Steelhead Fishing Guide
Steelhead fishing is basically chasing a powerful rainbow trout that has the wanderlust of a salmon. This fish migrates to the ocean or to large lakes such as the upper Great Lakes for a few years and then returns to fresh-water streams. Returning from the sea, it is silvery in color and is usually much larger than non-migratory rainbow trout. After the steelhead has spent a few weeks in fresh water, it begins to darken and the pink side stripe of the rainbow becomes more obvious.
Spawning takes place in fresh-water streams in late winter or early spring. The fry spends from one to two years in its fresh-water home before migrating to the sea. Once in salt water, it may stay a few months, or as long as four years until it matures.
When the steelhead reaches maturity, some mysterious sensory mechanism, perhaps smell, is used as the fish searches for the particular stream where it was spawned. He must find the right river system, follow it until the parent stream is reached, then migrate up-stream to spawn. By marking fish with metal tags, scientists have been able to prove that these steelhead do usually return to their parent stream for spawning.
Unlike the salmon, not all steelhead die after spawning. The number of fish that survive their initial spawning run is believed to be small perhaps under ten per cent-but research indicates that some do make several migrations to the sea and back.
An aggressive, fast water fighter, the steelhead inhabits fast white-water snow-fed streams and rivers of the Western mountain country. The beautiful rugged country is a fitting home for this aggressive fighter.
Many veteran fishermen consider the steelhead to be the toughest fighter of any freshwater fish. Once an angler ties into one, he has his hands full. It fights above water as well as below and is amazingly strong as it fights to break free. Its long runs up- or downstream when first hooked are something no fisherman forgets. The weight of an adult steelhead usually ranges from 8 to about 25 pounds although larger specimens are occasionally caught.
Steelhead Fishing Tips & Tackle
Fortunately, the steel head is found in great numbers in many streams open to the public for fishing. A strong fly rod and plenty of line on a large-size fly reel offers the greatest thrill in catching these fish. Spinning tackle or casting reels are also used.
Steelhead can be taken on a variety of spinners, spoons, bucktails, big flies, and live bait. They have also been caught using underwater plugs and topwater plugs. Local fishermen in the area of steelhead streams have their favorite lures and vacationing anglers will do well to get acquainted with one of these fishermen or a local bait shop if possible.
Probably the best steelhead fishing occurs very early in the spring after a sudden rise in the river. Be prepared for any kind of weather ranging from snowstorms, to rain, to sunny and warm. Midwinter fishing from December through March is popular with a hardy few who don waders and heavy clothing to meet the fish on their early run upstream. Fishing from a frozen bank or ice-crusted shallows will not only produce numb fingers and toes; but often a fat, energy-packed steelhead, still silver from salt water habitation, will await you.
Colors vary between different kinds of trout and even between fish of the same species. For instance, trout found in deep pools are darker than those found in shallow streams. Also, trout in fast waters may have much slimmer bodies than those found in lakes or deep pools. Some scientists believe that feeding habits also have an effect on trout color and body conformation.
Whether the fish you are after is a steelhead fresh from the sea, or a Kamloops inland, either of these forms of rainbow trout will provide the thrill of hooking a magnificent fighting fish.
