Salmon River steelhead report continued...

The last week and a half has seen the steelheading continue to be very good.  Most areas still continue to hold fish.  Still target fast water but I've noticed more hook ups in the deeper holding water in the last week.  The fishing has began to move to a more typical steelhead bite, that is, on and off, like a light switch.  First light typically produces fish but now they are prone to turning on and off through the day.  If the bite your fishing shuts off, be patient and hang out, it will turn on again.  If you're not patient, then move around and try different areas, you'll find the bite again.



Erich Gaston with a dandy Salmon River steelhead.
11/20/2011



The Atmar to Pineville area still has tremendous numbers of fish, but you'll have to share you fishing areas with others.  The steelhead crowd at this point are more the 'dedicated' steelheaders, those who don't mind the weather and would rather stand knee deep in water during the winter than sit in the Lazyboy waiting for winter to end.  These guys are usually advanced in their skills and have fine tuned their equipmaent and approach the the river and the fish.  Hanging out with these fellas can be very rewarding.

Pineville and down to Pulaski sees less angling pressure and the solitude of the river is awesome.  From the driftboat I see very few people down stream from Pineville and the Sportsman, it's a thing of beauty.  Not a lot of boat traffic as the water is still low, about 450cfs at Pineville gauge.



Even I get to fish a little with clients sometimes.  I landed it on a
10' 7wt indie fishing with a chartreuse w/ pink dot glo-bug.
11/18/2011



I've been primarily fly fishing with clients and the indie fishing is good.  Glo-bugs continue to produce well with chartreuse w/pink dot and straight Steelhead Orange being the top producers.  Eggs will produce, stick with blue or chartreuse sacks.  Beads will work, try mottled patterns in charise and glow roe in chartreuse.  fish these in 8 and 10 mil.  I am using all leader/tippets on 6lb  P-Line florocarbon.

Salmon River steelhead fishing report

Finally got a chance to download some pictures to my laptop and put a report together.  Have been busy on the river since the last posting and the steelheading is awesome.  Most all stops in a float produce steelhead, with some areas of the river holding amazing numbers of fish. 



Joe holding a typical Salmon River steelhead, about 8 lbs


Have been fishing both flies and egg sacs, both producing well.  As for egg sacs two colors are producing excellent, blue and chartreuse.  If your going to put your money on one color, then make it blue.  Have had some limited success with pink but you will do best right now using blue or chartreuse.  If you are a trout bead man, then the chartreuse bead in 12 mil will be a good choice.

Flies that are producing well are Glo-bug  patterns in chartreuse with pink or cherise dot, solid cherise, solid steelhead orange, Oregon cheese with pink dot and try a pale blue with cherise dot, these egg patterns are working.  If you want to try nymphs, try black stones #8,10 and Copper Johns.  I've been floating all these under a strike indicator and have been having the best success with the Glo-bugs.  If you are swinging flies then Intruders, BH Wooly Buggers and MOAL leeches are going to work for you.


From Tyler Texas, Darryl withstood the cold
for a few sleelies.



As I mentioned, most areas of the river will produce good steelheading right now.  I fished / floated the Altmar to Pineville stretch for a few hours this past Saturday and it was loaded with fish.  Only problem is it was loaded with fishermen too.  It's surprising to still see so MANY people fishing right now.  It obviously speaks to the excellent fishing right now but the parking lots and the river look like salmon season.   Mid-river, Pineville to the Ace, crowded,  upper Sportsman to Sportsman, crowded.  In between these areas though you can find some solitude and steelhead that are willing to play.

 I have seen a lot  more spey guys on the river this fall, in areas I have never seen them in before.  Most single hand fly-rodders are indicator fishing and most guys with spinning gear are using floats now-a-days.  Most spin guys I see are using beads and I've noticed many using the 'ol pink worm (with success).


Also from Texas, Allen holds one of several steelhead brought
to the net this past Friday.