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Author Topic: Winter steelheading 101  (Read 21260 times)

greyghost

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Re: Winter steelheading 101
« Reply #60 on: January 01, 2018, 01:47:15 PM »

Could one of you veteran steelheaders she’d some light on the best time of day to target steelhead?

I’ve always been unsure whether to shoot for sunrise/sunset like salmon or midday for higher water temp like a feeding trout?
Any time during the day!!!
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obie1fish

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Re: Winter steelheading 101
« Reply #61 on: January 01, 2018, 01:54:34 PM »

Apennock, the best time to catch a steelhead is when you are there and your line is in the water. There will be times- first light, last light, midday, sunny, cloudy, rainy, snowy- that you know you fished well and absolutely nothing came from it. Then there are those times you fish like crap, bumbling and stumbling through the day, yet still get great numbers (whatever that is for you).

In the first case, be happy that you fished well, and that on another day you would have been handsomely rewarded for your skill. In the second, take the money and run, knowing you were rewarded for just being there, and knowing that it won't always be like that, but for today, it was, because you were there.

Just get out there.
« Last Edit: January 01, 2018, 01:56:43 PM by obie1fish »
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spoiler

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Re: Winter steelheading 101
« Reply #62 on: January 01, 2018, 02:19:57 PM »

I would say with the current weather conditions you would be best to go out at 10:00am and fish until around 2:00pm or later if you wish.
in the 50 years I have been fishing the Vedder for Steelhead, I have found when the water gets real cold the fish are most active around noon.
Even when I get up early to secure a spot, I usually don't hook fish until around 9 or 10am.
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Noahs Arc

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Re: Winter steelheading 101
« Reply #63 on: January 01, 2018, 02:35:53 PM »

Any time of day. I have caught fish first cast all the way to last cast. If I miss a fish late in the day you will be dam sure I am on that same rock for first light the next morning.

The most important, is to go when you have the time to go. Top rods spend countless hours wandering up and down their favourite stretches of rivers getting to know the water intimately.
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flyrod

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Re: Winter steelheading 101
« Reply #64 on: January 01, 2018, 03:14:43 PM »

When I go out first light in January and February I usually don't get my first steely until mid March!!!!  Therefore, I don't go out early unless the temperature is around 10-15 degrees.....love a warm bed in the morning on my day off!
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stsfisher

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Re: Winter steelheading 101
« Reply #65 on: January 01, 2018, 04:43:56 PM »

the best time to catch a steelhead is when you are there and your line is in the water[/b].

Top rods spend countless hours wandering up and down their favourite stretches of rivers getting to know the water intimately.

Not much more to be said. If you can fish first light until dark, do it often, but know the water you are fishing better than you fish.
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John Revolver

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Re: Winter steelheading 101
« Reply #66 on: January 01, 2018, 07:09:43 PM »

I used to like hitting the water at very first light . After I've had a few seasons, and a few fish, under my belt  I learned that all of my action takes place later in the day.  Water temp plays a huge factor .  Also,  with a system like the C/V , which is essentially a factory river , fish will get pounded and pounded and pounded with all sorts of stuff and will spook and hide into slots that are sometimes hard to reach.

I've also observed that a lot of the times people throw stuff that is way to big , way to flashy , huge weights and huge floats ect. which can all cause Steelhead to spook and be tight lipped so it helps to get the first couple of shots at a run.

With all that being said, during the regular season I like to start 9-10am. When super ultra primetime hits I tend to put a bit more effort getting to a run before first light

I'm far from an expert. These are just my observations over time
« Last Edit: January 01, 2018, 07:12:17 PM by John Revolver »
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Steelhawk

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Re: Winter steelheading 101
« Reply #67 on: January 04, 2018, 11:34:42 PM »

Honestly what is the fun in having no sleep and just be there at first light so you can catch a hatch in the good runs and then go home, as you can't continue to fish after retaining the 1st fish? There isn't much challenge except the challenge of beating everybody to the top runs after stressing yourself out of bed. Lol. I rather take my time and work the pocket waters miles upon miles of river and rapids.
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greyghost

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Re: Winter steelheading 101
« Reply #68 on: January 05, 2018, 12:57:56 AM »

The day that I get stressed when I wake up early will be the last day I fish. I don’t see that happening!
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mikeyman

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Re: Winter steelheading 101
« Reply #69 on: January 05, 2018, 01:04:42 AM »

Stressed that 5 fish were hit in the run before I showed up at noon. Thats cool. Leave the first light first water for us stressed out fishermen.
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greyghost

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Re: Winter steelheading 101
« Reply #70 on: January 05, 2018, 01:10:01 AM »

Stressed that 5 fish were hit in the run before I showed up at noon. Thats cool. Leave the first light first water for us stressed out fishermen.
ROTFLMAO 😂
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Have you talked too someone for a while and thought too yourself.......
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Noahs Arc

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Re: Winter steelheading 101
« Reply #71 on: January 05, 2018, 03:59:58 PM »

Honestly what is the fun in having no sleep and just be there at first light so you can catch a hatch in the good runs and then go home, as you can't continue to fish after retaining the 1st fish? There isn't much challenge except the challenge of beating everybody to the top runs after stressing yourself out of bed. Lol. I rather take my time and work the pocket waters miles upon miles of river and rapids.

Who said anything about bonking a hatch at first light??
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Wiseguy

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Re: Winter steelheading 101
« Reply #72 on: January 05, 2018, 04:16:34 PM »

First light doesn't pay off for steelhead on the Vedder. Maybe it does for salmon season? I wouldn't know, gave that up a long time ago due to the "meat crowd mentality" during salmon season on the Vedder. All of my steelhead catches are between ten and two probably due to warmer water temps.
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Dave

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Re: Winter steelheading 101
« Reply #73 on: January 05, 2018, 05:14:04 PM »

First light doesn't pay off for steelhead on the Vedder. Maybe it does for salmon season? I wouldn't know, gave that up a long time ago due to the "meat crowd mentality" during salmon season on the Vedder. All of my steelhead catches are between ten and two probably due to warmer water temps.
Don't fish any more but when I did I agree mid day was nearly always better.  Note the word nearly ...
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Steelhawk

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Re: Winter steelheading 101
« Reply #74 on: January 05, 2018, 06:23:53 PM »

Who said anything about bonking a hatch at first light??

Haha. Wait till you have a small hatch at 7am and you are with a group of guys. In my many years of steelheading, I have seen some guys having a hard time deciding to bonk or not to bonk when he hits a small hatch in the early morning. Years ago when I was still young with hot blood I did show up early in some of the busy lower runs. There was one guy with 4 fishing partners and he hit and landed a small hatch about7-8 lbs at first light. He had such a hard and agonizing time deciding to bonk and stop fishing or let the fish go so he doesn't have to be dragged along the whole day with his friends. Granted he was a young guy who didn't seem a seasoned steelhead rod from his setup, he really had a very hard time to decide and the fish was left by the water's edge for way longer than it should. It was not like he could get another hatch for the day but the thought of being dragged along for the rest of the day was surely weighing on him.  What a stressful time for this 'poor' guy! LOL.

And that story makes me wonder if it is really a good idea to fish with too many partners while steelheading. So I have been mostly a solo steelheader. However it may be dangerous to go through frosty shorelines and risky falling (like hitting a rock while tripping/falling and passing out) if fishing alone. Do you guys like that 'stupid' rule of not allowing fishermen to do catch and release fishing after bonking the first steelie on the Vedder?
« Last Edit: January 05, 2018, 06:29:30 PM by Steelhawk »
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