Salmon Trout Steelheader

Tackle Control

I hollered upstream to my fishing buddy Ron Nanney, “One’s chasing it. He’s almost got it…” I saw the silver’s head turn and at the same time Ron felt the bite and set the hook. Ron was using a short Spey or Switch Rod as they are commonly called with a sink tip and spinner-fly. The water in the small stream we were fishing was low and air clear. Although there were a few fresh fish around most located here were what I like to call half-bright and many were bright, as in bright red. The fish were sporting and plentiful though, and just waiting for more rain so that they could continue their migration upriver. Ron made me promise not to write about the fact that he wasn’t using a hand-tied traditional fly. Because of the kindness in my heart I won’t feature his techniques in an article titled Ron Nanney’s “Spey With Spinners” until next issue. At least he wasn’t fishing roe in spawn bags under an indicator. Another great topic for a future issue. I digress.

What was notable on this day was that I was able to watch Ron’s flickering fly through its entire presentation. During the half hour or so that I watched him cast and swing I learned a tremendous amount about what was going on under the water at the end of his line.

In its most simple terms Ron was able to control the depth and speed of his presentation by simply moving the tip of his rod during different portions of his swing. If he just flipped his fly out and let it swing without adjusting tension his presentation was too shallow at first and too deep during the end of the swing.

In fact his fly line was gently hanging on river-bottom obstructions during the crucial end of the swing when silvers and their brethren species often take.

When I offered Ron this information he was able to compensate with cast placement and subtle tension control. This was easily accomplished with a long rod by simply moving the rod tip up, down or side-to-side.

Side drifting has become infinitely popular because it is so effective. Without getting into the pros and cons, for the most part the person who does the least catches the most fish. That means if you are using, small sharp hooks you don’t need to set the hook, the boat will do it for you. The more you jerk typically the less fish you will catch. All that jerking disrupts the natural drift and makes you lose opportunity.

Drift fishing effectively and successful from a stationary position takes a lot of practice. One of the best ways to determine if you are getting a good drift is to watch your tackle and take the time to learn how to balance it for different water conditions. If your drift gear, even with the proper drift bobber/hook/leader combination, is ratcheting along the bottom or whipping through the run you’ll have to find a really good biter or just get lucky.

I can’t tell you how many time I’ve drifted past anglers using divers or plugs, looked down and noticed that their gear was tangled up, fishing off to the side, or just under the surface. Again the best way to control this is to obviously check yourgear on a regular basis, but you can make sure your tackle is balanced and fishing properly by just looking over the side of the boat to be sure your plug/diver is diving straight. Then learn what lures/lines work best for different conditions. I know this sounds simple, but it’s really important and constantly overlooked—even by many long-time anglers.

Many people ask me why I use such light-weight floats (bobbers) when I steelhead fish. It’s all about lure or bait control. The reason is twofold. First you can determine the depth quickly because you can see the float subtly bouncing when it is dragging on bottom. When using a larger float oftentimes gear will drag on the bottom and you’ll never know it. Second if a fish breathes on your terminal gear the float will go down and the fish won’t feel it as quickly. Also you are forced to learn how to get rid of micro-drag which might sound silly, but often when float-fishing any tension on the float will kill the chance of hooking a fish. You can easily practice float control by finding some clear water and watching your presentation. Then adjust your rod angles, line release speed and line tension to make a natural presentation. Practice and it will become second nature with time.

Fishing for steelhead, salmon and trout is endlessly challenging and that’s why it’s such a fun and rewarding pursuit. Here are some specific examples of things I’ve learned to do that have helped me catch more fish. They won’t work in every situation, but in many they will. When side-drifting make long casts that land near shore and don’t set the hook all of the time. When plug/ diver-fishing make sure your gear is tuned. Divers get stepped on all the time. Plugs will go out of tune with use. Practice getting a bottom reading with a float. It will help you learn the depths of pools, runs and pockets quickly. When drift fishing pull back on the line every so often just enough to straighten out your leader. Keeping a direct line to your drift bobber will help you feel the bite.

All of the new fly lines and rod combinations available for both steelhead and salmon fishing make casting and line control much easier and more effective than ever before. Learning how to control your presentation through fly weight, leader weight and/or length, sink-tip weight and line control will put you on the podium at your next club meeting, whether it’s on the internet or at an old-school sit-down gathering. Just don’t tell them you had a spinner blade on your fly.

The next time you’re out fishing why not spend a little time tightening up your tackle control?

Organize For Success

My two little boys are highly interested in “helping” me whenever I try to get ready for a fishing trip. Frankie follows me into the garage and although I’m sure he means no harm, he gets into everything and then throws a fit when I try to bring him back into the house. It makes it very difficult to get things ready. Ronnie is nearly a year old now and he makes it impossible to bring hooks into the house because, like his older brother, he likes to get into whatever I’m trying to work on. That said, I couldn’t be happier, but getting organized has become more of a challenge than ever.

I try to have everything set up in a way that makes it easy to quickly get ready for a trip. On my garage ceiling I have six spinning outfits set up for side drifting. I make sure that they all have fresh line, especially after a major trip. The reels also match and have spare spools filled with mono. There are four plug rods that are set up specifically for steelhead. Six mooching rods rigged and ready for ocean or tidewater fishing. Seven or eight light-action spinning rods that can be used for light-weight drift fishing or light-weight bobber fishing. And then an assortment of everything else, like backbouncing/salmon plugs, drift fishing, heavy bobber fishing, sturgeon fishing, downrigger rods, etc, etc…

And then there’s the fly rods. I won’t even get into that but keeping track of all of the fly gear is an entirely different, and more difficult, exercise: Spey rods, trout rods and everything in between.

My brother and I share two sleds and a drift boat. The 20-foot Alumaweld sled is the primary reason for the necessity of so much gear. The other reason is that when I take people fishing I want them to be able to use exactly what I’m using which more often than not works out well in the end. I like to be as efficient and effective as possible.

I have a pretty good system, but like many people I know I constantly fight being lazy about putting my gear away properly after a trip. Besides that, tackle and equipment maintenance is mandatory. Rather than talk about how smoothly everything always goes I’ll talk about some of the many things I’ve messed up over many fishing seasons.

The number one thing that I always slack on are my coolers. I have lots of different sizes and shapes and they always seem to get dirty. You have your bait coolers for eggs, shrimp, worms, what-have-you. Then there are the lunch coolers. And finally fish coolers. For some people one cooler works for all. The last thing most people want to do when they get home from a long day of fishing or a camping trip is to clean out the cooler. Icy bait slime, dyed herring brine, three-day-old sandwiches floating in sawdust and remnant sandshrimp. Herring and sardines packages. Well, I don’t think I need to describe what happens if you don’t stay on top of cleaning the coolers. Once in a while, to this day, I still forget to clean something. You can ask my wife about the three-month-old brined herring that plugged up the toilet earlier this year. That was a very, very bad idea.

The other thing that I find myself doing much more than I should is cleaning up quickly by stuffing things into garbage bags or zip-lock bags and then telling myself I’ll remove it and organize it later. I have two large storage bins that tend to quickly fill with these smaller bags of miscellaneous fishing gear or fishing-related items. Then when you really need something it takes forever to find it again causing a lot of preventable downtime and frustration.

Whenever possible I try to clean my fish before I bring them home, but sometimes this isn’t possible and I usually fillet my fish at home anyway so there is always the possibility of having a fish-gut crisis. Someone needs to make a garbage bag that won’t leak fish guts while it sits outside in wait for the garbage man—stinky.

I take pride in never wasting any of the fish that I keep. But this kind of thing happens all the time. It is very easy to keep a fish and then just let it sit in the fridge or in a cooler and put off proper processing until it’s too late. It’s also very easy to forget about fish in the freezer until it gets freezer-burned beyond use. I either give my fish away the day it’s caught, eat it fresh, smoke it, can it or take it to a local processor within three days of refrigerator/ice time.

