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