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!!

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!

First Summer Steelhead

Summer Steelhead Taken on Switch Rod

This past Sunday Nikki and I went out fishing for fun in the Willamette Valley. We fished for both trout and steelhead, but the main focus was to get Nikki into her first summer steelhead. We have gotten out together once before for summer fish, and I hooked one, and she never got a pull that day. This time however, the planets lined up, and her swing's call was answered by the steelhead phone. She was fishing a switch rod (and doing an awesome job on it - might I say), and a heavy poly leader with a marabou string leech that was purple with pink. The fish took the fly and went nuts jumping and tearing line off the reel, but I did not get that part on video. I ended up filming the final portion of the battle, but it was an awesome moment to see her first steelhead. Luckily it was a chrome hatchery fish too; so we took it home to enjoy this evening.

We ended up having a wonderful day out there; despite the rain and cool weather that should not be hitting us this time of the year. Cutthroats were all over stripped muddler minnows, and the dry fly and dropper nymph was also very productive out there. I hooked up with two steelhead in one spot, but the battles were short lived. I did get to see both of the fish boil up while they were tearing line, but then they unbuttoned. Nikki had one other quick hookup as well, but the fish did not lock onto the end of the line the way that it needed to in order to stick. 

Cutthroat Trout on Possie Bugger Nymph

Willamette Valley Steelhead Counts are Screaming for Some Swinging Flies!

With all of the high water, the summer steelhead counts have been kind of going undetected. This year happens to have some of the better fish counts in recent years, and not many people have been putting any pressure on these robust fish. More or less, many of these fish have been sliding by without anyone throwing anything to them. Now that the water levels are dropping and stabilizing; it is time to get out there to target these summer steelhead. We are at the time in the run when the fish are coming in with the largest numbers, and it should remain strong until about the 4th of July. After that the fish counts will slow up, and then they will pick up a bit more in the fall again. This does not mean the fishing will slow down. These summer steelhead will hang out in the river for literally about 9 months, and they do not spawn until next winter (Jan, Feb, March). The fishing stays red hot throughout the summer, and into the fall when the rivers turn brown, and you decide to fish elsewhere.

Date	Count
June 3rd	8,816
June 4th	9,135
June 5th	9,625
June 6th	10,392
June 7th	10,669

Now is the time to target these fish; especially if you like to eat fish. The summer steelhead run in the Willamette Valley are mainly a hatchery run, and the fish are stocked to be a "put and take" fishery. This way we can be eating quality fresh anadramous fish; while not having to supposedly interfere with the "wild fish" stocks. Nonetheless, the fish are full of vigor, and they have tons of fatty omega three acids to make them savory and desired. The same hens that have skeins of eggs that are larger than a trophy trout in the fall, will have tiny skeins that are no larger than a finger with 1000's of immature eggs. These eggs will develop in the freshwater portion of the steelhead's lives by utilizing those fatty acids for sexual development. Thus one of the major differences of the physiology of the summer and winter steelhead. That is why catching one of these summer runs right now can be so awesome. They are so sexually immature to the point where they fight with vigor and cartwheel aerials like you have never seen. 

Get out there and experience it!

 Willamette River Summer Steelhead

Hot Steelhead Action is Just Around the Corner......

Summer Steelhead Caught June 2010 on McKenzie River

Water levels are finally dropping on many of the Willamette Valley rivers. Lets pray that the trend continues, and there will be plenty of steelhead to be toyed with. The McKenzie River's water level is dropping like a stone, and the lower it gets the better it will be for targeting summer steelhead. The Willamette up above Eugene is dam controlled, but it should be turning around soon. The Clackamas gauge is looking promising as well; so sharpen up those hooks, check your tippet supply, and make sure your rod and flies are ready. It's gonna be time for some chrome!

Summer Steelhead Numbers Looking Great - When Will Water Levels Be?

The summer steelhead numbers are looking very good, but the water levels for good fly fishing opportunities have been a total bummer as of late. Check out the WILLAMETTE FALLS FISHWAY COUNTS link so you can see the trends in fish passage, and you will sense the frustration of not being able to effectively target these fish the way that we fly anglers would like to be able to. All of these days, chrome bright fish are just marinating in fresh water, and we are not fishing for them. We could be hearing our reel scream with backing sending its way out the rod's tip, but instead we are praying for the water levels to drop. Luckily for us, the time of the year dictates that the rains should eventually cease, and the snow should melt off eventually. Before you know it, we'll be complaining of water levels that are too low and warm (can't imagine that this year.....). 

Normally, by now I am regularly out on the water targeting summer run steelhead, but this year has been one where I have made a few attempts, but high water has kept me fishing for other species like carp. The count for June 1st was 8,102 summer steelhead over Willamette Falls in the fish ladder. The daily passage is from about 160-400 fish and they should remain at that rate for a while.When the levels drop out; fishing will be red hot with numbers of fish piling up, and a lack of anglers targeting them. Pay attention to water levels, and get yourself out there once they drop!

 McKenzie Summer Steelhead taken in July

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