What is it about Steelheads....
- Thread starter lthrnk03
- Start date
i dont know what it is either. I've been steelhead fishing for two seasons, yet to land one, but i keep going back for more in the hope of catching one and getting it to hand.
30 inch fish. [poke]
Yes and yes. Big strong fish in what can be small streams is a challenge. It's a challenge to get the feel for when they take and a challenge to land them without their having their way with you by heading down-current or for any brush pile or sharp rock in the area. The fight is the draw for me.
This is said concerning east coast steelhead. In the west I understand them to take differently and the streams to be quite large.
fyshstykr
Well-known member
They fight well and can be tough to catch, but for me it's a respect thing, especially after learning about their life cycle and the journey they go through to return to their home water to start the cycle all over again. The fact that they can return to spawn 3 or 4 times, some as many as 5 doesn't hurt either.
Dec Hogan's book 'A passion for Steelhead' gives some fantastic detail into the life of these amazing fish.
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Passion-Steelhead-Masters-Fly/dp/0974642711/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322602848&sr=8-1"]Amazon.com: A Passion for Steelhead (Masters on the Fly series) (9780974642710): Dec Hogan: Books@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51d-q0mtlQL.@@AMEPARAM@@51d-q0mtlQL[/ame]
I've only been chasing them the last 3 years, hooking several and finally landing my first just over a month ago, I can say....I'm hooked on Steelhead!:thumbsup:
You'll understand exactly why when you look into that big dark mysterious eye of your first wild Steelhead.
Dec Hogan's book 'A passion for Steelhead' gives some fantastic detail into the life of these amazing fish.
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Passion-Steelhead-Masters-Fly/dp/0974642711/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322602848&sr=8-1"]Amazon.com: A Passion for Steelhead (Masters on the Fly series) (9780974642710): Dec Hogan: Books@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51d-q0mtlQL.@@AMEPARAM@@51d-q0mtlQL[/ame]
I've only been chasing them the last 3 years, hooking several and finally landing my first just over a month ago, I can say....I'm hooked on Steelhead!:thumbsup:
You'll understand exactly why when you look into that big dark mysterious eye of your first wild Steelhead.
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I am in full agreement with my fellow posters and will add this; whether you fish the Snake River system, the legendary rivers of the Pacific Northwest, or here in Alaska, these fish can often be very hard to come by. Everything there is to like about a wild rainbow trout is present in a steelhead trout by a multiple of '10'. This is not meant to disparage the Great Lakes fish but my experiences with the Lake Run fish has been considerably different than the wild fish that inhabit the Pacific Ocean and its rivers. In the great lakes the fish sometimes clog the channels of small creeks and although they often will exhibit lockjaw and be nearly impossible to entice to a fly, other times they can be caught in great numbers. This is seldom the case with the wild cousins and that only aids in building the mystique.
I think all of the explanations regarding their strength, elusiveness, and their incredible battle for continued existence in the wild contribute to the vaunted position they hold with the fly fisherman / naturalist.
I think all of the explanations regarding their strength, elusiveness, and their incredible battle for continued existence in the wild contribute to the vaunted position they hold with the fly fisherman / naturalist.
Bigfly
Well-known member
Haven't been able to make it to the great water back east.
So can't compare the two like Ard.
I believe what difference there is, may stem from the fact these western steelies fight for their lives in the Pacific ocean.
The first time I hooked one it took directly below me on the end of the swing just like we expect. I couldn't figure how I suddenly lost near a hundred feet of line in less time than it took to blink. My jaw dropped as it jumped three feet into the air on the other side of the river, with the line buried under heavy water currents. I couldn't believe it was my fish for a second. Took close to 10 minutes to land it. Wasn't that big. maybe two feet+.
That ain't your normal rainbow.
I believe the term that covers it,"heart stopping".
Andy Burk helped me learn some steel patterns this winter. One day he leaned over my shoulder and quietly counseled me how to approach it.
He said, "Tye with respect for the fish".
It seemed to help.....
Jim
So can't compare the two like Ard.
I believe what difference there is, may stem from the fact these western steelies fight for their lives in the Pacific ocean.
The first time I hooked one it took directly below me on the end of the swing just like we expect. I couldn't figure how I suddenly lost near a hundred feet of line in less time than it took to blink. My jaw dropped as it jumped three feet into the air on the other side of the river, with the line buried under heavy water currents. I couldn't believe it was my fish for a second. Took close to 10 minutes to land it. Wasn't that big. maybe two feet+.
That ain't your normal rainbow.
I believe the term that covers it,"heart stopping".
Andy Burk helped me learn some steel patterns this winter. One day he leaned over my shoulder and quietly counseled me how to approach it.
