Steelhead 1, ChezJfrey 0

[ChezJfrey]

Hmmm, went to the Wilson for my first crack at a steelhead, ever, yesterday on the Wilson. From what I understand, the water looked pretty good...mostly clear, but a green hue in the deeper sections. After covering as much water as I could in a few miles stretch, I got shut out. I thought for sure I'd catch one of those pickles...LOL!

Instead, I went home with a pretty beat up spinner from all the tumbling around I spent the first half of my time up there launching one of my arsenal of home-made spinners. Turns out with moving water and a set of waders, I didn't need all 40 of 'em (LOL!) as I was able to figure a quick way to extract every single one of my many snag-ups in the submerged rocks while trying to keep it near the bottom.

The second half of the time, I switched out my rig for a float/jig set-up, tipped with a short, pink worm.

Never saw a fish, never felt a fish and the closest I think I came was when I encountered what appeared to be a salmon carcass on the rocks...<sigh> If at first you don't succeed, try a bigger pickle jar

Perhaps the steelhead's reputation as sly is well deserved. But, I'm counting my casts and I'm still positive I'll net one before 1,000 JK...well, about that counting cast part...hehehe

 

[FISHHEADMAFIA]

Just keep at it . Ask a lot of questions . Talk to people on the river . Watch people on the river .
The winter steelie is my favorite of all . Besides over size sturgeon .
I prefer drifting corkie and yarn . But have been known to use a float now and then , but rarely .
You snag up drifting , and it takes about forever worth of practice to get the feel for it , but 95% of my steel is had with a cork and yarn .
There is a short video on my web page that shows how I tie up a drift rig .
Some of the vids take a hell of a long time to load but hey , I built the page myself !
Seriously , I have shown several people on the river how to tie up , seen them a week or two later and got thanks and high fives cause they finally hooked a fish .
Just practice , and pick a method that works for you .
The steelie IS sly , but not that sly .

 

[brandon4455]

i know how ya feel, same thing happened to me at the nestucca,, one of those days where you are like "the water looks efect i hope to alteast see a fish" ad it's just completely dead

 

[CoastieFlo]

just remember steelhead are just big dumb trout also a good tip is to learn just one productive stretch of river, either where they release smolts or maybe there is an acclimation pond nearby or similar........you are better off to know one spot or hole and fish it hard all day than just fish here and there not knowing the water.

 

[halibuthitman]

just remember steelhead are just big dumb trout also a good tip is to learn just one productive stretch of river, either where they release smolts or maybe there is an acclimation pond nearby or similar........you are better off to know one spot or hole and fish it hard all day than just fish here and there not knowing the water.

regardeless of the truth or productiveness of the above advice....which is probably correct.. sounds more like work than fun... I say... lets have a look around, otherwise you may find yourself standing on the same rock for 45+ years!

 

[SantiamDrifter]

just remember steelhead are just big dumb trout also a good tip is to learn just one productive stretch of river, either where they release smolts or maybe there is an acclimation pond nearby or similar........you are better off to know one spot or hole and fish it hard all day than just fish here and there not knowing the water.

I would have to disagree. You can do that for salmon. But to really be a successful steelheader you need to keep moving. I can't say it any better then this article here.

Steelhead University - Early Season Steelhead Tactics

 

[cddunn]

Perhaps the steelhead's reputation as sly is well deserved. But, I'm counting my casts and I'm still positive I'll net one before 1,000 JK...well, about that counting cast part...hehehe

I wonder if you get one 7/8 of the way to the bank, do you have to start your 1000 cast count over again?

 

[youngbuck307]

I say learn one whole river well and fish it not just one hole plenty of times I can stand on a fish toss the whole box at it and wants nothing to do with me at all. Could of got hooked earlyer that day or what have u. But moving from hole to hole like I do now. I notice lot of my fish come on the first few passes that are placed right. So if I don't bump hook or see fish after 20-30 cast or how ever many it takes to work the hole over really good. I'll move Maybe some fish just don't want to bite I don't know I just move till I find the ones that do.

 

[youngbuck307]

Btw If I know fish are really on the move I do have a few rocks I can stand on all
day and do really good