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.
Grande Ronde, Washington
The Grande Ronde starts in the northeast corner of Oregon and cuts through the arid southeast Washington landscape, creating a dramatic series of rimrock canyons connected by a cobaltlike necklace.
Grande Ronde steelhead are normally “one-salt” fish that weigh from 4 to 6 pounds after one season in the ocean, but two-salt fish from 6 to 10 pounds are caught regularity. These are surface-oriented fish lying in an endless series of shallow riffles and pools perfectly suited for the fly.
According to Washington guide Dennis Dickson, Grande Ronde fish are unusual in that they seem to prefer skating and waking flies when the sun is shining directly on the water. When a pool falls into the shadows, a fly fished with a floating line just under the surface is more effective.
Joe Threadgill, who runs the steelhead outfitting on the Grande Ronde for The Evening Hatch fly shop, says a 10-foot, 7-weight rod is perfect for this water. Use a 9-foot leader tapered down to 10- or 12-pound test and flies from #1/0 to #6.
Threadgill recomends presentations in or above the surface film when the water is 52 to 57 degrees F. When the water drops just below 52 degrees, he fishes in the top few inches with a wet-fly swing or greased-line presentation. When the water gets down around 45 degrees, it’s time to head down to the Snake to find warmer water or use sinking-tip lines.
According to the Fish Passage Center (www.fpc.org), between 47,000 and 86,000 steelhead bound for the upper Snake River tributaries passed Lower Granite Dam annually between 1993 and 1999. In 2000 the run was 113,000 total fish, and in 2001 there were 263,000 total steelhead, including 47,000 wild steelhead—more than double the previous year’s returns for both hatchery and wild fish. The last two years have provided the best fishing in recent memory and early steelhead returns in 2002 were double the 10-year average, indicating another strong year in 2002. Most steelhead pass Lower Granite Dam during the last two weeks of September and early October, so plan your trip accordingly.
For wading anglers, there are three excellent areas to fish. The first is the lower 2 miles of river near the confluence with the Snake. This short stretch is the most crowded piece of water on the Grande Ronde, but with good reason. All Grande Ronde steelhead pass through here, and this lower reach also hosts “visitor” steelhead from the Snake, Salmon, and Clearwater rivers. Each one seems to pause briefly, as if to savor the scent of the Grande Ronde.
You can also wade the river near Boggans Oasis (509-256-3372), a motel/gas station/restaurant/shuttle service located on Highway 129 where it crosses the river. From Boggans Oasis you can fish the river up- or downstream from the bridge or get directions to the Shumaker Grade access downstream. While Boggans is good for wading anglers on foot, it is also the starting point for one-day float trips down to Shumaker Grade or multiday trips down to the confluence with the Snake.
If you bring your own boat, be safe and float Boggans Oasis to Shumaker Grade only. A basalt rock formation below Shumaker Grade compresses the entire river into a dangerous chute called the Narrows. Lives have been lost here and boats destroyed, so hire a guide to fish this remote area.
Washington hatchery fish rarely wander into Oregon, so there are fewer steelhead and fishermen on the excellent walk-and-wade fly water along Grande Ronde Road downstream of the town of Troy, Oregon. Fish this water later in the season when the steelhead have had time to push upstream.
Local contacts. Dennis Dickson (Washington guide), (360) 435-6499; The Evening Hatch (Washington Outfitter), (509) 962-5959; Twin Rivers Fly Shop (Lewiston, Idaho), (208) 746-8946; John Eckland, Little Creek Outfitters, (541) 963-7878.
Klamath River, California
California’s Klamath River has sea-run cutthroat trout as well as Chinook and coho salmon, but is best known for its prolific run of small steelhead fondly called “half-pounders.” Instead of spending several years ranging through the Pacific like most northern runs of steelhead, these fish spend only a few months in the salty estuaries of the California and Oregon coastline, then return to the river in the fall whether they intend to spawn or not. A sexually immature steelhead back from its first visit to the salt can be as small as 12 inches, while an atypical sexually mature fish can weigh as much as 6 or 8 pounds. Most of the steelhead in the river range from 14 to 20 inches long and weigh up to 3 pounds.
They have the heart and soul of large steelhead—they lie and move through the same type of water, react to the fly in the same way, and make breath-taking runs on 5- and 6-weight tackle.
