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Snake River, Columbia River Sturgeon fishing, Cowlitz River, Washington fishing guide

There are several good techniques for steelhead fishing. From the anchored position I like to run crank baits as bait divers with eggs or shrimp. With plugs that are out of tune you will see your plugs on the surface or running sideways. This makes your plug very ineffective. It needs to get down near the bottom of the river. To tune your plugs cast your plug out and see which way it comes back in. If it comes straight back your ready to fish. If it comes back to the right or left it needs tuning.  Bend the eye on the plug slightly to the side it’s favoring. Cast your plug again and check your tuning job.

Hooks on plugs should be replaced with a slightly oversized rear hook. Remove the hook on the front of the plug so only the rear hook is left. This will help you lose fewer plugs on the bottom of the river.

Snake River is one of the best rivers in Washington State for this presentation.  Use about 6’ of leader off the crank bait. Back troll slowly down the river, trying to work different areas of the river with each pass.

  Floating eggs or shrimp below a slip bobber is a very effective presentation. The Snake river is a good river for slip bobber’s. Try several different depth settings until you locate the strike zone. Depending on water flows, water clarity, and river contour you will have to adjust your presentation to the immediate situation, such as moving closer to the bank when the water is flowing faster than normal. Steelhead, Sturgeon, and Salmon do not like to fight fast current when they don’t have to. They will look for structure to hide behind when possible. Try different types of water until you locate the fish and then find similar type water’s as you work your way up or down the rivers.

  Spoons and spinners are very effective at covering lots of water.  Make sure your lure is getting to the bottom to maximize your presentation.  

Steelhead will hide under brush and behind obstructions in the river. A proper presentation with a spoon or spinner will get a steelhead to chase the lure across the hole.

When the river conditions are low and clear change your tactics by going to smaller lures. Blade colors can be changed by placing colored tape on the inside of spinner blade or back of spoon. Spoons and spinners can be scented with oils or jells. Steelhead will sometimes be scared off a bait because of the human scent.

When the water visibility is poor do not use nickel finish on your spoons and spinners. Nickel finish appears black in color a couple feet  under the water surface. In clear water Nickel can be a effective color on early morning fish. On black blades (spoons and spinners) you can take a file and stoke paint off blade to add small amount of flash or add a small spec of color to the back side of your blade.

Spoon and spinner blade shapes really make a difference in how they fish in the current. Thinner blades will sink faster than wide blades. Adjust the type of blade to match your fishing area. In fast water use the thinner (not lighter) designed blades. In tail outs and pools use the wider designed blades.

  To fish spoons and spinners cast directly across stream and allow it to sink to bottom. Retrieve lure so it has just  enough action to hit the bottom occasionally. Spoons should have a nice thumping action as they work their way down stream. A spinner blade should be turning as slow as possible on the retrieve. Change the direction of the spinner and retrieve speed in calm water. 

    Another method that I use for steelhead is to use a pencil lead with 4’ to 6’ of leader to a spin and glow or a corky with a piece of shrimp or eggs. Cast it out and let it set for a few minutes. Slowly lift your rod tip, dragging the setup across the bottom. Try to pull your setup right into the downriver side of structure. If the current is flowing hard, you might shorten your leader even more and snug right up to structure to keep it in front of the fish.

  Early run winter Steelhead arrive at the river back in November. Most winter fish will not spawn for at least two to five months after they have entered the river. Winter Steelhead are not in the river to feed, they will however eat some tasty baits if presented correctly.

  There are few things that can increase your success like time spent on the river. Anglers who catch Steelhead consistently spend many hours wandering up and down their favorite rivers or streams and there are some good ones in Washington State. Water levels, water clarity and water temperature play a major role in a fisherman’s success and the approach or strategy that they will try to employ. Early season Steelhead are much more passive or laid back than late season fish. Typically the water temperature in December, January and February is on the chilly side and with steelhead being cold-blooded creatures they tend to be a little less likely to chase down or move of the bottom for any bait. Early season winter steelhead can however be caught quite readily using the right approach. The real key to enticing a fish that is not willing to move very far for bait is to take your bait as close as possible to him. To catch winter steelhead your bait must be fished in the bottom twelve inches of the river.

  Once an angler has identified several good runs or pools to fish they also need to know how to systematically cover these spots to find the potentially willing fish hidden within. Winter steelhead get their name because they are in the rivers in the winter time and this means that the water temp will cold. Because Steelhead are cold blooded cold water can make them less likely to move very far to snatch up an offering. Another important point to note is that river conditions will also affect where fish will hold, for example when the river is running high, fish will tend to hold lower in a pool and will slowly move up as the water levels lower. When a river’s clarity is murky Steelhead can sit very close to the shore and when rivers run clear Steelhead will hold in the deeper water farther out.

Without a doubt one of the most important keys to becoming a consistent steelheader is to learn how to cover water. Many anglers have very good success fishing for salmon and then wonder why that they have very little success fishing for winter steelhead in the winter.  When most winter steelhead enter their home rivers the fall salmon have pretty much completed their spawning and have died off, the steelhead has the run of the river and can decide exactly where he or she feels most comfortable. Some steelhead will sit in one spot for days if undisturbed while others will move around daily.

  To properly cover water you should start fishing from the top of the run or pool and work your way down. You will want to dissect the run in front of you one section at a time. Basically you will want to make a short cast followed by longer cast then still a farther cast until the water in front of you has been completely covered also don't hesitate to pay special attention to spots that look extra fishy. Next take a step or two down river and repeat the whole process over. Each time you make a move down river you give your bait a new chance at a Steelhead. By fishing different runs or pools in this fashion you will find the preferred spots that Steelhead like.

