First year steelheading

[HombreLibro85]

Been fishing the Clack quite a bit and im having some trouble getting bites. Would love some advice. All i want this year is to catch some fish!!

 

[hobster]

What techniques are you using? You should be a bit more specific for help. Don’t feel bad, I spent around 50 hours fishing for steel before landing my first if I remember correctly

 

[troutdude]

Welcome to OFF @HombreLibro85. Glad to have ya.

Hobster is right. Some first timers get lucky. Others spend many hours until they nab some Steel. And we need rain, to stir the pot. Good timing is to hold OFF until there's a big rain. Then hit it when the river levels drop OFF a bit. It's all about patience, determination, persistence, and figuring out what works best for the conditions that day.

Good luck and let us know how you do.

 

[my2labs]

My two cents: expect to spend some amazing time in nature, to disconnect from work, life’s bothers etc.....and every now again, you may feel the tug. Don’t enter expecting limits. ?. You’ve chosen a forum that has been extremely helpful to me in learning a solid base for steelhead fishing. However, setting your base and finding the right water, with the right presentation, at the right time are very different things. The river OFFers way more than just the tug of a steelie. — youve gotta be committed and stubborn. And even with those traits, I think it’s safe to say that many of us still draw blanks regularly. —good luck out there.

 

[troutdude]

My two cents: expect to spend some amazing time in nature, to disconnect from work, life’s bothers etc.....and every now again, you may feel the tug. Don’t enter expecting limits. ?. You’ve chosen a forum that has been extremely helpful to me in learning a solid base for steelhead fishing. However, setting your base and finding the right water, with the right presentation, at the right time are very different things. The river OFFers way more than just the tug of a steelie. — youve gotta be committed and stubborn. And even with those traits, I think it’s safe to say that many of us still draw blanks regularly. —good luck out there.

An excellent outlook!

 

[HombreLibro85]

What techniques are you using? You should be a bit more specific for help. Don’t feel bad, I spent around 50 hours fishing for steel before landing my first if I remember correctly

mostly fishing bobber presentations like jigs, beads, and eggs. 9'6 casting rod, and all my fishing is from the banks of the Clackamas

 

[pinstriper]

I don’t get what is so hard. The first fish I ever caught in my life was a native steelhead. Took about an hour after we launched. I caught a hatchery hen that same day a few hours later.

Its actually pretty simple once you know what it means when you can’t see your bobber any more.

Tanner was there, so that helps explain it.

 

[Aton]

Been fishing the Clack quite a bit and im having some trouble getting bites. Would love some advice. All i want this year is to catch some fish!!

mostly fishing bobber presentations like jigs, beads, and eggs. 9'6 casting rod, and all my fishing is from the banks of the Clackamas

It looks like they have only counted 48 total fish in the Clack so far
https://www.portlandgeneral.com/cor...-counts-fish-runs/clackamas-daily-fish-counts
I might suggest heading to the coast streams for a greater % chance. At least until some fish move on up.

 

[hobster]

I don’t get what is so hard. The first fish I ever caught in my life was a native steelhead. Took about an hour after we launched. I caught a hatchery hen that same day a few hours later.

Its actually pretty simple once you know what it means when you can’t see your bobber any more.

Tanner was there, so that helps explain it.

Yeah pretty easy to catch fish with Tanner. When I learned everybody was drift fishing, a much harder technique to learn. Especially when you learned on your own, without a guide

 

[hobster]

mostly fishing bobber presentations like jigs, beads, and eggs. 9'6 casting rod, and all my fishing is from the banks of the Clackamas

It’s tough out there right now, we need some good rains to get things going. This weekend should help hopefully. Fish low in the rivers is my advice.

 

[troutdude]

I might suggest heading to the coast streams for a greater % chance. At least until some fish move on up.

Yeah I've been thinking that very thing; ever since this thread first popped up. Switching to coastal streams--if you are able--would greatly increase your odds. You simply can't catch, what isn't there.

 

[pinstriper]

Yeah pretty easy to catch fish with Tanner. When I learned everybody was drift fishing, a much harder technique to learn. Especially when you learned on your own, without a guide

That was, in fact, my point.

 

[hobster]

That was, in fact, my point.

Yeah Mark, I understand your sense of humor buddy, just had to call you out on that one Thread hijack done.

The coastal streams would be a good choice, If there is enough water for fish to get in them Water will be clear and low and the fish spook easy, be very stealthy. Personally I think you'd have more luck low down in larger systems. The steelhead will come in to spawn no matter what, they will go as far as they can and stack up. Problem is getting them to bite in this low water

 

[Artwo]

4" pink worm on a white 1/4 oz jighead, 1/8 or 1/4 oz black/white head nightmare jigs, 10mm orange bead (soft) have all been producing lately for me on the Clack........