He said, "Tye with respect for the fish".
It seemed to help.....
Jim
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wt bash
Well-known member
Our Laker fish here are fun and all but they definitely lack the mysticism of Pacific Chrome. For the most part the lake fish tend to fight a little on the lazy side, don't get me wrong you'll get a few hot fish that make you wonder weather 100 yards was enough backing. Chances are its more than enough, still the thought of a 24"+ acrobatic rainbow does get the blood moving. Plus its something to do in the dead of winter when the resident trout don't feel like moving.
Bigfly
Well-known member
My friend and guide Tim drove up to Olympic peninsula to fish last year.
3000 mi. round trip from here.
He is fine tyer of classic patterns, and fishes well.
In two weeks, he had 6 grabs, 3 fish on, none to hand.
He had a big one air out less than fifty yards from the ocean, fresh as it gets....
He has the bug as bad as ever. Going again this year.
That is a pretty typical as far as I can tell, this is a habit as bad as any you can get.
Ask a guide years ago what I needed before taking up steel.
He said, "are you married"?
I said no, "good" he replied. "Otherwise you might need to get a divorce".
Jim
3000 mi. round trip from here.
He is fine tyer of classic patterns, and fishes well.
In two weeks, he had 6 grabs, 3 fish on, none to hand.
He had a big one air out less than fifty yards from the ocean, fresh as it gets....
He has the bug as bad as ever. Going again this year.
That is a pretty typical as far as I can tell, this is a habit as bad as any you can get.
Ask a guide years ago what I needed before taking up steel.
He said, "are you married"?
I said no, "good" he replied. "Otherwise you might need to get a divorce".
Jim
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fyshstykr
Well-known member
That's some funny stuff there Jim!
It's amazing to me that such an elusive fish can keep a person coming back for more abuse.
My first year I hooked three...landed none.
Mrs fysh hooked two and landed both. Her first was a 24" wild hen, her second was a bright chrome 33" natural male that came clean out of the water and tumbled head over tail no less than a dozen times.
Second year I hooked three more fish....landed none. Mrs fysh touched nothing.
This past October I remembered some sage advise that Ard gave me and landed my first Steelhead, a nice 30" natural female. It was an emotional moment for me knowing the journey these fish make and how damn hard I worked for it.
You hear of people needing to take a break after they catch their first, I was no different and sat on the bank sipping a mini bottle of 12 y.o. Glenlivet that had been making the trip with me since I started 3 yrs ago.
I hooked and landed one more smaller fish the next day, Mrs fysh hooked two and lost them both.
We both know the chances of getting skunked can be high but there is truly something about these fish that will keep you coming back for more. Next October cannot get here soon enough.
It's amazing to me that such an elusive fish can keep a person coming back for more abuse.
My first year I hooked three...landed none.
Mrs fysh hooked two and landed both. Her first was a 24" wild hen, her second was a bright chrome 33" natural male that came clean out of the water and tumbled head over tail no less than a dozen times.
Second year I hooked three more fish....landed none. Mrs fysh touched nothing.
This past October I remembered some sage advise that Ard gave me and landed my first Steelhead, a nice 30" natural female. It was an emotional moment for me knowing the journey these fish make and how damn hard I worked for it.
You hear of people needing to take a break after they catch their first, I was no different and sat on the bank sipping a mini bottle of 12 y.o. Glenlivet that had been making the trip with me since I started 3 yrs ago.
I hooked and landed one more smaller fish the next day, Mrs fysh hooked two and lost them both.
We both know the chances of getting skunked can be high but there is truly something about these fish that will keep you coming back for more. Next October cannot get here soon enough.
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anadromous angling addict
Member
I started fishing for "steelhead" or great lakes rainbow trout on Georgian Bay (Lake Huron) in Ontario. These are the fish that started me on fly fishing and there is a place deep in my heart for them.
After moving to BC I have been lucky enough to fish for summer steelhead in the river canyons of Vancouver Island and winter steelhead on the Dean, Bulkley and countless other west coast rivers. These fish are a hallmark of true wilderness and deserve the respect and admiration they get.
After moving to BC I have been lucky enough to fish for summer steelhead in the river canyons of Vancouver Island and winter steelhead on the Dean, Bulkley and countless other west coast rivers. These fish are a hallmark of true wilderness and deserve the respect and admiration they get.
mikel
Well-known member
It's a sickness. Started for me approx 1975. If you're swinging flies on coastal rivers, then it's "the take" which can be heartstopping....exactly as Bigfly described. You can be into your backing with a stoutish rod and reel in, uh, well, way faster than you'd believe until it happens to you...