Besides cleaning the boat after use I find that if I don’t make a home (and remember where that home is) for every necessity, like safety equipment, depth finder (I pull mine out when running the Deschutes), different types of anchors, nets and other things like crab pots they will get lost, misplaced or disorganized. I’ve also learned the hard way to service motors if they make unusual noises or act up in any way; same with trailer tires (including spare), bearings and lights. And of course I always make sure the motor turns over before I dip it into the water at 5:00 a.m. with 40 boats lined up behind me.

The final thing that I’ve see people do, myself included, that can totally destroy the chance of making it to a fishing hole next weekend, or ever for that matter, is letting half-finished projects pile up in the garage. You know what I’m talking about: drift boat filled with storage items, workbench covered with boxes and items from unfinished projects.

Hopefully the boys, while they are knocking boxes of beads and drift bobbers all over the garage floor before trying to eat them, notice dad trying to keep everything in order, including his temper.

Greed vs. Conservation

Alaskan Halibut Anglers: Act Soon or Your Bag Limit Will Be Cut in Half
This year new regulations restrict your choice of boats available to take you halibut fishing. Now, in addition to the reduced number of boats, the federal government is trying to cut your bag limit in half for guided recreational anglers.
    What that means to you, the recreational fisherman: Right now, you are allowed 2 fish per day of any size. If the federal rule passes and you use the services of a guide, your daily bag limit will drop to 1 fish per day and could ultimately drop to 1 fish of a maximum size limit. The other option would be to have your captain lease a fish from commercial boats on your behalf, a cost that would be passed on to you.
    Is this about Conservation? No!
    The halibut you are losing will be caught by the commercial fleet. You should be angry!
    Is this “Fair & Equitable”?
    Our laws say it’s supposed to be. Our current allocation was deemed “fair and equitable" by the Secretary of Commerce and the Courts…yet that is now being cut by another 30%. The proposed rule will reallocate your fish to the commercial sector. Then it allows the angler to "rent" the fish back.
    Who will this affect? It affects you and the entire Alaskan economy. The true impact is unknown, because the feds are using data that is 13 years old. They don't even know how much current regulations have reduced the halibut catch, nor the dollars lost to the state.
    What about the bycatch? Trawl vessels drag nets on the ocean floor or in mid-water and scrape up everything, pick out the fish they want and throw the rest overboard. The total halibut discarded by them in 2010 was 11,433,055 million pounds of dead fish (mostly by the trawl fisheries). This should be a concern to both recreational and commercial fishermen who fish hook-and-line.
    Learn more by visiting the Alaska Charter Association website at www.alaskacharter.org, where you can print, fax or mail a sample comment letter. Make a donation through the ACA website and contribute to the battle to preserve the recreational halibut fishery.
    Submitted by Dave Kaffke
    
Greed vs. Conservation
Like so many other Kenai River sport fishermen, the first week of August found me scratching my head and licking my wounds. With the liberalization of commercial fishing and a “no bait” restriction on hook-and-line anglers, late-July Kenai River king fishing proved “extra challenging” for all. But it was really the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s shocking management decisions that angered us most, spurring me to send the Op/Ed piece “Are Our Kenai Kings Done?” to our local paper, the Peninsula Clarion.
    In this letter, as a long-time Kenai River guide, I admitted partial responsibility for our struggling king runs. I also put blame on every other user, whether that be local, tourist, or commercial fisherman. But mostly, I point the finger at the state’s fishery managers, specifically ADF&G, the state entity that is charged with responsibly managing our resource to ensure sustainability of our salmon for future generations to come. This is something they have grossly failed to do.
    This week they not only proved this once again, they flippantly poured salt into the wounds of every person that cares about the future of these genetically unique chinook. Exhibiting a shocking combination of arrogance and ineptitude, ADF&G recently issued Emergency Order #38, which opens the Upper Subdistrict Set Gillnet and Central District Drift Gillnet corridor, putting east-side set nets in the water for another 56 hours of continuous fishing.
    This EO boldly extends the set-net fishery outside provisions in the management plan, specifically the 1% rule trigger for automatic closure.
    At this stage of the conversation, other sport fishermen and I might be mistakenly labeled as self-serving people who are engaged in the classic allocation war where we simply want more fish for ourselves. Make no mistake, nothing could be farther from the truth. This battle is about conservation and responsible management of our resource.
    Quite recently, ADF&G announced that for 2011, the low-end of the escapement goal for late-run Kenai River king salmon would NOT be achieved. According to Department publications, this will mark the fist time ever that this conservation goal for the iconic late-run Kenai king will not officially be met. With Fish and Game’s past sonar problems and previous “less than stellar” runs where exact numbers are called to question, this becomes serious stuff and an issue not to be taken lightly. Yet almost in the same breath that they announce a failed king escapement goal for this year, ADF&G goes outside of the management plan and issues another EO that allows additional commercial fishing, netting that will kill more kings.
    According to ADF&G’s own data, as of last Thursday, 6644 kings have been caught in the set-net fishery. That compares to 6458 total in the sport fishery for the season. So the commercial catch already exceeds the sport catch, despite the management plan sport-priority for kings. Now additional set-net time will kill another 200 plus a day. Again, these numbers and statements initially appear allocative and self-serving, until you consider ADF&G’s own admission that we are not going to make our minimum in-river escapement goal. NOW the issue is clearly conservation.
    It is unfathomable to me and any other responsible user of the resource, that in the Department’s eyes, the short-term goal of trying to harvest a few more sockeye in the east-side set-net fishery (in a banner year when over five million reds have already been taken by commercial fishermen) is a clear priority over conservation of wild Kenai kings.
    So here is the real question for our Commissioner and our local commercial and sport managers…”How do you sleep at night knowing that your decisions and actions clearly tell us that “greed trumps conservation” in fishery management?
    Submitted by Greg Brush.

Small Boats, Flashers and Steelhead Satan

In his column, “Tactics & Tricks,” Scott Haugen talks about not forgetting the “little guys,” in other words, small streams and typically small trout. The gist of his article is first and foremost reliving the magic that many of us experienced in our youth on these magical creeks and brooks. Secondly he compares and contrasts the techniques and tactics used in these small streams to larger watersheds, and potentially larger fish.

Recently I took the time to fly-fish the upper watershed of a local river system that has always been close and dear to my heart. This system hasn’t changed much over the years and stricter angling regulations have helped the wild rainbow, cutthroat and salmon populations thrive. Although the day I fished it was sunny and hot, the small water of the tributaries teemed with fish. I enjoyed watching them in the crystal-clear water as much as tricking them with a small dry fly.

Small Boat Salmon Fishing by Paul Tschida grabbed my attention right away. His system of using an inflatable boat to chase salmon in saltwater not only looks like a lot of fun, but it’s also a reasonably safe and inexpensive way to do it. Mind you I’m not sure if I’d try to cross the Columbia Bar in his craft, but for most bay, inlet or relatively calm waters it’s a lot safer than using a boat that could quickly sink if the weather or tides became uncooperative.

I’ve also spent a lot of time using similar inflatable boats with jet pumps. Not only do they look cool, but they are a practical and safe way to get around (where it’s legal). They also make great exploratory tools for new rivers, work great in lakes and apparently will work in the ocean too.

Casting for Tidewater Coho by Scott Haugen taught me a few things. What struck me most was the amount they were moving around to find biters. This makes a lot of sense for numerous reasons. Tidewater coho, and sometimes just coho in general, are notoriously picky biters. They will go off and on the bite, school up and then spread out depending on the tide. I also believe that some groups of fish might be aggressive takers and other groups have a case of lockjaw. I’ve been in many tidewater situations on the Pacific coast from Alaska to Oregon. The one thing I’ve consistently experienced is that you have to move to find biters and figure out where the biters are hanging out at different times of the day and tide.

