| Sight fishing is almost always a lot of fun, but | | | | will be presented to him. Since he lives in the |
| there are some caveats to consider. Often, some | | | | currents surrounding him it only makes sense that |
| guys on the stream think that a fisherman is up | | | | any potential food offering must be drifting at the |
| to 'no good' if he is scanning the water carefully | | | | same water speed around him. It, then, is |
| and moving on without casting a line (read looking | | | | imperative to allow absolutely no 'drag' on your fly |
| to snag fish). Now I don't know about your fishing | | | | or bait as it approaches the fishes feeding range. |
| style preferences but I choose to use every | | | | Fly guys know that 'mending' (eliminating line drag) |
| advantage I can muster, and I happen to like | | | | is second nature, but I suspect that bait guys |
| knowing that there are fish where I'm fishing, so I | | | | don't always consider that factor, and should. |
| enjoy 'spotting' (seeing) Steelhead. Having said | | | | TIP: With Steelhead fishing, a lot of hooked fish |
| that, however, it should be remembered that | | | | become a scenario of "fish on... fish off"! Losing a |
| 'seeing' fish is a two-way deal, in that quite | | | | lot of Steelies goes with the territory, but keeping |
| frequently those same fish can see you! Now | | | | your rod tip high and frequently changing your rod |
| your odds of success have dramatically shifted. | | | | angle reduces the fishes odds... he becomes |
| TIP: When you are wading and 'stumble' upon a | | | | confused. If, despite your best efforts, the |
| Steelie that knows of your presence he will, | | | | Steelhead throws the hook... you might get a |
| unless spooked, show some agitation and/or | | | | second chance! Unless this fish is in the process of |
| move slightly away. Take a deep breath and back | | | | moving upstream, in which case all bets are off, |
| off. Allow the fish to relax and settle before | | | | wait or come back to where your initial hookup |
| attempting your well-thought-out cast. | | | | began in about a half hour. There's a decent |
| The fellow who covers more ground on a stream | | | | chance that he'll be right back there because |
| is the one who usually catches and releases the | | | | that's where he wanted to be in the first place! |
| most fish. TIP: Pocket fishing (those small pools of | | | | TIP: If the Spring-run fish you hooked with a fly is |
| just a few feet to a few yards) and the runs | | | | a hen (female), do whatever it takes to let her |
| between larger holding pools are the real treasure | | | | get away. Throw slack line or pull the fly out (if |
| troves to work. The sight fishing under these | | | | necessary). The pay-off is twofold. First, she's |
| conditions is very different and requires a whole | | | | your ticket to next years' fishing (she's a baby |
| new set of eyes. Steelhead that might measure | | | | machine). Secondly, she is bait! Think about it, |
| 2' only show up as a 6" to 10" blob of nothing or | | | | while she is in your fishing window (the stream in |
| a small cloud of smoke and easily mistaken for a | | | | front of you), she attracts more males of all sizes |
| rock. It takes some time to acquire these eyes, | | | | than you could possibly imagine. I have personally |
| but when you finally learn what to look for... your | | | | counted as many as 13 males lined up like a |
| incremental fishing success is astounding because | | | | picket fence behind 1 Steelhead hen! Keep her in |
| fewer fish can hide from you. | | | | front of you and you could have limitless action. |
| Whether fly fishing or bait casting, what you are | | | | You'll have plenty of males to cast to whether |
| attempting to catch lives and feeds its entire life | | | | you can see them or not... Stay safe on the |
| in the water you're standing in. That being the | | | | water and don't take chances while wading... it's |
| case, each fish knows exactly how his next meal | | | | not worth it. |