Home Forums Fishing Freshwater Steelhead fishing questions

A little yarn will allow you to feel the pickup longer, gets hung on teeth. Using a slip bobber or strike indicator is a big help also.

Will see if I still got the touch going to Yakutat to fish the Situk late April.

Supposedly some fish coming any time now. They were a few miles downriver last weekend. I can't tell if I am fishing when the fish aren't here or if I just can't catch them! I catch one once in a while, and a few trout. This river turns on and off like no river I've ever seen. Some days nothing. I am fishing plugs under a sideplaner quite a lot, worms and a corkie, and sometimes spoons. Nothing sophisticated.

I hear other guys talking about how frustrated they are. Throwing everything they've got at it and coming up empty. I think I might even be outfishing some! I'll work on the sharp hooks, and youtube some videos on other techniques.

One question I've had is, will the steelhead run the trout out of a hole? When I'm catching trout does that say anything about whether there are steelhead present? Also, we have river otters that frequent the area. Any effect on steelhead?

If the crowds aren't scoring (especially the old timers), they are pretty much not there. Same for you. If the "cinch hole" and "for sure rock" are not producing, they are not around. Lastly, I have horrid luck with rising flows. Stable and or declining flows, and it picks up.

On the otter: I think their presence is simply a momentary deal. Fish just move out of the way as opposed to clearing the horizon. Once had 5 otter come up through about a 100 yd run just before I started from the top. I actually thought about boating on down, but decided what the hell. Landed 3 fish and lost 2 others in the next hour. Fish go through life ducking predators all the time. It's no big deal. Same with big and small game. Once the threat is out of sight, it's out of mind.

Get a chrome and blue Little Cleo, Krockodile, or K.O. Wobbler , around 3/4 oz. Remove the treble, and put a good eagle claw single hood on and cast it out and reel it in. Been using these 3 baits for years and catching steelies every time out.

Those Little Cleo's in blue and chrome, and gold are killers in the small river near here. I've done ok with the gold one letting it sink to the bottom and jigging it up and down as it bumps along the bottom. Surprisingly effective that way.

Looks like we have fish at long last. Hooked a good one probably 8 lbs, on the far side of the river using a sideplaner and plug. Got him all the way across to within 15' and the line wrapped around the end of the rod. He got off as I was trying to deal with that. Nice fish.