Joe Superfisky did a nice job of remembering our buddy Tim Wallis whom passed away earlier this year. I got to know Tim through the many articles he sent to this magazine. Although I didn’t fish with him a lot whenever we did go fishing it was always an adventure to remember. He had a passion for fishing and made his angling time count. He was always up early and still casting when it was late. The first time I met him we spent a week camping on the banks of the Kispiox River with nothing more than a cooler of food, some basic camping gear and a raft. Oh yeah, and a tiny, cheap scooter, but that’s another story. We had one of the best trips I’ve ever been on and it’s really too bad that he’s not still around to enjoy more of this great thing we call life.

If you’ve never made a road to Skeena Country you’ll enjoy Steelhead Satan very much. If you have made a road trip of this magnitude you’ll probably be able to relate to the author’s words. Last year I made the epic journey with columnist Josiah Darr and we had our own list of problems that we had to overcome: high water, leaves, rough weather, near mechanical failure, finding a place that was open to buy daily river permits, etc. Captian Josh Temple really makes you feel like you are on the trip with him. He also isn’t shy about expressing the highs and lows that go along with making a trip like this.

Seize Your Nook at Tillamook by Larry Ellis is worth its weight in gold not only because it is a very informative article, but because he interviewed two of the best Tillamook anglers on the planet. Bob Toman and noted salmon and steelhead expert Buzz Ramsey. The techniques they describe are some of them most effective ways to catch chinook in this fishery.

In-Line Flashers Take Salmon by Storm by Andy Martin details some of the history of the in-line flasher craze. He also talks about their advantages and some of the reasons they help catch so many fish. I’m sure many will want to read his section on avoiding tangles. In fact I might have to re-read that section myself. They can also be used for applications besides salmon trolling and this is discussed as well.

Relating With Articles

I like to relate each article in Salmon Trout Steelheader directly to different activities that are going in my fishing world. Even if an article covers a method or region than we might never use or see, the information oftentimes can be transferred to improve or innovate something going on in our own world.

White River Jet Sled by Keith Jackson has been on file for a couple of years. It gave me the idea to put a 2 ½ h.p. four-stroke outboard on an outfitter guide canoe. For the past four years I’ve spent a week in South East Alaska at a remote cabin with a group of buddies. The canoe was already there and going unused. I had the motor flown up and it was a perfect fit. Besides a grizzly bear biting the cowling the first night, it’s been an incredible tool that we have used to access miles of previously untouchable silver salmon water. The small prop sits just inches below the transom, allowing us to go just about anywhere.

Because we leave the motor there it’s imperative that we drain all of the fuel when we leave and use fuel stabilizers when we are there. Keith Jackson’s article, So Your Outboard Doesn’t Like Alchohol is a great read for those who want to assure long life for their outboards.

Smith River Fall Kings by Andy Martin will let you live vicariously through his eyes. I’ve fished the Smith River a few times for steelhead and fondly remember the six-hour road trip from Portland. Especially the awe-inspiring redwood forests of Northern California. Last season the Smith was especially productive for king salmon and some trophy-sized fish at that. Although I couldn’t go, it’s a fishery that is high on my wish list.

Sizzling Summer Steelhead Success by Scott Haugen offers up numerous tips that are all helpful. This past week I spent two days fishing for summer steelhead on my local river, the Clackamas. The technique that worked far and away the best for us was pure tenacity. I fished with my father-in-law Ron Haws and brother-in-law Jason Haws. They have been fishing for salmon and steelhead their whole lives and their motto is, “never give up.” In my opinion fishing was terrible. Three summer steelhead were hooked by Ron and Jason only because they never gave up and just kept casting. All of their hard work paid off in the end.

Improving Downrigger Performance by Phil Pirone is a must read for anyone who has an interest in becoming a successful downrigger angler and operator. The cutting-edge tips and helpful insight certainly taught me a few things. Friend and outdoor author Dave Vedder called just the other day with a woeful tale of total downrigger failure. Being able to quickly repair cables and having spare parts, including the proper tools and downrigger balls, can make the difference between getting back to fishing and heading home. Especially if you are fishing a remote location.

The Lower Klamath River by Andy Martin brings to life one of the greatest king salmon fisheries in the lower 48. The year before last I had the chance to experience what I’d read about for so many years. The spectacular scenery and history lessons alone were well worth the trip. The other notable thing, besides good fishing, was the courtesy shared by nearly every boater and angler. Being used to the Cowlitz River NASCAR-style free-for-all, I was amazed to see sledders slow down to pass each other and wait in line to go slowly around other anglers. It was like being on another planet.

Pacific Northwest Kings versus the Buoy 10 Warriors by Larry Ellis is about a fishery that is close to home. More and more I am learning to appreciate one of the best salmon fisheries in the world and it’s right here in my backyard. The mighty Columbia River and its many tributaries produce more king salmon than anywhere else on earth. That said it’s one big river system.

Larry clearly explains many of the summer/fall hatchery and wild components of the run. There are so many hatcheries and wild runs of fish that cross the Buoy 10 line, that it’s always a guessing game as to where the chinook that you just caught was headed. It could be staging and headed to a hatchery or stream less than 20 miles away, or on an epic 400-mile-plus journey to the headwaters.

Last year I took my son Frankie on his first Buoy 10 area salmon adventure and was happy to see that he has sea legs and a good attitude. This year he might even be able to attempt to reel in his own fish.

Puyallup Pink Salmon by Jason Brooks is an article that I’m going to permanently file away. It tells you where to go and what to use to experience Alaska-quality fishing right here in the Northwest. With projections of huge returns, this will hopefully be a pink salmon season to remember.

Four years back I fished the same area with Bill Herzog and recall having one of the best local trips ever. We cast spinners with hootchies in the back channels of the bay and caught and released hard-fighting pinks one after another. What great fun!

I’m guessing that, like me, reading these articles makes you want to go fishing. All this fish talk is making me want to take Frankie fishing this Saturday. Now, should we go kokanee fishing or pull plugs for steelhead? Decisions, decisions!

Tips In This Issue

My oldest son Frankie is now two-and-a-half years old. Although not quite old enough to reel in a fish, he definitely has an interest in the outdoors and fishing-related equipment. He loves to climb into the drift boat or pontoon boat when I’m not looking, grab an oar and pretend he’s on some big adventure. He also likes to get into my fishing tackle and play with it. Unfortunately he doesn’t like to get out of either boat and throws a crazy fit when I remove him, sometimes crying for a long time. He also doesn’t like it when I have to discipline him for pulling leaders into my hand or running off with lures and flies. I think he knows what sharp means. He always maniacally laughs and says, “Sharp, Daddy, sharp!” as he is running away with my tackle.

As difficult as life has become with him getting into everything and his little brother Ronnie crying all the time, they have made me remember what it was like to get really excited about anything and everything. I’ve made it a goal to try to see things through their eyes and really appreciate all of the little things in life.

In this issue of Salmon Trout Steelheadheader magazine you’ll find lots of interesting articles and tips that you can file away and use on your next fishing trip. I’ll talk about a few of the things that I’ve learned or have experience with.

Fishing Flub-Ups—This article, by Rick Itami and illustrated by David Ford, is one that every angler can relate to. I catch myself making some of these mistakes on a regular basis and some of my best fishing buddies make at least some of these mistakes every trip. The classic mistake made by many, many anglers, including myself, is going back to the exact same spot where incredible action occurred the previous season and not having the same results. I’ve seen guys go back to their “glory hole” season after season all because one time something exceptional happened there.

The second biggest mistake a lot of anglers make is not having their gear in tip-top working order and not having the right tackle for the current situation. One the other hand too much tackle can slow you down and not enough might be a problem too, but you should at least spend some time the night before preparing your equipment.

