| There is no other feeling that equals the | | | | them. |
| sheer excitement of hooking into and landing | | | | |
| or releasing a steelhead trout. If you are | | | | 4: Any successful angler will tell you that |
| looking to increase your chances of hooking | | | | when you have hooked a fresh steelhead, it |
| into a steelhead, below are a few techniques | | | | will do anything in it's power to get |
| that might work for you: | | | | un-hooked. They will most certainly leap out |
| | | | of the water twisting and turning to get |
| 1: Some steelhead fishermen will say that | | | | free. An experienced steelheader will know |
| the best way to fish for them is to drift | | | | when the steelhead is about to jump so they |
| the tail-out of pools. This is where steelies | | | | can be ready to "bow to the fish" with the |
| like to be located because the water is a | | | | tip of their rod so the line doesn't break. |
| little more shallow and they can intercept | | | | If you forget to do this, you might lose the |
| anything that comes their way. When drifting, | | | | one steelie of the day. |
| bounce your lure or fly along the bottom and | | | | |
| be sure to set the hook at the slightest | | | | 5: Study the water you are going to fish and |
| change in the speed or feel of the line. | | | | try to pick out the likely holding areas |
| Using this technique will cause you to | | | | where steelhead will be. Fishing every piece |
| sometimes snag something like a rock or log | | | | of water that looks good is going to very |
| but if you are persistent and patient, your | | | | tiring and probably a waste of valuable time. |
| efforts will be rewarded with a hook-up with | | | | Once you have located a holding area, study |
| many call the ultimate fresh water gamefish! | | | | it well and look for other spots on the water |
| | | | that look similar. Once you have found a good |
| 2: Sometimes a lure that is moving or | | | | location, fish it as much as you can during |
| brightly colored is enough to entice the | | | | the steelhead season as the winter water |
| strike of a steelhead. When fishing from a | | | | levels, ice and current can dramatically |
| drift boat, many fishermen prefer to use spin | | | | change the bottom of the river thus removing |
| and glow lures which have both movement and | | | | a steelheads favorite holding area. |
| bright color. Don't be afraid to change | | | | |
| things up if a certain color or lure isn't | | | | 6: Even if you are an experienced |
| producing. | | | | steelheader, know how to read the water and |
| | | | have all your own flys and lures, hiring a |
| 3: If you are lucky enough to find a pool or | | | | local guide could be the best thing you ever |
| spot that produces a hookup with a steelhead, | | | | do. He or she will have intimate knowledge of |
| and you have released it, don't give up on | | | | the river, the holding areas and also what |
| the spot just yet. Many times a steelie will | | | | lures or flys to use to maybe contribute to |
| strike again if you rest the spot for about | | | | the best steelhead fishing adventure you have |
| 15 minutes or so. Steelhead are at times very | | | | ever had! |
| aggressive and will not let anything go by | | | | |