Steelheads

[hoolee99]

I have never fished for steelhead, I have for salmon. I am looking for good info on where I can go fish for them and have a good chance catching them. I got my brother in law crazy hooked on salmon and he is now really fired up to go steelheading. I started using a slip float bobber set-up for salmon and know a lot of guys use that for steelies. i am looking on places to try and possible things that work for others in the past.
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[STEELHEADKID]

Slip float and a jig, spoons, spinners, plugs, yarn, eggs, shrimp, and lots of pencil lead. As far as places the whole salmon river system, clearwater river and its tributaries, and the whole snake river below hells canyon dam. If you dont have access to a boat theres plenty of awesome bank spots on all of these systems!
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[hoolee99]

Are there better colors on the jigs that you have found, also what kind of water to fish fast, fast with deep pools ect. I am just trying to narrow down the choices.
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[Belasko]

Jig color seems to depend on the year and also on who you talk too. One guy I know swears by white head jigs w/ black hackle on it. I've had good luck w/ purple and black, or purple/red combos. I've heard good stuff about chartreuse, red, orange and purple as well. So I guess pick a couple and good luck! For drifting jigs w/ a bobber a I usually find a slow to medium paced drift is good. Faster waters I usually prefer bottom bouncing.
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[STEELHEADKID]

As far as the type of water you want to be fishing it really depends on the time of year you are fishing. This time of year until the weather starts cooling off at the end of october the steelhead seem to like the faster, cooler more oxygen rich waters. Later on in the season as the water begins to cool down the steelhead prefer to lay up in the slower deeper pools and this is where your float and jig will shine! Color can change day to day but my top producers year after year are 1/8th ounce white head black body, pink head black body, chartreuse head black body, white head orange body, and chartreuse head pink body.
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[tmas]

Do you know how soon the fall steelhead start making it up to Ellis and upriver? I've spring fished it for years and this year will be my first fall fishing, can't wait!
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[Belasko]

You don't hear too much about steelies getting up around Ellis until spring a couple weeks after dead water breaks out. However every year someone goes up just for the heck of it and will say they had a hit or two and maybe even caught one. But for the most part they stay below Salmon until after winter. Good spots to hit would be from Deadwater on down to the end of the road around Owl creek or further. That provides a ton of water to check out and find your own little stretch to work over.
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[MMDon]

If they'd just stick to one color of jig I wouldn't have to work so hard!



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[Belasko]

Very nice collection of jigs. Looks like my Panther Martin collection about 4 yrs ago before I depleted it.[:p]
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[MONTANA_MAN]

[quote MMDon]If they'd just stick to one color of jig I wouldn't have to work so hard!
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[.img][url "http://a.imageshack.us/...8.jpg[/img][/quote]"]http://a.imageshack.us/...8.jpg[/img][/quote][/url]

Those pics are a crack up! Reminds me of my 8 fly boxes for the Deschutes, Rogue and Clearwater. Nice collection. One thing I've learned about metalhead fishing is........bring everything you own. I've caught them on Bass lures attached to my fly rod.

Good on ya...love the colors!
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