Reading Summer Steelhead Water—Scott Haugen touches on one extremely import subject in this article and that is water temperature. Summer steelhead that live in a warm river will at times school up off the mouths of cooler-running tributaries. Of course this isn’t the only place to look for them during the hot days of summer and fall, but this knowledge can definitely be a hidden ace.

Washington West Fishing—Just like Alaska and B.C., the coastal waters of Washington state can be phenomenal for halibut, ling cod, rock fish, salmon and tuna. The trick is timing and setting up a trip with someone who knows when and where to go for the best opportunities for success. This article will definitely point you in the right direction.

Coon Shrimp Bait Recipe—This has been the “secret” bait for steelhead for about 20 years or so. Anglers started using them under floats in the upper Columbia River and then they worked their way down to Drano Lake, the Big White Salmon and Herman Creek. Then somebody started fishing them in the Cowlitz and other Washington rivers behind divers. The truth is they work almost too well. If you take the time to learn how to obtain them and fish them don’t tell everybody on the internet.

The Drift Boat—Author J.D. Richey has a way of making you really appreciate the sport of steelhead fishing. I’ve always thought about drift boats as nothing more than a tool to use to get to the fish. You can tell when you’re through reading his pictorial article that he really takes note of the art and magic behind these tools. These pictures really make you dream about past and future trips too.

The Art of The Worm—What this article really comes down to is small bait versus large bait. This is a subject that can truly lead to endless discussions. There are so many factors and variables it is truly mind boggling. I guess the two key factors are presentation and/or triggering a fish to strike. I will say that when steelhead fishing usually smaller is better, but…

Which Lure Do I Use—Kokanee, or landlocked sockeye salmon, are quickly becoming my favorite summer-time fish to pursue for two simple reasons: They are family friendly and very tasty. They will be the centerpiece of our week-long family vacation this June. I can’t wait!

Making Sense of UV—I keep hearing and reading that this UV craze is nothing more than a farce created by tackle companies to sell more product. This article sheds some light on the facts. A friend of mine brought a “secret” steelhead lure over the other day. I’d heard about it for some time and finally had a chance to check it out. After he left I took a look at the one and only one he gave me under my UV flashlight (available for only $11.95—800-541-9498) and was instantly able to determine why it was so effective… As ridiculous as this might sound I’m dead serious. This lure consistently produces 10-plus-fish days.

A New Addition to the Amato Family

On December 31, 2010 my wife, Veronica gave birth to a healthy baby boy, Ronald James Amato. He was named after his mom’s father Ronald Haws. Veronica went into labor early that morning. Labor progressed quickly and Veronica gave natural birth to Ronnie at 10:00 a.m. without complications. Both of us felt blessed and very lucky that everything worked out so well.

A 2 1/2 year old and a newborn have completely changed my life for the better. Although fishing time has been cut down substantially, now I couldn’t imagine life any other way. That’s not to say that I haven’t had the chance to hook a few fish so far this year.

During December we spent some time at my dad’s cabin near the coast and Ron Haws took advantage of a good run of coho and chinook. He was able to hook and land numerous chrome coho and a bonus chinook while I spent time with a very pregnant wife and energetic two-year-old son. Ron used spinners and a lot of patience to get into these salmon.

Taking care of Frankie and a newborn is a full-time job for Veronica. To keep her sane, short fishing trips became a necessity. Eagle Creek, a tributary of the Clackamas River, became the perfect quick escape. It’s only about half an hour away and had a great hatchery run of December and January winter steelhead. It was possible to cover a lot of water in either a morning or afternoon half-day trip. The fishing wasn’t bad either. There were just enough fish around to produce at least one fish per trip. On one trip I managed to hook a good-sized early native.

Robert Campbell, author and manager of Fisherman’s Marine & Outdoor, took me to one of his local and “top secret” winter steelhead sanctuaries. This was a place that I hadn’t fished much since I was a kid. Fishing wasn’t what I’d consider red-hot, but because Robert knows the water so well we were able to scratch up multiple, early-run wild steelhead on a very long float. Including a 14-pound hen that was one of the hardest fighting steelhead that Robert could ever remember being hooked in this river.

We even had what I would consider a taste of “grand adventure” near home when we discovered that the river was completely blocked off by a downed tree. Our only option was for the two of us to drag (foot by foot) his aluminum Willie drift boat a long distance across a very uneven gravel bar. I almost felt like we were the first anglers conquering an unexplored river in British Columbia. That is until I noticed a double-hooked Corky rig complete with a big gob of red roe planted in a nearby stump.

A recurring theme with family and fishing is having access to a home base for the wife and little ones. Preferably on or very near a good piece of fishy water. Long-time friends Dave and Cheryl Kilhefner built a beautiful home on the Sandy River. Over the past couple of years they have made it possible to catch a steelhead within earshot (almost) of their home. It’s been great to have friends who now have steelhead just about in their backyard.

I snuck out for a weekend trip with Steve Probasco and Ron Nanney. We floated a small steelhead river and used Spey rods with compact Skagit heads. It’s amazing how well this system works in a small stream situation. A well-balanced setup allows you to efficiently cast in tight quarters. You can flip a heavy sink-tip line and heavy fly just about anywhere and never have to worry about back-casting room.

But even more impressive than their fishing system was the giant flask that they showed up with. These fancy fly guys were going to make sure that they had a good time. Everyone paced themselves and no one was hurt during or after the intense, day-long and comprehensive flask-testing procedure. I will say that absolutly no fish were hurt on this trip because none were hooked.

When STS columnist J.D. Richey, Tim Reilly and Fred Contaoi called and let me know that they were coming up from California to make their annual Oregon coast steelhead trip I made sure I didn’t miss it. These guys really appreciate what I sometimes take for granted. I won’t deny the fact that it makes me feel good to hear them speak in awe about the awesome opportunities that Oregon’s north coast offers steelhead and salmon anglers.

This trip did not let them down. I filled my pickup trick with pontoon boats and met them at Tim Reilly’s “man-cave.” A coastal vacation home he purchased with a friend as a fix for their fish addiction.

By the end of our first day I was wondering why I even go steelhead fishing. Although Tim hooked a couple of fish, coastal wind, rain and hail made it nearly impossible to row down the river. At some points we were literally blown upstream and into the river bank. We had to fight our way through two-foot wind waves all the way to the takeout. It was one of the most brutal and miserable days of steelhead fishing that I can remember.

After an evening of regrouping we came up with a totally different plan. That’s the beauty of having so many options located just a short drive away. For the next two days all of us experienced some of the best steelhead fishing that any of us could have hoped to achieve.

Wild Rainbow Trout Critical to Health of Steelhead Populations

Corvallis, Ore. Genetic research is showing that healthy steelhead runs in Pacific Northwest streams can depend heavily on the productivity of their stay-at-home counterparts, rainbow trout.

Steelhead and rainbow trout look different, grow differently, and one heads off to sea while the other never leaves home. But the life histories and reproductive health of wild trout and steelhead are tightly linked and interdependent, more so than has been appreciated, a new Oregon State University study concludes.

The research could raise new challenges for fishery managers to pay equally close attention to the health, stability and habitat of wild rainbow trout, the researchers say, because healthy steelhead populations may require healthy trout populations.

In a field study in Hood River, OR, researchers used DNA analysis to determine that up to 40 percent of the genes in returning steelhead came from wild rainbow trout, rather than other steelhead. And only 1 percent of the genes came from “residualized” hatchery fish—fish that had stayed in the stream and mated, but not gone to sea as intended by the hatchery program.

“It used to be thought that coastal rainbow trout and steelhead were actually two different fish species, but we’ve known for some time that isn’t true,” said Mark Christie, an OSU postdoctoral research associate and expert in fish genetic analysis. “What’s remarkable about these findings is not just that these are the same fish species, but the extent to which they interbreed, and how important wild trout are to the health of steelhead populations.”

