Winter steelies

[excuse me]

Its early for winter steelhead even if we had normal water conditions. If this drought lasts past the Thanksgiving holiday weekend though, I have an idea for you. Watch the tide charts for a real high tide, around an 8 to 9 footer. If it has a strong runoff to a low tide of around 1 to -1 right after the big high, the fish will have moved up into holes near the upper end of tidewater transition areas around high tide, and you can fish on groups of fresh fish with more normal methods in the artificially tidal enhanced river current. Float fish eggs and follow that with small Kwikfish or Hot Shots while anchored in the shallows above the holes. In the real clear water it helps to have some tree shade or cloud cover. Of course you already knew that. :wink:

[KingFisher85]

It all started last year on the Notellum River. (I WILL NOT TELL, sorry, Its open and not one person on it)

It was the winter steelhead of 2001 and I was just learning how to fish for steelhead. I had found a deep hole for this part of the river and the fish were stacked in. I tossed in and on the first cast, tap tap and I set the hook. This fish took off, slowly, this fish was hugging bottom. With 10 pound main line and 10 pound leader line I was not about ready to start horsing this fish in. At the time I thought that It was a big winter run Chinook, or just a late fall run fish. I was starting to believe that this fish is a big Chinook and just running around on bottom when it jump and I could tell right then and that's to bright to be a Chinook this far up river, its just one really big bright steelhead. I was already thinking on how I was going to bank this big fish, just because I'm standing on a small cliff and the river is at its all time winter high levels. It took about 20 minutes to fight this big steelhead to the bank, he jumped 6 times and all. The only way I was going to be able to bank this hog is to slowly pull the fish up river a few to were I can step down and grab a hold of it. Well, on the second try the fish was done for and came in on his side. I grabbed him and had a death grip on him. I nice 39 inch buck winter steelhead. The biggest steelhead I have banked so far.
In the same day I banked one more 37 inch buck steelhead and hooked into five others that were just as big if not bigger that all snapped my line.
What a day, and then just a few days later I ended up fishing the same hole, but one the way down I tripped and went down right on a nice round rock, landed right on my leg. I almost ended up in the hospital but I don't want to go there.

[ampersat]

i got a tip from a buddy that steelies were being taken in a particular hole on the clack not usually known for steelies. i got down to the hole and two other guys were in there already. we said our hello's, i rigged up and joined the line. i managed to get a six pounder for the day, the only fish caught in the hole.

the next weekend, i headed for the sandy in search of similar water. i'd thought about it all week and determined where i'd have my best chance. i hiked in, tied up and started casting. it couldn't have been more than thirty minutes when i hooked into the hottest steelie i've come across yet. it probably took me some ten minutes to finally land it (with the adrenaline, who knows?). several heated runs between the slow pump and reel down, pump and reel down, taking up line, keeping the pressure on until finally there it was in the shallow water. it was probably the largest fish i've landed to date, a chrome bright native winter steelie. wouldn't you know it, no camera. i can still see it in my mind though, and i'm still looking for a fish to top it.

i'm absolutely salivating for winter steelie season this year. i'm getting better at my techniques and this year i've got a drift boat and there's a line of front seaters building. c'mon baby. let's go!

[KingFisher85]

Oh I can't wait till the Winter Steelhead are in. :hoboy: :shocked: :grin: I keep getting better and better at It every year. Lets see how I do at this years run? :cool:

[fishguy]

.... must be just around the corner with all of the threads on plugs and drift bobbers. I want to here some fantastic tales of winter fish and or trips from last winter season. I'll share one later but I have to go to class right now.