While the words “small” and “steelhead” may seem incongruous, consider that on many steelhead rivers, three fish per day is often grounds to brag. On the Klamath, good anglers can hook as many as 20 half-pounders during the peak of the run, with several adults exceeding 20 inches in length.
Use your trout tackle on this river with a floating line and #6-8 flies such as the Lambroughton River Spider, Bill McMillan’s Steelhead Caddis Skater, or wets like the Silver Hilton, Comet, or Brindle Bug.
Use a 9-foot leader tapered to 8-pound-test tippet with a basic wet-fly swing, or if the water is more than 45 degrees F. and the fish are active, use a greased-line approach to bring the fish to the surface.
Look for steelhead in August through November along Highway 95 between Iron Gate Reservoir and Weitchpec. The fish concentrations move up- and downriver as the season progresses, so it’s a good idea to move until you find concentrations of fish. For a more remote experience, some anglers take Pine Creek Road down from Weitchpec and fish the Johnson’s Bar area, or put a boat in at Johnson’s Bar and float downstream to Klamath Glen.
Local contacts. Klamath River Lodge, (707) 444-5555; The Fly Shop, (800) 669-3474; The Eureka Fly Shop, (707) 444-2000; Peggy’s Palace of Pleasure (bed and breakfast), (707) 482-7905.
Western Steelhead Techniques
Wet-fly swing. To make a basic wet-fly presentation, cast straight across-stream or quartering downstream and then mend upstream as needed to slow the progress of the fly through the faster currents typically found toward the center of the river. As the fly approaches the softer water near shore, you may need to mend downstream or lead the fly with your rod tip to maintain fly speed and keep from hanging on bottom.
The key to the swing is fly speed. A good rule of thumb is that your fly should move across the river only as fast as or slower than the current. In cold water, lethargic steelhead will react best on a deep, slowly moving fly. In warmer water with fresh, aggressive fish, you may have to move the fly actively to get some interest. You can make this presentation with sinking-tip lines or floating lines and wet flies like a Purple Woolly Bugger or Green-butt Skunk.
As with all traditional steelhead presentations, take one or two steps downstream after each cast. This ensures that you show your fly to as many fish as possible and helps maintain an orderly progression if there is more than one angler fishing the same pool.
Greased line. While fly speed is important, fly position is what sets a greased-line presentation apart from a wet-fly swing. In this presentation, which descends from our Atlantic salmon-fishing heritage, the fly is kept broadside to the fish—sideways in the current—by using a series of downstream mends and/or a riffle hitch to attach the fly. To riffle-hitch your fly, tie the fly on as usual, then make two overhand knots behind the hook eye so the line extends from the side and below the hook shank. The combination of the riffle hitch and the downstream mends creates an enticing presentation near the surface or in the surface film. You will often see the white of a steelhead’s mouth as it closes on your fly. Don’t strike when you see the fish. Let the fish turn on the fly and then lift. Use unweighted flies like a Silver Hilton or Steelhead Muddler. Because the fly typically moves faster with this technique than with the wet-fly swing, greased-line presentations are best used when fresh fish are in the river and water temperatures are above 45 degrees F.
Dry and waking flies. Pacific steelhead sometimes take dead-drifted dry flies like trout, but a more effective way to search the water is to wake or skate your fly across the surface so that it creates a V-wake behind it. A riffle hitch will make heavily hackled dry flies, such as the Royal Wulff or Sofa Pillow, wake at the surface, but patterns like the Waller Waker or Lambroughton Skater are specially designed to skate and make a commotion so you don’t need the hitch.
As with the wet-fly swing, cast across-stream and mend the line to either speed up or slow down the fly, depending on the river current, temperature, and the mood of the fish. An interesting variation is to quarter your cast upstream for a short dead-drift, then skate the fly below you when the line becomes tight.[For animated graphics showing these steelhead tactics, visit www.flyfisherman.com/toc/. The Editors.]
GREAT LAKES FALL STEELHEAD
I am not sure what my favorite thing about fall steelhead fishing is. There is the obvious answer that the fish are incredibly hot and beautiful. A chrome fish with transparent fins screaming off 60 or 80 yards of line is obviously a great rush, but there is something else that is harder to describe. I think it has to do with the time of year. In the Great Lakes, there is almost always a slight bite to the fall air. The leaves are turning and the snow is never far away. I’m not sure who came up with the term “poser,” but I know they didn’t get the idea while fall steelheading.