This research, just published in the journal Molecular Ecology, was based on a 15-year analysis of 12,725 steelhead from Oregon’s Hood River, each of which was sampled to determine its genetic background and parentage. It was supported by funding from the Bonneville Power Administration.

The study reveals a complex picture of wild trout and steelhead intermingling as they reproduce. A steelhead might be produced by the spawning of two steelhead, two wild trout, or a returning steelhead and a trout.

Rainbow trout are small to moderate-sized fish in most rivers, but if that same fish migrates to the ocean it can return as a huge steelhead weighing 30 pounds or more, prized for sport fishing. Researchers still don’t know exactly why some trout choose to go to the ocean and others don’t, although they believe at least some part of the equation is genetic.

Studies of rainbow trout and steelhead have been undertaken, in part, to better understand the implications of hatcheries. Including all salmonid species, more than one billion hatchery salmon are released into Pacific Northwest streams each year. And because hatcheries produce fish that are less able to survive and successfully reproduce in the wild, there is concern about hatchery fish mating with wild fish.

“One implication of this study is that the genetic contribution by wild trout is diluting the input of genes from hatchery fish to the wild steelhead population,” said Michael Blouin, an OSU professor of zoology and co-author on this study.

“The genetic influences of hatchery fish on wild steelhead populations are still a concern,” Blouin said. “But the good news from the Hood River is that the hatchery genes are being diluted more than we thought, and thus may not be having as much impact on dragging down the fitness of the wild steelhead.”

The genetic influence of wild rainbow trout, the scientists said, is roughly cutting in half the genetic input of hatchery fish that reproduce in the wild—a mitigation of their impact that’s of some importance.

The scientists cautioned that results from one river might not be representative of all steelhead populations. Nevertheless, Christie said, “The importance of trout in maintaining steelhead runs should not be underestimated.
 

“They can act as a healthy genetic reservoir and preserve reproductive populations during years when ocean conditions make steelhead survival very difficult,” he said. “So a good way of looking at it is, whatever is good for wild rainbow trout is also good for steelhead.”

Worth noting, the researchers said, is that most other salmonids, such as coho or chinook salmon, do not have this type of fall-back system to help produce fish with a higher capability of surviving. As such, they may be more vulnerable than steelhead to the concerns about genetic weaknesses produced by hatchery fish.

About the OSU College of Science:  As one of the largest academic units at OSU, the College of Science has 14 departments and programs, 13 pre-professional programs, and provides the basic science courses essential to the education of every OSU student. Its faculty are international leaders in scientific research.

Early Christmas Present

The magical feeling winter steelheading gives me quickly faded. A few pools upstream an angler was fishing on the wrong side of the creek, in a pool that I really wanted to fish that winter afternoon. The only option at this point was to continue my trek up the creek and find out how the only other angler around was doing.

I haven’t had the opportunity to fish as much as I like so far this winter season. Frank is nearing retirement and shifting most of his responsibilities to my brother Tony and me. My wife is pregnant and due this week. We moved last month which was pretty hectic. Our son Frankie just turned two and, although highly motivated, isn’t quite ready to go fishing with daddy.

I planned to not fish the entire month of December just in case Ronnie, named after my wife Veronica’s father, came early. His due date is December 27^th. I’m pretty sure my wife was getting tired of me hanging around and looking pathetic. She insisted that I go fishing so long as my cell phone was in range and I could get back home in less than an hour if necessary.  Veronica was born while her father was deer hunting, so I guess I’ve got that going for me.

Half my tackle is still in boxes from the move so I decided to keep it simple and just take a couple of spinning rod and a few jigs and floats. Noon seemed like a good time to start to avoid anyone who might be creeping around where I like to fish.

The creek is only a short drive away.  Upon my arrival a rig full of hopeful anglers stopped to let me know that fishing was poor and all of the fish had probably flushed upstream. Not an encouraging report, but I noticed that only one other rig was in the general area.

There wasn’t much to get ready. Just pull on some waders and grab a rain jacket. Fishing with a jig and bobber is about as uncomplicated as it gets. I took a moment to reflect on how well this stream has held up over the years. For some reason, even though the area is heavily logged at times, the creek still clears quickly and if you didn’t know any better you’d think you were fishing a remote area in SE Alaska.

It’s a pleasant walk to the area I like to fish and as I started out I kind of missed my son Frankie and wished that I’d brought him along. Then I remembered the time he kneed me in the chest when he jumped off the back of the couch. And the time he jumped across the bed while I was reading and gave me a world class head butt. Ouch!

The trail brings back memories going back to my childhood. My father Frank took me on one of my first fishing trips to this same creek. I don’t really remember the trip, but I’ve seen the pictures. Apparently my father told me to sit down near a tree and not to move while he fished a nearby pool. When he returned I was covered in yellow jackets. I had been sitting on top of their nest and they were crawling all over me. It was very cold out so they were not flying. They just crawled out of their nest and all over me. Dad cut the day short and only fished five more pools.

I was lost in deep thought when I first noticed the other angler. You have to cross a shallow tailout to get this pool. So I made the crossing and hoped that this guy not only didn’t know how to catch steelhead, but also hadn’t spooked all the fish.

Nearing the angler I began to sense something familiar. Well, heck, I know this guy. Before I could say, “Steve is that you?” He called out my name. Well if someone is going to catch or scare the hell out of all the fish it might as well be him. I should have known. This was the first time I’d seen him in two years, and it was at this very spot.

Steve was on the other side of the creek, about four feet away from the bucket that I really like. He had just made about 400 casts into it so I wasn’t expecting much. While we caught up I kept casting my float into the pool anyway. Steve sets up phone systems for businesses and was telling me that work was slow so he’d had plenty of time to get out. During our conversation he cried out, “Your float went down!” Well by golly it did. I hooked and landed a small, chrome native steelhead that didn’t have much fight in him, but I was thrilled to hook a fish under the circumstances and felt like Christmas had come early.

Steve and I spent the next several hours covering all of the available riffles, pockets and pools. He had hooked one fish near his car that morning, but hadn’t had a bite since. I called up Veronica to make sure everything was OK and to see if she minded me being gone a little longer. She didn’t.

We decided to try a different area and carefully covered all of the water. Finally Steve had a good grab on his spinner but missed the fish. We wandered through a few more pools and then I decided that I’d better get home. Steve continued fishing and I made my way back to my car.

Of course I had to make a few casts into the water we had just fished so I changed jig colors for no good reason, but you never know. On my very first cast into a slot that we had already fished hard a 10-pound chrome hatchery hen latched on. The fish fought well and I kept her. I even used the recipe in this issue to make smoked winter steelhead the day before Christmas.

