[gill_cutter]

I would like to hear some thoughts on the run this year. How's it been? Where to go? Where not to go? Preferred method? Any pics?

This is my first year fishing for Steelhead, so I would like to pick your brains.

 

[haringsjosh]

Addicted to salmon now, ask in winter. Get em while they are here!

 

[gill_cutter]

There comes a time when its time for a change. When the freezer is already full of Salmon and you want new challeges, you try something different.
Josh,
Good luck on your Salmon, but last I heard you cant catch a summer steelhead in the winter.

 

[haringsjosh]

Currently not fishing steelhead. Sorry, been doing quite a bit of salmon fishing lately, the fun gets out. I have seen the bankies catching a lot of steelhead up by bonneville the last few days. Most fish are being caught with spin-glo and they are also using rainbow spinners. Seen more steelhead taken from bank then boat the last week. Not many fisherman up by bonnie yet. The gillnetters are anchored up there, don't know when they are fishing though. Today saw maybe 10 steelhead caught off bank above the fishery, no salmon for me today but a few on monday including one 30+. Thats my report for now.

 

[dejawho75]

My summer Steelhead this year was a bust so far. Only say that, cause it could change once we get some rain. I got 5 on my tags so far. All from the Wilson River.

Prefered method depended on on water conditions and flow. At the start, we had some rain that gave me a 2 day window of opportunity which I did get 3. 1 on the pink worm and 2 on bobber and jig. As the water dropped and it was stagnate, I went to 6lb florocarbine and a nice First Bite Micro Jig. Fished the fast white water and came up with 2 on seperate trips.

To summarize my summer steelie season, SLOW and nothing like last year. 5 fish for at least 12 trips is bad for me. I pretty much have hung up my steelie gear until the 1st fall rains. When it does come...look out!

Deja

 

[First Bite]

I would like to hear some thoughts on the run this year. How's it been? Where to go? Where not to go? Preferred method? Any pics?

This is my first year fishing for Steelhead, so I would like to pick your brains.

Compared to previous years I think the numbers of summer steelhead are down region wide.

Small jigs and/or baits fished under a tiny cork have been the ticket for me. Scale down your offering and watch for the light biters.

Mark

 

[steelymann]

I did pretty well but up in the gorge area. Small flies was the ticket. Had lots of hook-ups.

~steelymann~

 

[tailwalker]

#1 Rouge Corkie night crawler/#4 blue fox
#2 Columbia Troll Plugs
#3 Deschutes Bounce #4 Blue fox
#4 Hood River Drift fish shrimp/eggs
Good luck

I would like to hear some thoughts on the run this year. How's it been? Where to go? Where not to go? Preferred method? Any pics?

This is my first year fishing for Steelhead, so I would like to pick your brains.

 

[12244]

I have trouble with big spinners like BF#4 just to heavy on the retrieve, and I need at least 12lb line, preferably 14.
How do you handle throwing lg ones?
I swing and feed my #3 for some super long drifts. Doing this with a 4 would wipe me out. My med light long rods dont like 4s either, and I can't really get that thumpin feeling of exact action, that I get with a 3. I also notice mine will slow and hover behind smaller rocks even in the center or across the river. That happens mostly when I take the line down to 8-10 lbs.
For me 4's are great for backeddys, deep holes, Salmon, or need the spinnner weight to throw it far enough!
I hooked a beast chromer salmon yrs ago behind the guideshop on a 3, the treble held, but the net job was bad.
I do find a lot of lg spinners in the water and most of the time the line used was too light or way to heavy.

 

[ampersat]

Could you elaborate on the summer steelie fishing you want info on? Are we talking Columbia fish (anchored or trolling plugs or spinners) or tribs (drift fishing, jigs, fly)?

 

[gill_cutter]

As of right now I am looking to fish for steelhead off the bank on mainly the Clackamas and/or Sandy Rivers. When the water level picks up to safely drift my clackacraft, I will give that a shot too.

 

[rola76]

Summer steelheading, for the most part, has been great for me so far! Most of my trips have been drifting on the Klick, but I've done well on the Cow as well as at Underwood.:clap: Drano, on the other hand, is a whole different story for me in two trips!!:redface:

I'd have to say the most "fun" so far was hitting 6 steelies with my wife on the Klick in a very short float...she was stoked!! Best thing about it...she was ready to go back two days later and we stuck 2 more chromers!!

 

[fishermast]

Clack should have good numbers still if the water temp holds. Ive had good sucess so far with #3 blue foxes in a variety of dark colors. Had one great day with bobber and jig. Fish water that has a choppy surface and that is moving 1.5 to 4 ft deep. also fish seams with boulders. Also fish these spots hard try different colors and methods before moving on. The most imortant thing is fish from the bank. If you have a boat, park the boat well up stream from where you want to fish and walk to your spot. the fish will be less spooky. One last thing is dont limit your self to fishing mornings and evenings Ive caught a number of fish in the middle of the day. Good Luck!!

 

[Steelhead Stalker6]

Glad to see someone wants to take on the challenge of summer run steel chrome, first thing is you wanna be there FIRST Light!! fish the main drift work it hard, befor you cast try to spot any resting fish in the hole if any are seen go for them, if un able to spot fish work the head end first down to the tailout, fish the boulders hard just off the current rip and fish the seams! if after about 15 minutes no strikes switch baits, or colors, I can not tell you how many times I have walked into a hole not spotted fish and switch baits and finally banged fish on my 4 or 5th offering,

after you pound the hole move on, you always want to be moving for summer run steelies, its better to fish 15 holes for 30 mintues than to fish 3 or 4 holes for an hour or so, as soon as the sun hits the water you might as well forget about the main drift unless its deep, move up into the fast highly oxygenated water pretty much white water, find a big boulder and fish it, also fish the fast tailouts that have a nice rolling riffle.

Last but not least bring a bobber rod and a drift rod, so you can pound the jigs and the bait, my go to bait is a jig for summer run then bait, you want small offerings first bite micro jigs are AWESOME Jigs!! for summers, have a good variety of jigs and make sure to bring some fresh shrimp, KEEP YOUR OFFERING SMALL AND USE LIGHT LINE!!!! can not stress that enough and watch for the light biters! also if your running a bobber and jig MEND YOUR LINE, if your dragging your jig your not fishing.

Follow these rules and you will catch fish, I have hooked into over 30 fish this summer and you can to, GOOD LUCK and GO GET EM!!!:laugh:

 

[chrome obsession]

Pink pearl corky w/either white or pink yarn w/ a shrimp tail or a quarter size glob of eggs....