This is where a line counter or the metered line can really help. Clear to ideal water, and sunny days will be typical. To get a hydrograph from a previous year, go to the river hydrograph site and change the “Time Series” parameter from “Real Time Data” to “Daily Data” and then set the date range. http://waterdata.usgs.gov/id/nwis/current/?type=flow http://waterdata.usgs.gov/id/nwis/uv?cb_00010=on&cb_00060=on&cb_00065=on&format=gif_default&period=21&site_no=13317000 Your email address will not be published. Blow-outs early in the Spring are not all bad as they draw fish upriver and into tributaries and burn off snow at lower elevations which will keep warmer days later in the season from blowing out the river. January 4, 2009 By JD 1 Comment. This year we have had good river migration conditions and the steelhead run has moved quickly upstream. Otherwise that old scent will spoil on your lure – which is a turn off for fish. The only problem is we aren’t sure exactly where to fish these plugs. 2. Idaho Power has temperature information online for the Snake at Oxbow. A powerful yet quick storm blew through the area on Tuesday, forcing winter steelhead anglers to hit the pause button. That was the day when I decided I needed to learn more about water gauges and hydrographs. Resetting the line is also easy. How Did We Review the Steelhead Rod and Made the List? Lucky for those of us stuck on the bank we can use plugs too. One way to add scent is to put on a bait wrap. Or you can SLOWLY walk downstream, keeping the line tight, to simulate backtrolling. Once the river starts to drop the sun will be able to warm the river better. Steelhead may avoid overhead cover in the coldest flows. A fishing log is a great way to do this, but you can also use historical hydrographs to look back at what the flows were last year when you caught fish. This will cause that snap to slide down your mainline. Too slow is much better than too fast. This setup is ideal when the water is high, such as in early spring, as well as when the current is moving more slowly than it ordinarily does. Shrimp, sand shrimp, anise, crawdad and salmon egg are standard choices for steelhead. So be prepared to intercept them at Riggins in October! Once we select what water we are going to fish, we can pick what plugs work best for that condition. - - Northwest Oregon Zone - - For all of the North Coast Steelhead and Salmon fisherman. One of my favorite holes on the Clearwater fishes best around 5,000 cfs. / The Best Water Temps for Steelhead. Keeping the line tight, slowly let out line. The water was just too high and chocolate brown. The above is just a condensed version of mt notes over the years. However, you can tweak it by changing hook sizes and doing the other adjustments covered earlier. (Although pink worms really do work!) Good steelhead fishing streams have a lot of dropoffs, pools, and deep slow runs. A good place to start is typical steelhead water – that is water that is moving at a walking pace and is 4 to 8 feet deep. If your plugs have been backing up a fish, then it has to make a choice – attach those plugs, or drop all the way back through those riffles into the next run. If you are stuck on shore you may think there is no way you can plug fish for steelhead, and that techniques like backtrolling are the sole domain of those snobby boat fishermen. Rods closer to the downstream side of the boat should have out a little less line than those farther away from the downstream side. I researched that the moon is full 3.3 days before last quarter. Thanks! The Best Water Temps for Steelhead. If it spins, then the water might be too fast. The wrap may be too big, or might be unbalancing the plug. Oregon - Grande Ronde Steelhead Lures For most anglers the choice of steehead lure will usually come on the recommendation of a local who knows the water and just what type of lure steelhead are likely to strike at depending on the time of year and how strong the steelhead run is. The fish rarely live there when the water temps plummet. This will cause the line to pull off the tab, and the metal arm to slide out of the notch. Rivers are often too low for fish to migrate in the Fall before the first freshette. So the fish mill around in the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater, and even move up the Clearwater a few miles which is running in the low to mid 50s because of the cold outflow from Dworshak dam. This time of year it pays to plan ahead and block off full days on the water to be productive steelheading, bring along a JetBoil stove, maybe one or 2 of your favorite beverages and plenty of snacks. If multiple people are fishing from the boat, then you’ll have the most success forming a “wall of death.”  This means running the plugs all the same distance from the back of the boat. So now you can focus on smaller plugs in natural and metallic colors. Good places to work plugs include: The Rivers: Many steelhead rivers in Ontario are fairly small compared to west coast steelhead rivers so the rods I use here might be very different from the rods that are being used out west. It is even perfectly alright to completely stop from time to time – especially when your plugs approach a particularly fishy spot. Catch rates tend to accelerate in early January on the Chetco, and often remain good through February." http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/rt As steelhead migrate upstream in the Fall their progress can be stopped if the water is too warm—typically over 72 degrees. Very good afrticle. Good luck!!! This may be OK if you plan to fish further upstream. This year we have had good river migration conditions