Low and clear also produces short strikes. Slower water at times will allow winter steel to ponder too much upon what is in front of them. Or the grab is very anemic so you miss them or they dont get hooked real good thus popping off. It really is a crazy world when it comes to steelies! SO casting at a 90* from, or right in front of you instead of the 45* down river helps speed up the fly to get enough action. Remember these fish are also activated by action. So there is such a thing as too slow or too fast. Such but learning a broad spectrum of info is very good for steelhead! Never know when you need the info. It was a pleasure talkin to you this year will and to Jason. Keep up the good work guys! Oh and love the waders and rod! Medium/King did the trick for me! Large was a bit too big haha!
Great lesson guys! I picked up my first spey rod and headed out to the Necanicum this last weekend. No luck but I got out there and started getting familiar with my new setup. This video is definitely filling in some gaps. Much appreciated.
Hey Steve! "Chunky water" would just refer to a run or short stretch of water that has a bunch of structure in it with lots of conflicting currents etc. Like you might call a dirt road chunky, or gravelly etc. A slow presentation in winter for steelhead is something you want to try and achieve because winter fish in general are more lethargic and tend to not want to move from their "lie" to chase or eat a swung fly. They really need it right in their zone mostly . That's why in general you see larger patterns in winter. You really want to get their attention and hold it to entice a strike. Good luck!
Do you catch steelhead that are coming back down the river that have spawned and going back to sea? If so do they look any different to incoming fish? At this time of the year on my river we catch Atlantic Salmon which are heading back to sea. They are nicknamed 'kelts' and they are very thin. I'm presuming your steelhead have the same type of lifecycle as our sea trout. It would be really interesting if you did a video on this. Always enjoy your videos. I pretty much use 100% steelhead tactics to catch my Atlantic salmon.
Yes we catch the 'kelts' by accident whilst fishing for incoming fresh fish. We don't fish for them as such as they are recovering too. Sometimes if we find a hole where the kelts are there's a fresh fish in among them. Fresh spring Salmon on the river I fish are like gold dust! There's not many around!
It's when you have about a foot or so of loose line pinched against the rod as opposed to having the line tight to the reel when the fly is swinging through the water. So when the fish hits you can let the loose line out and let the fish eat the fly until it hits the reel.
Low and clear also produces short strikes. Slower water at times will allow winter steel to ponder too much upon what is in front of them. Or the grab is very anemic so you miss them or they dont get hooked real good thus popping off. It really is a crazy world when it comes to steelies! SO casting at a 90* from, or right in front of you instead of the 45* down river helps speed up the fly to get enough action. Remember these fish are also activated by action. So there is such a thing as too slow or too fast. Such but learning a broad spectrum of info is very good for steelhead! Never know when you need the info. It was a pleasure talkin to you this year will and to Jason. Keep up the good work guys! Oh and love the waders and rod! Medium/King did the trick for me! Large was a bit too big haha!
Awesome! Thank you for the feedback! Good points as well! Those winter grabs can be very soft.
Steelhead love the action of a twitching jig which is basically a large weighted leach.
Great lesson guys! I picked up my first spey rod and headed out to the Necanicum this last weekend. No luck but I got out there and started getting familiar with my new setup. This video is definitely filling in some gaps. Much appreciated.
you guys are the best! take it all in and use on great lakes, hope to get out west some day...
So much info in this video. Enough to watch a few times to try and catch it all. Thanks!
Thanks for watching!
Thanks. Great video. I'm down in Redding. I will stop in when I'm back up that way.
Thanks Gary, Look forward to seein' ya!
Another great one. Thanks Will.
Thanks Jason!! More to come!
Great video. You bring up sound being an issue. I can guarantee ripping line on the surface using spey cast generates a hell of sound underwater too.
thanks guys...mighty fine video
Nice job. I appreciate the way you express your thoughts so that I I can follow.What is chunky water? Also why be concerned with a slow presentation?
Hey Steve! "Chunky water" would just refer to a run or short stretch of water that has a bunch of structure in it with lots of conflicting currents etc. Like you might call a dirt road chunky, or gravelly etc. A slow presentation in winter for steelhead is something you want to try and achieve because winter fish in general are more lethargic and tend to not want to move from their "lie" to chase or eat a swung fly. They really need it right in their zone mostly . That's why in general you see larger patterns in winter. You really want to get their attention and hold it to entice a strike. Good luck!
Love all this help and explaining why it is we dovthings🤙 keep wrapping em boys and keep it up👌
Thank you Chris!!
Which rods and reels were you using during this video? Lines, too? Thanks! Great content!
Pretty sure we we're out with Sage X rods, Meiser rods and maybe a T & T , and mostly Hardy reels. Thanks Nicole!
This video kills me, Will!!! Lol. Jacked up my back and knee. I'm done for 4-6 weeks!!! :/ Atleast these videos keep me sane!! Great video!!
Oh no! Get well soon! We'll keep em coming!
Visit Oregon 2-3 times per year and Fish Santiam, Deschutes! Need to visit the Rogue
Do you catch steelhead that are coming back down the river that have spawned and going back to sea? If so do they look any different to incoming fish? At this time of the year on my river we catch Atlantic Salmon which are heading back to sea. They are nicknamed 'kelts' and they are very thin. I'm presuming your steelhead have the same type of lifecycle as our sea trout. It would be really interesting if you did a video on this. Always enjoy your videos. I pretty much use 100% steelhead tactics to catch my Atlantic salmon.
We don't target Steelhead heading down river back to the ocean. They are all spawned out, colored up and very tired. Thanks for watching our videos!
Yes we catch the 'kelts' by accident whilst fishing for incoming fresh fish. We don't fish for them as such as they are recovering too. Sometimes if we find a hole where the kelts are there's a fresh fish in among them. Fresh spring Salmon on the river I fish are like gold dust! There's not many around!
What reels are you using
Nice video!
Thank you!
what does "carry a loop" mean?
It's when you have about a foot or so of loose line pinched against the rod as opposed to having the line tight to the reel when the fly is swinging through the water. So when the fish hits you can let the loose line out and let the fish eat the fly until it hits the reel.
Rod set ups?
Can't remember! 😄
excellent tutorial!
Thank you!
Fish your feet first.
Yes! 👍👍