Steelhead fishing

[FishingRookie]

I am hoping to get out and do some steelhead fishing for the first time in Idaho. So I need some advice from all the experts on here.

When is a productive time of year to try?
Will there be any action if I try within the next month?
Any advice on places to try?

I am planning on heading to the salmon area but I am open to any ideas.

Thanks!
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[SteelFan]

With the mild weather we haven't stopped fishing since October here in Salmon. There have been a few weekends that the river was too slushy to fish, but not much. It has been picking up really good the last 2 weeks, but it is supposed to get really cold in Stanley this weekend so who knows what will happen. If you are only planning on a trip or 2 this spring I would wait for the Deadwater area to blow out as that is when the fish really start to move and the combat fishing begins in the canyon below North Fork. I don't usually fish in the canyon when this happens as you can catch steelhead right around town and have half the crowds to fight. It will get really good here real soon. I am hoping for an early blowout this year with the mild weather so far. February and March should be fantastic fishing as long as the weather stays mild.
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[flyguy66]

I am also looking into fishing for steelhead and know absolutely nothing about it. I want to fly fish for them but don't know what type of set up I need as far as rod/line weight, fly patterns, or fishing techniques. If anyone can be of assistance I would be grateful! Thanks,

Cole
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[SF_Austin]

Typically steelhead season is in full swing through the month of march but you can catch them from now through april. I'm not sure what the season is going to look like this year because of all the warm weather. The only advice I have for anyone trying to get into it is to find a friend to take you. It's a tough thing to start on your own.
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[FishingRookie]

Thanks for the info!

Guess I need some better friends... There will be a group of 4 of us and I am pretty sure we are all noobs at steelhead.
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[ddahl3]

The other thing i would do that will be highly effective is to put your pole down for an hour and just watch. you will notice that 90 percent of the fish are caught by ten percent of the fisherman. i would suggest just chatting it up with them. most of the time they will point you in the right direction as far as tackle, technique. a phone call or two to a local tackle shop wouldnt hurt either. good luck.
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[prvrt]

Some good advice here. Best advice is:

1. Take someone who knows how to fish for steelhead.
2. You will learn more putting the pole down for an hour and watching others than you will reading on here for days. The only problem with watching, is you may find out you do not have the right stuff and are far from a store.
3. Talk to a local tackle shop. They should have decent info to help you out and get you started.

There are many different ways to fish for steelhead and also many different baits. Every fisherman has his prefered method and will tell you that it is the best way. Start out with something simple such as spinners or spoons. Watch others and learn. After you get some advice on a setup, the next biggest problem is learning to read the water. Water temp, time of year, river location, and weather all play a part. Watch the fishing reports and learn the river where you want to fish. Look for the holes where fish will be holding. You will soon learn all the good holes will be packed, but don't worry. People are creatures of habit and will do the same thing over and over in the same place and others will follow. New people learning will follow the more experianced people to the same places and that is usually why there are so many people in some spots. Don't be afraid to go it alone and explore other parts of the river where people are not packed in. Remember, fish do not just magically go from one good hole to another by teleportation, they must swim from hole to hole which means no matter where you are at on the river there are fish in there somewhere swimming by. The trick is to learn where in that part of the river are they swimming and where they are holding. Once you figure this out, things will start heading in the right direction for you and you should start catching fish on a regular basis.
I have fished in the same spot for 3 or 4 years now and know the area very well. I know where the rocks are, the snags, the sandy bottom, the gravel bottom and where the fish cruise. I know they swim through the same place year after year and even tho the river may be 50' across, most of the fish swim through a 5'-10' section. Learning one spot very well will produce more fish for you than knowing 10 spots a little.
Four years ago I was in your exact position not having a clue where to start. It will take time to learn, but it is well worth it. Go back and read some of the years past threads. There is a lot of information you can gather from those also. Good luck and have fun.
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[jeremypeace]

Good info all over the place.. I have a question. To throw in here. I will be going up for the spring run this year. But will not be going with my normal group of people. So was wondering if anyone has some numbers and info on who to get ahold of up around rams head/ ebinezer area for a weekend rental? Any info would be great thank you.
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[FindFish]

If you are interested in heading up a little more north, the Clearwater is fishing really well right now. If you're fishing from shore I would recommend the NF or SF of the Clearwater but there are plenty of shore spots on the main river if you know where to go this time of the year. A basic bobber and jig are the more common approaches from shore, but side drifting eggs is the most effective if you have a boat. There are some up to date reports on FindFish from guides and those may help as well.
Cheers!
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