and the steelhead run has moved quickly upstream. The side planer will then slide down your mainline until it hits the swivel. Steelhead spend most of the year in estuaries or open ocean and only return to fresh water to spawn. If the Main Clearwater is out of shape try fishing the NF of the Clearwater below Dworshak. I hope you’ve found this article helpful, and wish you the best of success in your plug fishing. People are a little vague about what a walking pace is, but 2.5 MPH should be reasonably close. Under 36°F, seek low-gradient river segments and slow sections of pools. Wilson River The choice is largely going to be based on: That will help us narrow down which plugs to use. The next the rod will be bent over, possibly peeling line as the fish fights. - - Northwest Oregon Zone - - For all of the North Coast Steelhead and Salmon fisherman. Usually this means you need to switch plugs. This year we have had good river migration conditions and the steelhead run has moved quickly upstream. The rapidly increased flows discolor the river, throw off steelhead and make it difficult to fish. You can stay still and wait for the strike. Nehalem River. Of course most of the Erie tributaries blow out and become virtually unfishable right after a big rain. Simply check the river hydrograph before your trip. On the other end say you are mostly going to fish for summer steelhead in a smaller tributary. My favorite dry fly for steelhead is the Steelhead Bomber. With a pair of needle nose pliers turn the screw eye on the plug. If you do end up at a blown-out river look for side channels where the flow is reduced and fish very close to the bank. Because all these fish are holed up in the lower Clearwater, fishing can be very good, until the Snake cools off. Just squirt some on your plug and start fishing. It could also mean that the lure has gotten stuck under a rock or log. Every year flows are different on the river, depending on the previous year’s snow pack, temperatures, fall rains, and in some cases dam outflow releases. Last Spring the SF Clearwater was unusually low and there weren’t the normal freshettes to pull fish into the river. For example, the gauge on the South Fork of the Clearwater at Stites (near the mouth) may show a dramatic rise in the river but the gauge at Elk River is holding steady. Another crucial element that must be considered for good holding water is a run that has a deep section where the Steelhead can move to and hide if it feels threatened. Point the rod downstream and wait until the slack is gone and the plug is working in the current. Some rivers recover quickly and others can be out for a week. When a steelhead enters the Salmon River from Lake Ontario, it has just left a huge body of water approximately 180 miles long, 90 miles wide, and over 700 feet deep. It may be hard to get in this habit – especially when you are cold and wet after fishing in our Northwest winter weather. We stayed and fished, but with no luck. Now you have both your plunking bait and plug fishing. A quick stop at a fishing buddy’s house and we were off to fish the Grande Ronde river. Stop when the planer is inline with where you want the lure to be. Spinners – Many anglers are familiar with the cast and retrieve method, but those that master the cast and swing presentation often have better luck with steelhead. Avoid side to side movements, except as required to avoid obstacles in the river. Your plug will dive better the slower you go, so if it isn’t getting close to bottom, then that is a good indicator you are back trolling too fast. G.Loomis IMX Steelhead Side Drift Spinning Rod; 2. The river quickly rises from under 1,000 cfs to 4,000 cfs and then to 7,000 cfs before it starts to drop. Back trolling is similar, only in this case the boat moves backwards, but at a slower speed than the current. Keeping track of where you caught fish, what time of year, and at what flow will help you repeat the success the next time you’re at the river. This allows the current to work the plugs, while allowing the boat to cover different water. Just as the plugs reached the head of the chute, the fish struck and rod absolutely bent double. Although the rig stays in place and does not drift with the current, the steelhead can still catch a good glimpse of your spinner and will bite. Attach the plane to the plastic arm. http://waterdata.usgs.gov/id/nwis/uv/?site_no=13342500&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060 If you find that the river you plan to fish is blown-out, check the hydrograph on other rivers. You’ll need to become familiar with the waters you fish to learn what normal and cold temperatures are. When it comes to winter steelhead, it’s easy to get caught up in the minutia … This is important as most strikes will happen in the last third of the run. http://waterdata.usgs.gov/id/nwis/uv/?site_no=13296500&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060 Idaho Streamflows The USGS web sites organize rivers by state and river drainage. "Plunkers caught a few steelhead Sunday in the high water. So if the Salmon at Riggins isn’t fishable, consider jumping over to the Snake at Pittsburg Landing. Whether you believe in climate change or subscribe to it as being just a warming trend in our weather patterns, it just seems like a common occurrence every season anymore. Thank You, I'm just wondering if tomorrow (30th) is a good day to go catfishing. If you have a bait wrap and the plug insists on staying out of tune, then inspect the wrap. River Forecasts A blow-out degrades the migration conditions and can be slow to recover. How to setup your plug is pretty simple. After I watched