In Great Lakes tributaries, fall steelhead start to arrive in mid October, but most of the fish show up in early November. This means days of fishing in the snow or at least consistently cooler weather. The big lakes create their own weather patterns and this seldom means a warming trend. I think the adverse conditions are what makes fall steelhead such a prize. Of course it can also be sunny and 60 degrees F., but for some reason those are not the days you remember.
Egg Banquet
Some fall steelhead migrate into the rivers at the same time as Chinook salmon and they feed voraciously on salmon eggs. I have seen steelhead move 6 feet horizontally to pick up a salmon egg. If there are salmon actively spawning, steelhead will stay close to the spawning areas, picking up as many eggs as possible. When the salmon finish spawning, around the end of October, the steelhead take up new positions.
Fall steelhead always look for a secure depth with moderate current flows. This can vary from river to river, but in wadeable rivers this means 2- to 5-foot-deep runs. In bigger rivers it’s generally 4 to 8 feet. This is only a starting point. In one Erie tributary I fished last fall, I had trouble finding water over 3 feet deep. When I did finally find a run that was about 4 feet deep with a darker bottom, I found about 100 fish stacked in a single pool.
The longer steelhead stay in the river, the deeper and slower the water they desire. There does seem to be a limit to how deep the fish will hold; luckily, 6 to 8 feet seems to be about the limit, even in the middle of winter.
Steelhead hold in moderate current flows, usually areas with a sand or small gravel substrate. Understanding and identifying substrates is critical to locating steelhead anywhere. Steelhead are particular about what they lie over, because the bottom or substrate indicates the current flow. If a run has a heavy gravel or stone bottom, it generally means the current has pushed the smaller substrate away. These bottoms generally look brighter than other parts of the run. Fall steelhead anglers should locate areas where sand or gravel is collecting, generally at the back or middle of the run. This type of substrate creates the dark-looking water steelhead love to hide in.
If a run consists of heavier rock, it often means the current is too heavy. Exceptions to this rule are if the rocks on the bottom are big enough to break the hydraulics of the river and create slower holding areas along the bottom. These fish are not in the river to expend energy; they are looking for water that allows them to hold while using as little energy as possible.
Fall steelhead are aggressive feeders when they first enter the river, so this is the best time for anglers who want to use traditional wet-fly swing presentations. Leeches, minnows, and sculpin patterns all work well in the early part of the season. As the water cools and drops into the low 40s and colder, you need to get the fly much closer to the fish. At this time of year, nymphing with an indicator system and dead-drifting the pattern right to the fish is most productive. Steelhead that move 6 feet to pick up a single egg in early November may not move 6 inches in December.
Flies and Tackle
I choose my rod weight and length based on the size of the river and the style of fishing I am going to do that day. You need a heavier, longer rod in larger rivers for better long-distance line control. A 91/2 foot, 8-weight is probably the best all-around steelhead rod.
Egg patterns account for more fall steelhead than all other patterns combined. I like small (#10) eggs in the fall; some people use as small as #16. My favorite fall color is a baby-blue egg, with Oregon cheese my second choice. Steelhead also see a good number of nymphs as well as smaller sculpin and baitfish trying to cash in on the increased amount of food dislodged when salmon are spawning. Caddis, stoneflies, and medium-sized mayfly imitations like a Pheasant-tail Nymph are a must this time of year.
For the last four years I have been fishing a smaller version of my Mysis shrimp pattern called the Antron Bug. The new version is half an inch long and more closely imitates an actual Mysis. This new design has become my most productive pattern.
On a 5-day trip last fall the Antron Bug outfished egg patterns seven to one. I was fishing a two-fly system and moved the Antron Bug from the upper to the lower position fly constantly to see if that was the reason for the incredible success. It was not. The fish simply love this little fly.
Mysis shrimp are an important food source in the Great Lakes. One biologist told me that Mysis shrimp made up 70 percent of a steelhead’s diet while in Lake Michigan. The fish sure seem to remember what Mysis look like when they run into the rivers.
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan produces some of the biggest steelhead in the Great Lakes, and the Pere Marquette and the Big Manistee are two of my favorite Lake Michigan rivers. You won’t catch as many fish here as on some Lake Erie streams, but you will see more quality fish. Last fall on the Big Manistee River, Ray Schmidt of Schmidt Outfitters told me he and his guides fished for almost a month before they caught a steelhead under 10 pounds. Many fish stretched into the teens.