Jet Boats, Road Fishing and Spinning

The Ultimate Steelhead Bait is simply yarn. Anglers have been using yarn flies or, wool as they call it in B.C., for decades. The more I use it and experiment with different color combinations, sizes and shapes, the more I realize just how effective it is at times. Talk about a simple way to catch steelhead. Just pre-tie a batch and you’ll be fishing effectively all day. No fuss, no mess. In the new column Tackle Maker we will reveal all of the most effective ways to rig yarn.
    The Hot New Bait by Phil Pirone shows exactly how to make and fish a unique steelhead lure. You can learn a tremendous amount from this article. Not only will you be able to make a cool and super effective jig, albeit with a questionable name, you can take many of the techniques shown and apply them to other lures of your own making.
    Jet Boat Steelheading makes me think about what I’d like to be doing right now. With a two year old and another one on the way I find myself fishing the Clackamas River often. It’s a short distance from my home, and one of the most effective ways to get at the fish is to use a jet boat. You don’t have to worry about shuttles and can quickly find open water, which is really handy when you don’t have much time to fish.
    Spinning For Steelhead brought back a lot of memories. Many of the steelhead strategies that I use to this day were taught to me by Jim Bedford. He has a simple and systematic approach to steelhead fishing. He is very passionate about the sport and keeps precise data on everything that occurs on each of his trips. The spreadsheets he maintains offer a wealth of knowledge.
    Years ago we used to spend a week each winter bank fishing Oregon and Washington coastal rivers. We visited some of the Northwest’s finest small streams and had some incredible days. His system is simple. Start casting at daylight and stop casting at dark. Effectively cover as much water as possible and keep track of everything that happens. Data that can be used the next day or even many years later.
    The Egg-Loop Knot shows how it’s done with step-by-step instructions. If you don’t know how to tie this knot I highly recommend learning it. Once mastered it’s easy to stock up on leaders. This will not only save you time and money, but you’ll catch more fish. It’s also a great feeling to catch a fish with something that you made yourself. Whether it’s a hand-tied fly or a simple egg-loop knot. 
    Reading Water is a new column that will help anglers find fish. Life offers few rewards as great as picking out a likely looking pocket, making a cast and hooking a chrome beauty. It’s a game that can be played all day long and will never get old.
    Steelhead Spoons is a comprehensive instructional article that will fast-forward you into the “spoon zone.” Many anglers, including the author, have been hesitant to consider spoon-fishing a significant part of their winter steelhead arsenal. Fishing a spoon can seem ridiculously easy to learn. Just cast and retrieve. Unfortunately it’s not that simple. It takes a lot of practice to become an effective spoon-fisherman. The rewards of mastering this technique are great. Noted angler Bill Herzog has long been a critic of bobber-fishing and side-drifting because you don’t need to learn many of the skills that make a true steelheader (in his opinion). In some ways I agree.  Oh, did I mention that really big steelhead will hit spoons.
    Road Fishing is one of the simplest ways to hit the river. You don’t have to worry about a boat or making a long hike up or down a watershed. If you pick your spots it can be as simple as pulling over and walking down an easy trail to a nice pool. The trick here is creating favorable odds if catching a fish is high on your priority list. Tony Dunnington reveals some strategies that will help make your next road trip successful.
    Tailouts are awsome! In my mind’s eye I can see steelhead lazily holding in all kinds. When I was a little kid I’d get excited every time my dad would float our drift boat through one. With my Polarized glasses affixed I’d stand on my toes and try to spot the chrome ghosts that seemingly never bit our offerings. Sometimes I’d see one, other times 10 or even 20 steelhead. At that time we weren’t the most efficient anglers and I proved time and again that winter steelhead truly were the fish of a thousand casts. Probably more like 10,000.  The fish come a little quicker these days, but I still find myself standing on my toes every time I pass through a tailout.

Winter Steelhead Season

In my book December kicks off winter steelhead season. Many river systems begin receiving their pilot run of wild winter steelhead. On top of that, many hatcheries still plant early returning hatchery winter steelhead. The rivers I fish locally in December include Eagle Creek, Big Creek, the Necanicum, North Fork Nehalem, Cowlitz and Lewis river systems. Within a three-hour drive I could list about 20 more options. The only thing limiting opportunity is free time.

What’s In This Issue
Basic Reel Care is overlooked by many anglers including myself at times. It’s so easy to put away your gear after a long day of fishing and forget about your tackle until it’s time to go again. If you want your reels, and especially your drag systems, to work effectively over a long period of time it’s important to always back off your drags after a day of fishing. If you saltwater fish it’s critical that you rinse your reels in fresh-water at day’s end. Once a year I’ll take my expensive reels in for service. An ounce of maintenance is worth a pound of cure.
     Short-Stick Side-Drifting explains something I was taught while fishing the North Umpqua and California’s Smith rivers. When fishing rivers that have bottoms with a lot of ledge rock and boulders you’ll find that a soft tip (typical on the longer rods common in the Northwest) will allow your sinker to drop into the crevices, which will ruin your presentation and cause a lot of down time because of hang-ups. A shorter stick with a firm tip fishes better.
     Drift Walking is an unbelievably effective way to catch steelhead from the bank in some situations. I’ve done this for years with both traditional drift gear and with floats. In a long, non-descript run that has easy-to-walk-along short access (like a gravel bar) it makes a lot of sense to rotate through it with either light drift gear or light tackle rigged under a float. One of my favorite strategies when bank fishing is to fish my way up miles of river only concentrating on the best looking water. Then, as I walk back down river, make a single pass through everything as I walk back to where I started. On many occasions I’ve caught more fish in non-descript water as I’m headed back to my truck. It’s also a quick way to learn new water.
     The North Fork of the Lewis River is truly a river for all seasons because it has fish returning every month of the year. It’s easily fished from a boat, but there is plenty of bank access for shore anglers near the hatchery. Some of my most memorable summer steelhead and springers days took place in the holes located in this area.
     Seven Transitional Tips to Success comes right down to making checklists. I know if I don’t make a list for just about everything I do in life I forget things. I’ve made many major mistakes (and still do) and find making lists a necessity. Following are just a few dumb things I’ve done over the years, I’m sure everyone can relate: When side drifting in my sled I forgot the net in the drift boat. Arrived at the Deschutes only to discover that I didn’t have any wading boots. Left my backpack, with all my tackle, at home. And the worst crime ever! Forgot the fancy lunch my wife made for my buddies and me in the fridge. Ouch!!
     Oregon’s Winter Hatchery Runs will get you thinking about were and when to go to experience some of Oregon’s finest steelhead fishing. This is the same info I use every season to figure out when and where to be to get in on the action. Now most of the information is easily accessible on the internet. Last January I used some of this info to experience world-class bank angling on Oregon’s south-central coast. If you read Larry Ellis’ article you might be able to discover where I was fishing.
     The Coquille River is one of Oregon’s premier winter steelhead destinations. Larry Ellis details just about everything you need to know about successfully fishing this river system. Years ago, while fishing with guide Todd Linklater, I made a lasting memory on this river system. Looking down river we saw what appeared to be a seal thrashing the water. We were surprised to discover two 20-pound-plus bucks fighting in the shallows near a large staging pool. These were not dark fish and they were obviously vying for dominance of the pool. It was a spectacular sight and one that I’ve not seen since on any river system.
     Making an Old Drift Boat New Again will get you thinking about fixing up what you already have, or buying used, especially in this economy. The author customizes and restores a used drift boat and shows all the details. With a little bit of planning and some elbow grease anybody can save a lot of money by restoring an older boat.
     The “Lethargic Steelhead” Myth is of interest to me because I was raised believing that winter steelhead are not very aggressive. Of course this is true in many situations, but often the opposite is true. Depending on run timing, water conditions and what you’re using, cold-water steelhead can be downright aggressive. I’ve seen winter steelhead take dry flies, hit floats, chase spinners 20 feet, take two anglers’ baits and even caught one by zig-zagging a plug at my rod tip under the front of the boat, muskie style.
     I’m ready to go winter steelhead fishing.

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New Season, New Challenges

Once again this issue of Salmon Trout Steelheader is full of timely information that will get you excited about this season’s fisheries!
    Boat and Motor Considerations by Scott Haugen made me think about one of the top-ten most exciting things I’ve been planning to do this fall. Later this week I’m going shopping for a lightweight, 4-stroke outboard motor. It will be shipped to Yakutat, Alaska where I’ll pick it up on our annual silver trip and take it to a remote cabin. It’s going to be used on a canoe with a wide stern. This will allow access to great adventure in this already remote area, and hopefully take us to indescribable fishing. It could also lead to us getting stuck in the middle of nowhere and a spot on the show I Shouldn’t Be Alive. Either way, I’m pretty darned excited!
    I highly recommend every product in Pro Reports. Keith Jackson has been doing an excellent job of not only describing new products but also testing them out. The only product that I don’t own in this issue’s column is the trash can and my sled could really use one. I’ve seen this product in other boats and it’s really nice.
    This past August I went on a do-it-yourself trip with Troy Dean (my old neighbor) and Ron Haws (my father-in-law). Although looking back on it we had an adventure of a lifetime, the trip was a huge learning experience. We planned the trip together, but I did feel like it was my responsibility to make sure that everybody got along, we all caught fish and had a good time.
    Our travel plans went smoothly for the most part; Portland to Seattle and then on to Ketchikan. There we rented a car and picked up rations. Then on to the three-hour ferry ride to Hollis, Prince of Wales and finally a two-and-a-half-hour drive north to Coffman Cove.
    All of this traveling made for a long day. And it was up to us to settle in, get organized and determine logistics.

