock without fail, those fish are all but impossible! But if fish stack up around the rock outside ot the top spot, more often than not, I can get one. One particular day this summer, this hole was covered up with summers, probably a dozen or more. There was one good sized fish laying behind the corner of the square rock and another good sized fish laying outside of the top spot. The 2nd fish seemed aggitated, he moved in front of the rock, alongside the rock, behind the other fish, he just didn't seem happy where he was! I had fished over these guys a couple of times that morning over a couple hour period, the fish behind the corner of the rock wouldn't budge while the other moved from lie to lie. Once the sun was bright on the water I fished them again, after only a couple of casts the 2nd steelhead turned and followed my bait a good 15-20 ft. The next cast as my bait swung across in front of the fish he turned and followed it down river. He turned towards me following the bait and I watched the white of his mouth as he ate the bait, never felt a thing! Within a few seconds the rod loaded all quivery like....34 years of steelhead fishing experience told me what that was! A quick set and I was on!!! It was pretty cool to watch that fish that morning! I knew I would catch him!

Earlier, they were pretty high, like around 60, so that might have something to do with it, but the last couple times out there, we're down in the 52-54 range, and that seems OK from what I can gather.

I think you're right about that 'prime spot' thing as there are definitely certain spots they prefer. The bottome is all rocks, with some larger ones they sit behind/in front and a ledge carved out of the far bank some like to sit beside. I've actually joked with a couple people that if I take them there, I can tell them ahead of time where there will be a fish because it's near certain. I've noticed that a couple times, I've seen the slightly bigger ones actually nip at any fish that moves over too close and the 2nd fish has to find another spot. Sounds like that 2nd fish is the one I need to target since they have to find a lower class spot.

 

[steelhead_stalkers]

Good advise from Mad Dog. We use small light tackle or the summers on the McKenzie and a large % of them hang in nice tail outs. Try using a small pink worm under a float. I have a lot of luck this time of year with small egg patterns tied with our yarn. The fish are feeding on eggs and for some reason in low clear water the yarn works really well. Good luck!

 

[Mad dog]

Current speed? What is the current speed like? Is it a slower, wider stretch of river? Or is it a decent steelhead drift fishing current, about as fast as a man can walk?

I just keep thinking about the fisherman that you encountered that claimed a 7 fish day last year. If that is true then they can be caught!

 

[plumb2fish]

Don't give up....if you can see em, 90% of the time you can get a take.....it's all about presentation....If small and subtle doesn't work, before giving up try large, bright and gawdy...it will either spook em or p*** em off....

 

[halibuthitman]

another trick would be to target these fish at the very crack of dawn or near dark, some spots turn off withing 20-30 minutes of the sun coming up... I have two spots that will never give you a fish once the sun has been up for 15 or 20 minutes-

 

[skunk]

another trick would be to target these fish at the very crack of dawn or near dark, some spots turn off withing 20-30 minutes of the sun coming up... I have two spots that will never give you a fish once the sun has been up for 15 or 20 minutes-

That's true, I had one spot where if I was first on site in the morning I could get the natives to take easy, soon as the sky lightened they move off into the current and I'd have to go up a bit to the actual hole to get a take.

 

[alseaalumaweld]

so did you go back and catch them yet?

 

[ChezJfrey]

so did you go back and catch them yet?

<sigh>Not yet...work is gettin' in the way this week. Hopefully there will still be some there when I can get out there next, maybe this coming weekend?