Fishing Articles

Spring Steelhead

written by Todd Haynes

The past few weeks have been extremely busy organizing this seasons gear. I can feel the anticipation flowing through my blood; I am eager to get out on the water and scout out this years new seams and slots created over winters grip. The pontoon boats ready and the weather is starting to smarten up around here. The local rivers are just to low at this time of year for the drift boat so I do most of my scout runs with the light weight pontoon boats.

Spring run steelhead generally begins to heat up here by the tail end of March and the first week of April with the later part of April being fantastic for single and spey fly-fishing. Over the winter there have been a few local guys out fishing a have hooked into a couple of the winter over steelhead but no reports yet of any fresh run fish.

Last seasons steelhead run was fantastic and we had plenty of multiple fish days. We hooked 95 percent of wild steelhead here last season. The hatchery fish we are allowed to keep but we let those fish go as well. Most of the fish averaged between 10 to 15 pounds with a few in the upper teens and a couple in the 20 pound range.