Steelhead Bonanza
A changing Pacific ocean ecosystem and massive put-grow-and-take hatchery programs on the Great Lakes are making steelhead rivers in the lower 48 the place to be this fall and winter. The steelhead are back.
In the past few decades ocean scientists have discovered that the North Pacific ecosystem reverses itself about every 20 years. For the first 20, ocean productivity favors the waters of Alaska, and salmon and steelhead runs there blossom while Northwest rivers are poor in fish. Then the ocean reverses its productivity and Northwest steelhead and salmon rivers experience heavy returns of fish. Currently we are in the 20-year cycle that favors the Northwest, and steelhead rivers like the Deschutes and Grand Ronde are full of fish.
On the Great Lakes, especially Lake Erie, fall steelhead runs are at an all-time high, and if the weather is favorable (with strong fall rains) this fall should be no exception. Here are some of our favorites in both the Northwest and in the Great Lakes, with tips from experts on steelheading in each region.
West Coast Fall Steelhead
Ever since legendary writers like Zane Grey and Roderick Haig-Brown brought them to our attention, fly fishers have held Pacific steelhead in the highest esteem. They outweigh and outfight most trout, leap like Atlantic salmon, and swim in the rugged Pacific Northwest in places as diverse as coastal rain forests and inland deserts.
Many trout fisherman, however, while recognizing the great attraction of Pacific steelhead, have never chased them with a fly rod. Rumors of blank days, or even blank weeks, and awareness of the dwindling numbers of wild steelhead could lead one to believe that fly fishing for steelhead is foolhardy.
It’s true that across the Pacific Northwest, steelhead stocks are well below historic levels and many populations are dangerously close to extinction. But thanks to supplemental stocking and an upswing in the cyclical ebb and flow of ocean survival rates, there was fantastic fall steelheading in some watersheds in 2000 and 2001. All signs at press time point to another banner year in October and November 2002.
To enjoy this relative bounty, try one of the Washington, Oregon, or California rivers described below. These rivers don’t require a guide and boat, although a guide can bring years of learning and success to your experience. They have high numbers of returning steelhead and the fish eagerly take surface flies, so you can fish with floating lines throughout October and see the steelhead follow and inhale your fly. If you pursue these steelhead in November when the water turns colder, floating lines are still an option, but sinking-tip lines ranging in weight from 200 to 400 grains will catch more fish.
Although we describe only three rivers here, all the upper Snake River tributaries, including the Salmon and Clearwater rivers in Idaho, as well as some Columbia River tributaries, especially the John Day and the Deschutes, should have good runs of fish this season. The Rogue and North Umpqua in Oregon and the Klamath and Trinity in California should also have excellent runs of fall steelhead.
North Umpqua River, Oregon
The North Umpqua River is one of the most picturesque places you can hunt for steelhead and with recent annual runs of 8,000 to 10,000 steelhead, it’s one of the best rivers in the Northwest to fish waking patterns across classic steelhead pools. Most steelhead on the North Umpqua weigh from 5 to 8 pounds, but fish over 15 pounds are caught every year.
The river demands long-casting skills and careful wading on extremely slick rocks. Stream cleats and a wading staff are a must on this river.
Steelhead appear in the river in early June and fresh fish push upstream through October. By September, fish are holding throughout the river and conditions are ripe to take steelhead on the surface. The river fishes well through October until the heavy fall rains begin. The fishing can really turn on when it rains after a dry spell, but late-season monsoons can make the river unfishable.
Joe Howell, owner of the Blue Heron Fly Shop in Idleyld Park, Oregon, recommends the 17 miles of fly-fishing-only water along Highway 138 between Steamboat and Rock creeks. Regulations permit the use of a single, unweighted fly (no bead–heads, lead wire, split-shot, or indicators), so the North Umpqua is a good place to fish traditional patterns and methods like the wet-fly swing or greased-line technique.
Flies should be large—#1/0 to #4—and Howell says, “Any color will work, as long as it’s black.” Purple, orange, and natural browns also work well. The Steelhead Skater, Coon Muddler, Tiger Paw, and Black Gordon are favorites.
Search for steelhead in the tailouts of the obvious pools, especially just above difficult rapids where the fish will rest. The fish also tend to congregate beneath volcanic rock ledges, and with polarized glasses you can sometimes see them in clear water before you cast. But don’t spend your whole day working over a single pod of visible fish. Howell says successful steelhead anglers “don’t stand in one spot like they have cement in their boots. You should cover a lot of water and search for the aggressive fish.”
Local contacts. Blue Heron Fly Shop, (541) 496-0448; Native Run Fly Shop, (541) 474-0090; Big K Guest Ranch, (800) 390-2445; Steamboat Inn, (800) 840-8825.
Copyright © 2012 Intermedia Outdoors
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