At first fishing did not go our way, even with the help of a guide on our second day. Then the unimaginable happened. While Troy was fishing for halibut, Ron and I decide to chase pink salmon, trout and Dollies with our fly rods on nearby Eagle Creek. We were about a mile down the trail when I heard Ron moan in pain. He had stepped in a hole near a giant root wad. It was completely covered so there was no way for him to avoid it. We were also so excited to get to the next spot that we were moving along at a really fast clip.
    Ron is a tough guy and when he didn’t shake it off after a few minutes I knew we had a serious problem. With a little bit of my help and a lot of effort on his part, Ron hopped and hobbled back up the treacherous path to our truck. Still not knowing if his ankle was broken or just badly sprained we drove around looking at different streams before heading back to the Cove.
    By then we determined it needed to be looked at and made the two-hour run to the only hospital on the island, located near Craig. Ron’s ankle was X-rayed and it was determined that his leg was broken just above the ankle. While I got a pizza he got a cast, and then we were back on the road.
    In our absence Troy figured out how to catch halibut with a spreader bar, herring and salmon strips... anyway I’ll finish this story in a different issue. J.D. Richey’s article definitely reminded me of our trip.
    Chris Ellis and his story Advanced Summer Steelhead Techniques includes some really valuable information. What I’ve learned is that the easiest way to get these stale summers to bite is to fish for them right when they come in and then later in the fall when the fish have settled back in after water temperatures have cooled and river levels have come up.
    If the water isn’t too warm, you can do a number of things to catch these low and clear water, stacked steelhead. Fish the choppy water for the next few blocks above the stacked steelhead. I think these are fish that have pulled out of the pod and are getting ready to make a move upstream to the next big stacking hole. These fish will be more aggressive and less spooky. You can also try to catch the stacked-up fish with stealthy presentations early in the morning, late in the evening or on rainy days.
    Paul Zlotek is a good friend of mine and an avid hunter and fisherman. His Cast and Blast article details a trip that was easy to plan and a lot of fun. Even though the river he fished blew out he still had plenty of fun.
    The King of Spinners by Keith Jackson is for real. I don’t know anyone who knows more about spinner-fishing for fall chinook than Bob Toman. The spinners he designed for Worden’s Lures are highly productive.
    If you’ve ever wanted to fish the Oregon’s Elk and Sixes rivers now is the time. Larry Ellis gives up all the info you’ll need to plan a successful adventure.
    The World’s Most Serious Steelhead Fisherman by Dave Vedder is about Klaus Lynggaard. I’ve known him for some time and I must say that he has definitely done some things that classify him as a serious angler. Anybody who is willing to live in a small car for a month during November on British Columbia’s Thompson River is hardcore.
    Matt Straw is an expert at describing steelhead behavior and teaching anglers how to catch more fish. He worked with In-Fisherman magazine for the past two decades and I’m honored to be able to run some of his articles in Salmon Trout Steelheader magazine.

Fishing Moments That You Will Never Forget

I’ve been playing a little game with some of my fishing friends. It’s a very simple and effective way to start endless conversations. Just one question is all that it takes to get an avid angler talking for hours. The question is… What is the first exciting fishing moment that pops into your head? It’s amazing how quickly angling friends react to this question. It’s also a very revealing question and more often than not the story that is told involves a fish that gets away.

I asked my brother this very question before I started writing this editorial. He sits in the next cubicle over. Even though both of us were very busy he immediately stopped what he was doing and started describing one of his most exciting fishing moments.

About 10 years ago he was fishing the lower Gold River on Vancouver Island in B.C. He and his friend Mike had made the steep hike down an old road to reach one of the more famous pools in this stretch, Clark’s Run. He’d been fishing awhile when suddenly his float disappeared and then most of his line as this saltwater-fresh winter steelhead tore downstream in an instant. Tony had no time to react. His line was nearly gone by the time he started running downstream in a vain effort to catch up with this iron-willed steelie. Tony tried his best to navigate the rocky shoreline. At the exact same time he tripped and fell on the rocky beach, this triumphant fish found his arbor knot and broke his leader. When this happened this unlandable fish was two pools below him. Tony described the event by saying, “It happened so fast that I didn’t have time to think about what was going on.”

When he brought up the statement “it happened so fast” I feel that he keyed in to what must happen to make a really exciting fishing event. If you throw in a heavy cup of “unexpected” you have a recipe for an epic fishing memory.

I’m sure this is why steelhead fly-fisherman are so addicted to, and passionate about, the “grab.” Unless you’re fishing a really, really good spot it’s nearly impossible to know exactly when you’re going to get bit. And when the bite does come, it usually comes with a mighty good yank! There is no tell-tale float or indicator disappearing, line tightening or trout-like bite before the angler must set the hook.

This “surprise factor” is the cause of the fishing story that I’d like to tell. It has all of the necessary parts to make the memories of the experience fondly stick in my head.

It is with great fortune that I live in an area that is filled with amazing fishing opportunities. Recently, my wife, Veronica, and I decided to visit the meat-processing plant that my father-in-law manages. It’s located near Mehema which just happens to be near the North Santiam River. Being one to always mix fishing with everything I thought it would be a good idea to have a picnic and spend a little time trying to catch a summer steelhead while we were in the area. Then I remembered the upper Molalla River which happens to be located along the journey.

I spent a lot of time in this area when I was a kid. Back in the 1970s dad would take the whole family there on hot days. Mom and dad would read, while my brother and I would snorkel, fish and torment our little sister, Ann (OK, I did all the tormenting). It was all set. Picnic on the Molalla River.

Little Frankie, Veronica and I enjoyed visiting Ron. He walked us around the huge meat-processing plant and showed us the procedures for each area. Every time you take a bite of store-bought meat you should not only say a prayer to your higher power, but thank all the people who work their butts off to supply this food.

On our way back we made our way to the upper Molalla River. This river has a significant run of wild winter steelhead and also has numerous native cutthroat and rainbow trout in its upper reaches—especially during summer. My goal was to catch a rainbow trout while we grilled up shish kabobs.

It took some time to find a pullout that was not filled with campers, hikers or swimmers. I needed to find a place that was easy to get to, especially since Frankie is still too small to make his way down a steep trail on his own.

We found a nice place that would make everyone happy. After setting up chairs and our grill I proceeded to rig up a four-weight fly rod with an indicator setup. At least that was my plan. I soon discovered that not only have I grown fat lately, but I also can’t see. It was not without more than a little internal stress that I finally tied on a three-pound-test tippet. To this, with much difficulty, I added a tiny red Chironomid pattern.

Frankie and Veronica took to our camping area, and immediately started playing in the rocks and looking for baby fish in the pools formed by the receding summer flows. It took awhile but eventually I managed to catch a 8-inch wild rainbow from our camp pool. Filled with pride I showed the fish to Frankie and took a picture.

Then an amazing thing happened! As I dredged the deepest section of the pool my line stopped. I gently pulled back and felt the unforgiving bottom, or so I thought. I was trying to save my light tippet and fly, when my line pulled back, hard! The shock and surprise was instant. No way. I’ve hooked a big fish. I immediately released pressure and quickly wondered what was going on. I must be hooked into a giant trout, I thought to myself. Then the denizen made a lap around the depths of the tiny pool and I thought, wow, this has to be a spring chinook! (or a beaver or otter).