The Pere Marquette is a small river that serpentines through the woods and offers great opportunities for do-it-yourself wading anglers. The Big Manistee below
Tippy Dam is primarily a boat fishery. The Big M consistently produces large fish, but it does take some getting to know. Hire a guide your first few times on this water.
Local contacts. Schmidt Outfitters, (888) 221-9056; Gray Drake Outfitters, (231) 652-2868; Pere Marquette Lodge, (231) 745-3972.
Lake Superior
Winter comes early to the biggest of all the freshwater lakes and the water is cold all year. Plan on being snowed out by December on Lake Superior and you will be safe. The north and south shores are some of the most remote and beautiful in the world, but the numbers of fish are not as good as any of the other Great Lakes tributaries, and the conditions are only for the most hardy anglers.
The Big Two Hearted River on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is my favorite Lake Superior river. This tea-colored river doesn’t see much fall pressure and is a strong producer. Lake Superior fish run smaller than Lake Michigan fish, but as the river’s name suggests, these steelhead are spirited fighters. A 6-pound Big Two Hearted fish will pull as hard as a 10-pound steelhead on any other river.
Like most Lake Superior rivers, the Big Two Hearted is cold and difficult to wade. This is not a beginner’s river. The off-color water makes it hard to spot fish, and access in this remote area is a problem. Take some time to learn the access points and get good county maps. This is a great river to float in a small boat, but you should do some planning before you go.
Local contact. The Troutsman, (800) 308-7688.
Lake Erie
Heavy stocking along the south shore of Lake Erie in the Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York watersheds have resulted in steelhead returns that border on insane. The fish are relatively small—averaging from 5 to 7 pounds—but hooking 50 fish in one day is possible. The Grand and Rocky rivers in Ohio, Elk and Walnut creeks in Pennsylvania, and 18 Mile and Chautauqua creeks in New York are a few of the over a dozen outstanding steelhead rivers in what has been dubbed “Steelhead Alley.”
The Cattaraugus in New York is my favorite Lake Erie fishery and one of the most prolific steelhead rivers in the world. The lower “Cat” can be crowded, but with a short walk away from the access sites, you can enjoy relative seclusion and plenty of fish. It can also offer incredible vistas and real solitude for anglers who are willing to hike into the upper canyon. This river is great for beginning steelheaders because it offers several water types and great numbers of fish for whatever style of fishing you want to try.
Local contacts. Oak Orchard Fly Shop, (716) 626-1323; International Angler, (412) 782-2222; South Hills Rod & Reel, (412) 344-8888; John Nagy, (412) 531-5819; Mad River Outfitters, (888) 451-0363; Angling Consulting Services, (440) 846-8864.
Lake Huron
Many people know the Au Sable’s intimate trout water but have never discovered the larger steelhead water downstream. The Au Sable in Grayling often runs at 75 cubic feet per second (cfs) in the fall, while the lower Au Sable below Foot Dam flows at about 1,200 cfs.
The Au Sable tests the skill of any angler. The water is filled with debris left by the logging industry and the clear water coming from Foot Dam often necessitates light tippets and realistic patterns with small hooks. Hooking fish can be difficult. Landing fish is sometimes impossible. Au Sable steelhead are half wild and half stocked fish, but like most Great Lakes steelhead, you can only tell the difference once the fish is in the net—not by the amount of fight in the fish.
Steelhead running from Lake Huron can go only as far as Foot Dam. This is a short section of water—only 10 miles—and the upper half is definitely the best water. There are a few wade areas, but this river is best fished from a boat.
Local contacts. Bob Linsenman, (989) 685-3161.
Lake Ontario
What makes the Grand River in Ontario, Canada, so unique is that Grand River fish act more like Pacific steelhead than any other Great Lakes steelhead. These fish can be taken on waking flies and other traditional West Coast steelhead techniques. John Vaulk (Grindstone Outfitters) uses two-handed rods and classic fly patterns with spectacular results. This is a great area for anglers who want a quality experience without the high price tag. The upper Grand is also a great trout fishery in the summer, comparing closely to many more famous tailwater fisheries in the western United States.
Local contacts. Grand Guides Co-op, (519) 846-8448; Grindstone Outfitters, (905) 689-0880.
Kelly Galloup is the author of Cripples and Spinners. He owns and operates the Slide Inn along the Madison River in Montana.
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