Steelhead Masters

[Phish_on]

Oh wise ones, tell us more of the ways of the elusive steelhead ...

How do you go about guessing the path they will take up a river? I have heard they will take "the path of least resistance", makes sense, not fighting the current in the main channel - but it almost always seems to me that this could be on either side of the channel. Do you think they prefer to be in deeper water, or would they choose a shallow riffle off to the side ? What if there was an island with the big water on one side and a small channel on the other, say a couple feet deep?

Or is it just more important to recognize their "holding" areas? It seems that it would be helpful to know where they are coming in to a hole, when trying to locate where they might be stopping ...

I humbly await your teachings.

[Shannon]

STRIKE ZONE,
The back water is definitely the place I go when the water is high. I used to hike up to the upper end of Barton out on the top. The high water would eddy back in areas. I have pulled 3 fish out of there in my fishing escapade during 98'. I couldn't beleive how shallow they were hangin. Size 12 corky, size 2 Gama and a cluster the size of a dime.

[STRIKE ZONE]

Shannon,
Try it after a freshet also,you'd be surprised.Good luck
STRIKE ZONE

[Centerpin]

This poor guy is going to have to work a little harder to get anything worthwhile out of you two. I love fishing the frog water too. If my float is going around in circles within the back eddy I am catching fish.

[STRIKE ZONE]

Have you ever heard of back water steel heading??? Try it some time!!!!!
Good luck, STRIKE ZONE

[smilesforu]

Phish good question
The fish will take both sides. The trick is to figure out which one will get more so you can narrow your "hot zone" down. Look for tailouts above a rapid, rocks in a channel or a slack seam along a fast water shoot. Narrow it down ....Narrow it down!! They must come by. Now getting your timing down for when they pass is another situation. If you are close to tide water the fish will come in a wave of action. If somebody hits a fish get ready! If you see fish roll....get ready! Tide fish will come at all times of the tide, First push of the tide, high slack and then on the ebb. They will also sneak in during a low tide if they can get past the mouth bar.

This is tide fishing in a nutshell. But in a regular hole upstream you should look downstream to see where they enter the hole. It will help put a piece of the puzzle in place. Hope this doesn't make me a master since I replied. I am still learning new tricks.
Tight Lines

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Marty M
Steelheader.net

[Trout,myster]

Phish-

This seems to work for me. Look upriver! If you were a fish trying to get up the creek, which path would you take? When they go up through a rapids, which side of the tailout provides the first opportunity to rest? Big boulder on one side? Good area. Remember, at the same time they are being "lazy", they also like cover. The easiest flowing water is likely where they'll be (that is, the easiest flowing chute).

When the river is high, the suggestions given already will serve you well. Then you're fishing for holding fish until the water drops some to allow them easier passage.

If you can find one, try reading Bill Luch's "Steelhead Drift Fishing". Excellent book with lots of knowledge. Another good one is Stan Fagerstrom's "Catch More Steelhead". I read these when I started and still refer to them. Definite good addition to your fishing library.

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Troutmyster

[Hammer Bob]

Use any color you wish as long as it is pink and white.

fish and your line will get wet....that is a good thing!!

[happybrew]

I am in no way a steelhead master, but one thing that I have noticed is that often, fish that have been fighting heavy current will rest in shallow eddies off to the side, often near rocks or tree roots.

Another place they often rest is the tailout of a pool, after fighting the rapids below it.

Unfortunately I do not have enough experience to know if these are actually good places to get them to bite. If they're resting, after getting tired out by the current, they may not have the energy to chase anything.

happybrew

[FISHFINDER]

The least techinical and least confusing answer that I give people when asked about steelhead water is fish them as you would a trout. Ie: behind boulders, current seams and tailouts. And don't be afraid to fish too close to shore. With pink, white and of course, fresh eggs.

FF