We catch more in the west bobbicating than swinging. You surrender the take for more fish and the fight that comes with them.
It's all of the above...they are just majestic fish....more so for me than even silver salmon, which are an absolute hoot to catch, but present little challenge, most times...
Great question...-Mike
We catch more in the west bobbicating than swinging. You surrender the take for more fish and the fight that comes with them.
It's all of the above...they are just majestic fish....more so for me than even silver salmon, which are an absolute hoot to catch, but present little challenge, most times...
Great question...-Mike
I'm happy to see this thread back on the board. All you folks back east have March to look forward to in those Great Lakes rivers and creeks. March was always the most productive time for me whether I was fishing Ontario of Erie tributaries.
It has been a while since I have caught a fish that I knew was a true steelhead. Alaska, at least my range of Alaska is not the steelhead capital by any stretch of the imagination. However if you start at ice out and resign yourself to the fact that you may indeed spend several days floating a river and not even see a fish you might just run right into some.
Our trout are all rainbow trout, we have no browns and all of the rivers I fish freeze up real hard every winter. This tends to make all of our rainbows quite migratory in their life cycle. When spring arrives and the trout return you have no way to know where that fish you've landed has spent the past 5 months or so. If you are fortunate and you catch a really big fish with a healthy girth you almost expect it has came from the Inlet. By that I mean that they were in the salt water over the winter. It's because of this that if I happen to find some large rainbow early in the season I tend to think of them as steelhead and they are worth going bonkers over
It has been a while since I have caught a fish that I knew was a true steelhead. Alaska, at least my range of Alaska is not the steelhead capital by any stretch of the imagination. However if you start at ice out and resign yourself to the fact that you may indeed spend several days floating a river and not even see a fish you might just run right into some.
Our trout are all rainbow trout, we have no browns and all of the rivers I fish freeze up real hard every winter. This tends to make all of our rainbows quite migratory in their life cycle. When spring arrives and the trout return you have no way to know where that fish you've landed has spent the past 5 months or so. If you are fortunate and you catch a really big fish with a healthy girth you almost expect it has came from the Inlet. By that I mean that they were in the salt water over the winter. It's because of this that if I happen to find some large rainbow early in the season I tend to think of them as steelhead and they are worth going bonkers over
HuronRiverDan
Well-known member
Steelhead just get into your blood...When you FINALLY hook that first one, no matter where; it's electric! You get that first run and as Jim said, it's hard to believe how fast they can take you into your backing...
Fishing the different seasons, and chasing fresh Steel is addictive...Hi my name is Dan, and I'm hooked....
Dan
Fishing the different seasons, and chasing fresh Steel is addictive...Hi my name is Dan, and I'm hooked....
Dan
Vans
Well-known member
It gets in your bones somehow. Such a gorgeous fish and so difficult to bring to hand by fly. The bait and gear guys have an easier time of it, certainly.
I live within a 45 minute drive of some of the best steelhead fishing on the west coast of the US. It is amazing to see them power their way back up to their natal waters after having traveled so many miles at see and back inland. Just standing on a rock, looking down into the water watching them is mesmerizing.
The beauty of the surroundings, the amazing ability of the fish and its life cycle all combine to create an obsession. I'm not as obsessed as others, but the bug has me for sure.
I live within a 45 minute drive of some of the best steelhead fishing on the west coast of the US. It is amazing to see them power their way back up to their natal waters after having traveled so many miles at see and back inland. Just standing on a rock, looking down into the water watching them is mesmerizing.
The beauty of the surroundings, the amazing ability of the fish and its life cycle all combine to create an obsession. I'm not as obsessed as others, but the bug has me for sure.
mtflyfishguide
Well-known member
The ones I fish are b- run, they swim 700 miles through 6 dams from the Pacific ocean, and are amazing creatures. I've landed maybee 25 in 5 years fishing them. I use a 10ft #7 b2x, and the river I fish is smaller 400cfs. When you stick one of these beasts they fight for 1/2 an hour, strip line, jump, do amazing things and just pull like mad. I've caught thousands of big trout and steelhead are a different animal. They kick butt!! once you hook a couple you are hooked!!!
Gilbert Gottfried told me to tye with a joke for the fish. They're not as wary when they are laughing. :lol2:
joshmac
Member
i live a hour from the big rivers of the pacific northwest. i have been steelheading for two years now. first year i got skunked not even a bite. but i was still learning. this year had a couple bites hooked in to one ended up breaking my 20lbs leader with in a few minutes. my buddy could see the shadow of it and said it was huge. i would rather be out on the river no matter the weather than be a work or dealing with my kids!
