Water
Steelhead can be spooky when the water becomes clear. When the rivers get clear and there is medium to high pressure steelhead will find their hiding spots. As boats are coming through the holes in clear water steelhead tend to find cover. When I'm out fishing clear water conditions I tend to target the pockets in the middle of rapids, or what I call the "Head" of the runs, that drop of into the hole where the last bit of fast water flows into your favorite hole. I will also focus on the shelf's of the slate rock, if you river has the slate rock shelves present, this is a great spot to find that chromer hiding out. I will also focus on cover maybe there is some trees or brushing hovering in your favorite piece of water. Knowing where the steelhead are gonna be holding during the the conditions you are fishing can help your chances of catching more steelhead. When presenting my offerings, I like to keep the boat as far away from the water I'm targeting as possible.
Techniques and Tackle
There are various techniques to use during low water conditions. I tend to focus on small presentations Rubber eggs with white yarn, down sizing my yarn balls when side drifting. When the water gets clear I like to use clear drift floats to minimize the the colors floating over the fish I'm presenting too. I tend to lengthen my leaders under my float to make my offering a natural presentation. I look at steelhead fishing a little different than most. I fish mostly things that deal with eggs. Winter Steelhead are following a coho and Fall Chinook runs on the rivers I fish, and I believe that 60% of a steelheads diet is eating the single eggs that didn't make it in the reds and are tumbling down the river. So rubber eggs I prefer crazy eggs with a little white yarn, presenting a milky egg. I also like fishing small yarn balls under floats. I also fish the rubber egg clusters by atlas under a float. I like to keep it simple and not over think it, steelhead are aggressive and I believe knowing where to find them will lead you to success
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Water
In Mid to High water you can find steelhead lying through out the holes you are fishing, whether the head water the " Bucket" which is the middle of the drift where the water becomes a little deeper than the rest of the hole. The tail outs are also a great place to find a chromer lurking. Because the water is faster in these conditions dont forget to run your offering near boulders through out the holes your fishing.
Techniques and Tackle
I tend to the medium to larger presentations when the water is green to murky. Steelhead love pink worms side drifting and bobber doggin pink worms can be a fun way to get yourself into several fish. And the larger steelhead love them too! Larger yarn balls using various scents, shrimp anise, crawfish, can also be great. You can always drift eggs and shrimp to catch steelhead, that has been a proven technique for years, make sure you use a sugar based cure when fishing for steelhead. Also I love pulling plugs in higher water, I beleive its a great way to find where the fish are holding. I like pulling K11x kwikfish and brads wiggle warts. These are just some of my favorite waters to catch steelhead. These techniques have brought me lots of success over the years hopefully it will help you have a great year too!
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Chad Lynchs Guide Service
Hope to see you on the river!
