Fall Steelheading is Game On!!

Happy Angler With First Steelhead Caught - Taken on Egg Pattern Dead Drifted Under Indicator

The first major fall freshet has fallen, and it has filled the rivers with new flowing water. That has caused the fish to orient themselves into a upriver migratory mode, and that in turn has caused to "bite" to be awesome. Today, I took Nikki's father Lance out, and we got into steelhead in a great way! I had 9 legitimate steelhead grabs, and hooked up with 7 fish, and I landed 4 steelhead that were all in great shape. Lance had two on and landed them both; with one taking a swung fly, and the other taking a egg pattern behind some spawning salmon. The fish were taking both swung flies and dead drifted flies off on a strike indicator; so fish can be taken with a variety of methods as of this point in the run.

This Steelhead Was Taken on a Egg Sucking Stonefly Nymph

Fish are really being influenced by spawning spring chinook, and they are totally keyed into the eggs drifting below the redds. The other thing is to make sure that people are being ethical out there; with all of the spawning fish around. Many people hook up with spawned out chinook, and it is "our" responsibility to inform people that they should break the fish off on purpose if they are incidentally hooked. It is funny because you will never hook up with these spawning fish; if you fish for steelhead properly. Always be on the lookout for the cleaned off gravel redds, and the spawning fish. They are very obvious, and stay away from them. On the flip side, look downstream of the spawning fish, and you will often see steelhead below gorging on eggs and nymphs kicked up from the fish spawning.

First Swing Caught Steelhead Taken on a Black Egg Sucking Leech

Steelhead fishing should remain good with days of stellar fishing littered around until the winter flows take over, and cause us to focus our fishing elsewhere. If you want to experience the fall summer steelhead fishing at its best part of the run call me at (541)232-6360 or email me at fish@mckenzieangler.com to set up a guided trip. The best summer steelhead fly fishing is yet to come!!

More Information on Fly Fishing Class - "Steelhead Fly Fishing"

On October 9th, I will be conducting a class on steelhead fly fishing on the Clackamas River. I have gotten many emails about the class; so I am going to explain what the class is all about.

This will be a 4 hour "on the water" steelhead fly fishing class. It will not be a "fishing trip" and you will most likely not catch a steelhead during it (although it is possible); since the focus of it will be that it is a class. It will be about techniques and there will be demonstrations on the water. 6 people will be allowed into the class, and the main requirement is that you already know the basics of fly fishing. You can call this class a 301 Steelhead Fly Fishing Class; because in a 101 Fly Fishing you would be learning how to cast and tie knots. A 201 Fly Fishing Class would be some basic fly fishing techniques, and this 301 class is the next step after that.

For anyone who is interested in steelhead fly fishing, and wants to know about fishing techniques, equipment to use, tippet strengths, fly choices, when to do what, and what to do when; then this is the class for you. We are going to learn about swinging wet flies, skating dry flies, dead drifting flies, single handed rod uses, spey casting basics (and uses), switch rod basics (and uses), reading water, cracking the myths, etc, etc....The class is designed so you can go on your own to a steelhead fishery, and you will know what to do while you are out there to fish properly for steelhead with a fly rod.

I will be doing demonstrations, and I will be picking class members to participate in them. You will be both watching demonstrations, and you will be participating in them too. It is not a steelhead fishing trip, but you will be learning steelhead fly fishing techniques; so you can go out on your own and you can become a proficient steelhead fly fisher.

Class Will Meet At the Lower Boat Ramp at McIver State Park (Click for link)

-Class will run from 10am-2pm (meet at 9:45am to get waders on and get ready for class to start at 10am)

 -Class costs $100 per person

-Students will have to have their own waders, boots, sunglasses, license (appropriate tags), and rain jacket (if needed)

-I will supply equipment for the class, but I recommend that you bring a rod for steelhead fishing if you already have one. 

-a notepad and pen can be helpful for taking notes

-Class is limited to 6 Students (email or call to sign up - don't assume it is filled up -plenty of spaces available)

Clackamas River Steelhead Taken on swung articulated leech pattern

If you are interesting in signing up for this class, email me at fish@mckenzieangler.com or call me at (541)232-6360. You can also sign up at the Orvis Shop at Bridgeport Village (7495 SW Bridgeport Road Tigard, OR 97224 - Phone: 503-598-7680) if that is more convenient for you.

Summer Steelhead Report and Video

Last week I was busy guiding; so I did not have much time to post entries onto the blog, but now I am playing catch up. This past Wednesday and Thursday, I guided two awesome regular clients who are also avid steelheaders. We had good fishing on both days, and one days had multiple hookups; while the other day was gifted with a huge fish that battled like you think a steelhead should. We took fish on black and purple moal leeches, pink and purple moal leeches, and a ostrich pattern that closely looks like a black and blue moal leech, but it was weightless. We fished fly lines ranging from full floating to type V, depending on the spot we were fishing, and the sunlight conditions. The fish have been hot as rockets when you get hooked up, and there have been some nice large fish this season. Below is a video from a couple of fish from last weeks fishing. Enjoy!