Then the mystery fish burst to the surface and rolled. I could see that I had fair-hooked about a 10-pound chrome spring chinook with my four-weight fly rod and three-pound-test tippet. Just as quickly the salmon shot for the bottom, my leader parted and the experience was over.

Even though this event happened in July and my brief friend has spawned and died by now, this memory will be etched in my mind forever.

Fishing and Family

It’s a lot of fun to take my year-and-a-half-old son Franklin and wife, Veronica, on local, short and reasonably inexpensive fishing vacations. Veronica is pregnant again and it’s nice for the family if I don’t run off every weekend with my fishing buddies, sorry guys. Of course I still want to fish as much as possible, while attempting to make everybody happy. This is a nearly impossible task, but I’m up for the challenge.

The trick is to find a rental home near (or preferably on) a really good fishing spot. Here Veronica can set up a nest and I can work, read, and help baby-sit between short fishing sessions. Until now I didn’t really worry or even think about this type of thing because mobility was my primary concern. The back of a truck, friend’s houses, cheap motels, or a really long car ride there and back were all that was needed.

For a few years Glenn Hall of Hawg Quest has been telling me that I should take Veronica to Idleyld (idle-wild) Park, located on Oregon’s North Umpqua River, and stay in one of the River Vista vacation homes (www.rivervista-vacationhomes.com). This year I followed up on his recommendation and gave Randy, the owner, a call. The rates were reasonable and he had openings so I reserved a few days during springer season.

These three beautiful rental homes are large, well maintained and overlook the river. We stayed in the “maple” cottage and Veronica I were both very impressed. On top of that we had access to a fishing hole that had produced multiple 30-pound-plus spring chinook over the last few weeks (late May).

The day we arrived Glenn and Andy visited and showed us how it was done. Glenn caught a nice springer behind the house and Andy had two monsters nearly spool him. Unfortunately, when I started to fish the next day heavy rainfall caused the river to rise and the bite to fall off. I talked with one of the guys who was fishing the “narrows” which is the next hole upstream and visible from the River Vista homes. He told me the fishing had been red hot but the bite had temporarily died off due to the unstable weather.

During our three-day stay I managed to land two small springers and get a lot of work done on my laptop. Frankie fed some huge rainbow trout at the nearby Rock Creek Hatchery, and we made many visits to the local store where you can buy fishing tackle and a really good homemade sandwich. We also checked out a few of the parks above Rock Creek in the famed flyfishing section of the river. The are dozens of trails and waterfalls to explore. We made a note to bring the kiddie backpack or large-wheeled stroller when we return.

Our short trip was a total success and I plan to return at least once a season. This area also offers what can be phenomenal hatchery summer steelhead fishing during the summer and fall months. It’s a good idea to study the fish counts at Winchester Dam to determine when, and how many, fish are returning to guesstimate your odds.

I look forward to finding other locations as nice as this one to make family trips. As many of you know it makes it really difficult to go fishing (or get a full night of sleep for that matter) with babies and/or small children. In my case, soon to be both. I’ll have to give my father Frank a tremendous amount of credit for working his way through college, earning a Master’s Degree, raising three, at times, ungrateful kids, staying married since he was 19, and starting a successful business from the ground up with no outside support or financial help.

I look back at all of the wonderful things he did for me and the rest of our family and hope that I can work as hard (and smart) as he did to successfully continue the family tradition and give Franklin and other children that might come along the same opportunities and drive to not only pursue the finest gamefish in the world, but also a positive work ethic that seems to be lacking in many ways with each new generation.

Finding and Fishing the In-Between Water

“I’d cast to every piece of water, no matter how deep or shallow, and I learned a lot about steelhead behavior. Steelhead will hold just about anywhere depending on the river conditions, run timing and if they are on the move or not.”

I love nothing more than reading water. Sometimes I find it hard to fall asleep at night because my thoughts are heavily engaged in river dreamland. I’ll envision a stretch of river and try to picture each pool, rapid and every pocket in-between. Sometimes this puts me to sleep, but more often than not I’ll stay awake for hours planning my next outing.

What hooked me on steelhead fishing, and turned it into an obsession, was learning to cover a lot of water and exploring new rivers and water types. Once upon a time, when I was a child, steelhead fishing meant sitting in the front of a drift boat and covering each pool slowly with either drift gear or plugs. The irony is that I caught my very first steelhead while casting to pockets with a Stee-Lee spoon. The chrome-bright winter was hooked in shallow water behind a rock while my father was rowing our old wood drift boat to the next pool.
What changed everything for me was spinner-fishing. I read a lot a material written by Jed Davis and Jim Bedford and then started hanging out with “Spinner Dave” Kaffke (who at the time owned Angling Specialties in Oregon City) and Dave Kilhefner. Build and fish your own steelhead spinners. What could be more fun? The true satisfaction came when you heard a rumor about a small stream that had a decent run of steelhead. If they were wild, that was even better. Then map the river out, plan a trip, get in the car and try to figure it out.

In those days accessing streams from the bank was much easier than it is now. Because there was only one vehicle involved I’d find an accessible piece of water and then start hiking and fishing. I’d cast to every piece of water, no matter how deep or shallow, and I learned a lot about steelhead behavior. Steelhead will hold just about anywhere depending on the river conditions, run timing and if they are on the move or not. The more time you spent covering water the more fish you’d hook. Sometimes I’d hike more than 10 miles a day and loved every bit of these exploratory trips. With this foundation I started maximizing my catch ratio by making adjustments. At first I’d just hike back to my car. I solved this fishing down-time problem by chaining a bike to a tree for a shuttle rig. Then I upgraded to a Honda 50 Spree which I picked up for 50 bucks. Then I started to use pontoon boats to have more access to difficult stretches of water. What I learned through these weekly trips made throughout the 1990s was that steelhead will hold in all kinds of different water types. And it’s really fun to hook a moving chromer in shallow water.

During this time period I was also attempting to master other methods as well: drift fishing, float-fishing, side drifting, plug-fishing, plunking, fly-fishing, you name it. Without question, all of the time I spent tossing spinners and spoons helped form the basis for my present water-reading skills.

Spinner- and spoon-fishing is challenging and the subtleties of changing weight, blade design, color, plating, size, etc. can keep you entertained for life. You can also use the same type of “cover all the water” strategy with any type of steelhead gear.

I’m getting to the point in my life where I like to challenge myself by finding local, low-pressure spots and still catch fish. During a full day of fishing I’ll be sure to fish all of the well-known producers, but also try new areas and make a note of run timing (if there are no fish around they are pretty hard to catch) and also pick up tips from other sly anglers. Then, when I don’t have a full day to fish I’ll cover as many of these hidey holes as time allows and usually something good will happen.

Here are a few of the things I’ve been trying lately with success. On a big river, while fishing from the bank or anchored boat, I’ve been using a lot of really big slinkies and somewhat heavy main line with a reasonably long (three- or four-foot) leader (not a lining rig). With this setup you can cover a lot of different water types: deep heavy water; water that is far away; snaggy pocket water (there is a learning curve here), etc. You can get down quickly and with a little practice manipulate your presentation so that you have a natural drift with a small offering.

In medium to high water situations steelhead will often hold close to shore. In places you wouldn’t expect. They are also very aggressive, especially during spring and summer. Quickly working edges can lead to some outstanding fishing. This is when Spey fishing really shines.
Just below a very productive piece of water lies about half a mile of shallow, ripping, ledge-filled fishless water that for years I knew had to hold fish, somewhere. It’s a great stretch because anglers rarely bother with this water. For years I’d tried to unlock its secrets and finally I found the “pocket.” You can’t tell it’s there because heavy, riffled water flows right over the top of this hidden bucket. Hooking multiple fish with flies or gear is guaranteed, and do they put up a tussle in this shallow, fast water.