him land two more I told Jon I was going to head downstream closer to the mouth. When this happens pick up the rod and start fishing the fish. In higher water steelhead will migrate upriver and typically hold closer to the edge of the river. It shows the river flow (in cfs) over the month compared to the historical average (the triangle data points). Fishing the shallows can be a complete waste of time unless the conditions are perfect, but typically the deep pools will produce results, especially in the winter. Freshettes are a magical condition that draw steelhead upstream toward their home rivers because the increased flows from tributaries increases the scent from that watershed into the main-stem river. If the plug travels off to one side, then it is out of tune. DIET: Steelhead feed on a variety of aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates and small fish. The gauges collect river flow, height, and sometimes temperature every hour and then transmit it back to the USGS where it is available on the USGS web site. There is no need to do a hookset, as the stiff butt section of a good plug rod has already done that for you. If you move to the side, then you give them a chance to slide around your wall of death. Figure 3 shows dramatically different river conditions on the SF Clearwater in March of 2007 vs. 2008. Many of our rivers average only 20 or 30 feet wide but there are a few that may be much bigger like the Saugeen river in the picture show here, with the biggest rivers being the Niagara river … For example, Figure 1 shows a hydrograph of the Grande Ronde from October of 2007. I am new to plug fishing and the one thing I am questioning is how do I know if my plugs are near the bottom? Idaho - Salmon at Whitebird Above that swivel put a decent size bead or corkie. Then consult the tables above to determine which plugs you should first buy. The purpose of this workshop is to give you the tools you need to find, read, and properly fish good steelhead water. If it was running to the left, then turn it to the left. For example, say you are planning on mostly fishing for winter steelhead on a large river like the Skykomish. For example, if you are going to be fishing the Salmon River around Riggins you want to choose the White Bird gauge, not the Yankee Fork gauge. Best How To Guide For Plug Fishing For Steelhead – Part 2, Best How To Guide For Plug Fishing For Steelhead – Part 1, Lake Washington Fishing Report – Winter 2017, Improve Your Fishing with The 5 Best Fishing Books, Steelheadaganza VII – Cowlitz River Steelhead Fishing Report, Copper, Black, Natural colors like Crawfish or Rainbow Trout. This is a great technique when water levels are very high and steelhead are holding or traveling in soft waters near the bank. Let out about 30 to 40 feet of line – letting it all pass through the side planer, causing the lure to get farther downstream. The winter weather and water conditions, as well as sexually developed fish, create some of the most demanding conditions that the angler will encounter all year. Slide the metal arm of the side planer into the notch, so the arm faces your rod, Take the mainline and wrap it around that top at the front about 3 or 4 times, Put the side planner in the water, so the current catches it. Some say it'll help you hook more fish due to more of the line being above the water. In my opinion, the best waders for steelhead and salmon fishing are the Compass Deadfall STFT breathable wader if you are looking for a very versatile wader you can wear in all four seasons that is insulated enough to keep you warm in cold water. Trask River. When a fish strikes the lure it is usually quite savage. I like to select flow and temperature (if it is available) over the last 14 or 21 days so I can see if there have been any water events, such as a recent freshette. The upper Salmon River around Stanley recovers quickly but the lower Salmon takes longer because of the increased size of drainage. Odds are you’ll not have to worry too much about fishing low clear water, or on sunny days. As we drove through the darkness we chatted about where we caught steelhead last weekend, what runs we were going to fish and what flies we were going to use. Many rivers have multiple gauges and it is important to pick a gauge that is nearest where you want to fish. Temps on the Salmon may be in the mid 30s and the Snake River at Pittsburg landing is still in the 40s. The Lake Erie version of 18 Mile Creek has been a bit crowded lately with ideal water conditions for steelhead. At this point you are fishing. It is a side planer designed to be used to plug from shore. It is a little counter intuitive, but on a Spring blow-out you want a hard freeze to stop the snow-melt. Idaho - Upper Salmon at Yankee Fork Keep track of what level the water is when you have a good day of fishing and you can bet that in the future you will have similar success with this water level. For those who like to plunk bait, you can also use plugs at the same time. The Bomber is most effective during the summer and early autumn when water temperatures are relatively warm. Nestucca River. BYOB For booking and more info, contact: Jason Hartwick speybum@gmail.com. We’ve been hearing good reports about our favorite river, so we throw our collection of plugs in the boat, along with our plugging rod and hit the water. In many cases this deep section may be 15 or so feet deep. Now it is time to start fishing. Trask River. Steelhead are smart so they aren’t going to waste energy trying to fight the fast water. For a good list of steelhead rivers check out this site. 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