Summer Steelhead Time! It's Game On!

With good numbers of summer steelhead passing over Willamette Falls, the only issue we have been facing has been the water levels. Recently the water levels have been stabilizing and dropping, and the rivers have been much more approachable for fly fishing for summer steelhead. Recently, on a day off, and a good friend and I decided to pursue some chrome. Luckily for us, we were rewarded with a fresh sea run turbo charged steelhead that my buddy landed, and I lost another one too. Even one of my swings went through, and there were three solid tugs before the fish decided it was not going to commit to my offerings, and it was gone. Close one though, and the one fish day could have easily been a three fish day if the planets lines up slightly differently.

McKenzie River Summer Steelhead

With the higher levels, the fish hold in different spots then they do in the lower summer level conditions, and knowing where to look is the biggest part in achieving success out there. Think like a steelhead, and know that they love water that is walking pace and from approximately 18"-5' deep, and that variable can clear out a lot of water that may seem fishy. If your normal go to spot is faster and deeper than when you slammed the fish last summer, then you may want to fish another spot. Many of my high water spots will not even hold a fish in low water; yet there may be a half of a dozen chromers sitting there waiting for you to show them something. Knowing where the fish hold in the current conditions will create your success. Fishing your standard low water spots will only make you feel bleaked out when you have thrown 1000 casts without even a tug or a sniff.

Stoked Angler with a Fresh Willamette Valley Summer Steelhead

When you are out there and fishing, think about the water levels again. You can get a fish to come up through the depths to check out your classic wet fly patterns or you can sink down to their level and you can grab their attention with a nice and bold large profiled pattern. On the flip side, don't forget that these fish can see some small things, and they will take a subtle fly pattern when the masses are bombarding them with all sorts of hardware. The other thing to think about is how the fish may respond to a dead drifted offering. When I was out with my friend, I hooked a fish on a swung fly presentation with a type II 15' sinking tip that was attached to a Skagit Head with a long "moal leech like" marabou pattern with the color combo being black, purple, and blue in the back. My friend followed me through the spot and his swings went undetected. After rowing the boat out into the pool, and with the sun behind us; we could see several steelhead holding. We tried to sight swing to the fish, but they did not move an inch.  

Super Bright McKenzie River Summer Steelhead

My friend Brian threw a few casts to a fish that I saw, and I coached him into each drift; since he could not see the fish from his vantage point. He threw a cast in, and as soon as it hit the water, I said, "that's the one....". It dead drifted down to the holding lie, and I told him "NOW!" right when the Thingamabobber probed over the sighted fish. Suddenly the Thingamabobber subtly dunked under only about 8" underwater. Brian struck hard, and the result was a surge of chrome that looked like a shiny car bumper in a river. FISH ON!!. We pulled the boat over to the bank, and Brian jumped out to enjoy the battle from the shore. After a sturdy long fight, the fish yielded to the net. We were stoked! Steelhead fly fishing takes persistence and will, but the rewards are huge. A successful day out on the water for summer steelhead makes you feel like you are on top of the world. Get out there so you can enjoy that feeling!

If you are interested in booking a guided trip for steelhead, call me at (541)-232-6360 or email me at fish@mckenzieangler.com .

Summer Steelhead Numbers Looking Good - Willamette River System

The last few days have had nice summer steelhead passage through the Willamette Falls Fish Counter. ODFW reports nice numbers of fish returning; so keep yourself posted to the Willamette Falls Fish Counts. My personal opinion is when the numbers breach 3,000 summer steelhead, it is good enough to have high probability of roping into some chrome bright fish. The numbers hit that 3,000+ mark from May 6th to May 7th, and then almost jumped another thousand fish since then to the 12th which is the last day of counted fish reported by ODFW.

Clackamas River Summer Steelhead

Daily	Cum	Date
201	2,972	5/6
186	3,158	5/6
193	3,351	5/7
96	3,449	5/8
137	3,586	5/9
172	3,758	5/10
87	3,845	5/11
142	3,987	5/12

When the numbers are coming in; the counts will fall behind several days due to the spring chinook and steelhead literally having to be hand counted with pictures taken from a camera as they pass through the fish ladder. That is a good sign too, and that basically means that it is time to get out to the tributaries that come into the main stem Willamette River like the Clackamas, Santiams, McKenzie, and Middle Fork Willamette Rivers. The early fish are full of serious vigor, and if you have not hooked one, I strongly recommend trying getting out to experience one.

If you are interested in booking a guided trip for steelhead, call me at (541)-232-6360 or email me at fish@mckenzieangler.com .