Late Spring Steelhead
While on a trip back from turkey hunting Monday morning I stopped along the Little Salmon River and noticed quit a few stack into a pole just below a small falls. Steelheads are known to stack up in this spot and I like to check it when I am fish, it is usually a good indicator as to how the fish are moving and if they are in the river.
When I noticed so many fish stacked in there I decided to give Steelhead fishing a try for a while. This turned out to be the best decision of the day as the only turkey I saw I managed to spook of before I got him to respond to my calling. Anyway There is a small seem just down from the falls I was talking about that I decided to give a try and on the first cast I hooked into a nice buck that may have weighed 10 lbs. this fish had been in the river for quit some time and was close to spawning. But he did but up a pretty good fight for this time of year. Two casts latter I hooked another fish at the very tail end of this drift and this fish came out of the water shook it’s tail at me and headed down the river like it was being pushed by a freight train it was not long before it came off but it got me wondering what put such a fire under his tail.
After fishing for less then twenty minutes more I hooked into another nice steelhead and this fish was acting like an early fall fish it jumped four times and gave me a very good tussle before I was finally able to tail her and get a good look at her. She was a nice silver colored spring steelhead and was in excellent shape and a nice firm body. Now I do not know where these fish have come from and usually this time of year they are spawning and pretty well beat down but this one well I just could not believe the shape she was in.
I guess that may be I gave up on Steelhead fishing to early as it appears that there are quit a few fish in the river most are tired and spawning or nearly ready to spawn. There are however some of these fish that appear to be fresher and you while know as soon as you hook one if it is fresh by the way they want to take off.
I fished this hole for the rest of the day and while I never kept a good count I know I caught over 12 and probably closer to 15 fish some of them really gave me a good fight and a couple I’m sure are still headed back to the ocean just from the way they blew out of the hole.
So if you’re looking for something to do the next couple of weeks you might want to give it a try the Steelhead are still there and some of them are in very good shape for this time of year.
By: RR Smith
Looking to save on your next purchase of Fishing Gear Please visit my Store at Steelhead Gear.Com I’m sure you will find some of the best prices available anywhere for your Salmon, Steelhead, and Trout Fishing Gear wants and needs.
http://www.steelhead-gear.com
Tags: Steelhead, Steelhead Fishing