Mckenzie steelhead question..

[Damon79]

Is there anyone on here willing to share their secrets or at least give some advice on catching Steelhead on the Mckenzie? Gonna hit it on Sunday again and am hoping to maybe get into some steel as well as a Chinook or two... Any help is greatly appreciated... Tight lines to all and stay safe out there.

Damon

 

[Snagger]

Try jigs under a float in the softer water. Drift fishing a size 10 or 12 corkie and yarn has always produced, if the fish are biting. The water has been high on the Mac and Willy, the current is gonna give you a work out. There are fish to be caught however.

 

[JeannaJigs]

Can't wait to get out there with my boat myself, wish I wasn't working on it right now! With it this
high I'd throw size 4 spinners, working the slower seams. Friend of mine has been nailing them with a red and bronze homemade spinner this week

 

[Damon79]

Thanks for the advice.. I have pretty much got winter fish down to a science now, but still never got a summer fish.. Partly because I dont fish for them that mcuh though.. The water is down almost a foot from last sunday, so the flow will be much easier to handle. Hope we do well.. Tight lines to all.

 

[JodysaHoser]

Caught one yesterday on a #4 Black Blue Fox. Bright chrome summer.

 

[steelheadstalker31]

Black spinners seem to work well on the Mac, and we have also done well with silver and blue. We've caught them on roe, jigs, pink worms, and red worms. I don't think they behave much different than winter fish. They just fight better once you hook them.

 

[Damon79]

Black spinners seem to work well on the Mac, and we have also done well with silver and blue. We've caught them on roe, jigs, pink worms, and red worms. I don't think they behave much different than winter fish. They just fight better once you hook them.

Well I have caught some hellacious fighters on the Siuslaw in the winter, so I have great anticipation for a good summer fish. I am just so used to drift fishing in the winter, I have a hard time trying different methods---hence the lack of confidence. But maybe tomorrow will be my day.. My oldest kid (14) has decided she wants to go with us for her first ever salmon fishing day, and only second time in a drift boat. Hope we can get into some fish and show her it is not as boring as she thinks. Bet she brings a book though, she loves to read..

 

[rippin fish lips]

i have caught a ton of trout/salmon/steelhead on these lures on the mac, good lures to use!

1) thomas spoon 1/4oz.
2) size 3 & 4 blue fox, all chrome, blue and chrome, pink and chrome, black.
3)panther martins
4)castmaster

 

[rippin fish lips]

went on the mac today, caught 15 trout and one 19 inch cutty all brooded up from the winter! put up a great fight, taking line, head shakes like a steelhead..thought it was one but it wasn't, still good morning of fishing!

 

[steelheadstalker31]

If you insist on drift fishing, I would throw a 6" berkley pink worm, or some good roe.

 

[natro]

I went up today in the afternoon. On my way up I stopped into one of the gas stations there on the lower river. Asked the kid at the counter if he had heard or seen any fish caught recently. He said his dad and brother went out in the morning (don't know where though, or if it was in a boat or what, I didn't ask), and he said they hooked 6 and landed 4. He said he thought they were just using a corkie and nightcrawlers. Went to below the hatchery and watched a guy catch 2 within a half hour of each other. He ended up landing his first one right where I was, and I asked him what he was using. It was just a small red corkie all by itself. His reasoning was that he figured the fish have constantly had a lot of different things thrown at them, so he decided to go small so it wouldn't spook them.