The most effective way to catch winter Steelhead is to use a float to fish for them. You will want to use a little longer pole when float fishing, preferably a 10’ to 12’. You need the length to keep your line off the water to make a good drift. If your line is in the water the current will effect it and your presentation.

 For your line you will want to use a good quality monofilament 10 to 15 pound test. Try to use a good quality float. You will not do well if you buy a cheap float that will not give a natural presentation. I prefer a Balsa or plastic float. Winter Steelhead live on the bottom of the river so to get to them takes some weight; a piece lead attached to your line is all that is required. The lead should be large enough to sink your float so that only the top third is visible above the surface of the water.

Steelhead baits can basically be divided into two categories organic and artificial. Two or three different baits that match the river conditions should be tried to be successful. Anglers have to be aware of the river conditions and be willing to try several baits in each spot to see what the fish seem to want on a given day. Organic baits are very productive, winter Steelhead will often fall for a piece of roe or a small shrimp. Artificial baits are a good choice. They include spin n glows, corkie’s, plastics, and imitation eggs. The color and size of these choices is almost unlimited.

  Take a few different baits each day and keep changing up until you start catching fish. Each day and even each hour can change, so be prepared to change with it.

For summer steelhead, many of the presentations for winter steelhead will work with slight modifications. Fishing in low water can be a little tougher, but if you break down the water, learning where to fish becomes fairly simple. Start by eliminating water where you know fish are not present. Shallow, slower-moving main currents, where steelhead may hold during normal flow levels, are often abandoned in low conditions. These zones may not offer the protection they do when more water is moving, which is why fish move away from them.

If water temperatures remain fairly cool during the day, look for fish to hold on the sides of main riffles, where broken water surface adds further protection. Side channels can be good holding zones, and it doesn't take much water for fish to gather in them.

Search for fish close to ledges, logs, river turns, cut banks, brush lines and near big boulders, where small depressions offer fish a place to lay up. These depressions may only be a foot or so below the normal river bottom, but that's all it takes to offer holding water, while faster currents move above them. Winter steelhead have a slower metabolism than freshly-arriving summer steelhead, so they may not occupy the same water. In low, cool water, summer steelhead can be found in heavier, faster flowing stretches. As water levels drop and temperatures go up  the summer steelhead may be triggered into go on the bite. A slight warming of the water can also put summer fish on the move, meaning covering water in search of fish can be your best bet.

As for winter steelhead in low water, don't overlook deep, slow-moving holes. Temperatures at the bottom of these holes can be a couple of degrees below that of other sections in the river, which is one reason fish will congregate there.

  Once you find fish, take a minute to evaluate the surrounding conditions then ask yourself why they are there. Is it water flow, water temperature, air temperature, angler pressure, shadows or something else that caused fish to be there? Perhaps it's a broken surface, offering the protection and higher oxygen flows that lure fish in.

  Because water temperatures during the course of the spring and summer months are likely as low as they're going to be, summer steelhead won't hesitate migrating through a great deal of water rather quickly. Fisherman can target summer steelhead on the move. If you are not into the fish keep moving and covering lots of water. You will want to keep trying different presentations until you find a successful combination.

Guided Steelhead fishing trips on the Snake, Columbia river, Cowlitz river, and the Lewis river. We fish for Steelhead most of the year.  One of the top Steelhead fishing guides in Washington, Tim uses several different strategy's in targeting the acrobatic Steelhead. Call early for your guided fishing trip as prime times fill up quickly. If you need a Snake river Steelhead fishing guide, a Columbia river Steelhead fishing guide, or a Lewis river Steelhead fishing guide, give Tim a call.

There are several good techniques for steelhead fishing. From the anchored position I like to run crankbaits off jet divers. Use about 6’ of leader off the jet diver. Floating eggs or shrimp below a slip bobber is a very effective presentation. Try several different depth settings until you locate the strike zone. Depending on water flows, water clarity, and river contour you will have to adjust your presentation to the immediate situation, such as moving closer to the bank when the water is flowing faster than normal. Steelhead, Sturgeon, and Salmon do not like to fight fast current when they don’t have to. They will look for structure to hide behind when possible. Another method that I use for steelhead is to use a pencil lead with 4’ to 6’ of leader to a spin and glow or a corky with a piece of shrimp or eggs. Cast it out and let it set for a few minutes. Slowly lift your rod tip, dragging the setup across the bottom. Try to pull your setup right into the downriver side of structure. If the current is flowing hard, you might shorten your leader even more and snug right up to structure to keep it in front of the fish.

Steelhead fishing

  The steelhead trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ) is an ocean-going version of the rainbow trout.

Unlike all Pacific salmon, steelhead do not always die after spawning, although a large number (especially males) do not survive the rigorous spawning process. Some steelhead are able to spawn three or four times during their lifetimes ... returning to the ocean to feed for 10 months or so between each spawning run.

Steelhead have the most complicated life history of any of the anadromous salmonids. Steelhead may spend anywhere from one to four years and freshwater and one to four (rarely a little more) years in the saltwater ... differing combinations of these fresh / saltwater years create many possibilities for life cycles.

The repeat spawning fish throw even more possibilities into the pot with some fish spending one year in the ocean between spawning runs, others two, or even three years. It is known that the very largest of the returning steelhead are first-time spawners.

Steelhead are found from the Asiatic coast, through southern Alaska and down the Pacific coastline to central California .. although they were originally found as far south as the Tijuana River in northern Mexico.

Ocean feeding grounds are spread out over the North Pacific, although exactly where remains a mystery. It is known, however, that they often roam a great distance from their natal streams ... years ago, a fish tagged in the Sea of Japan was caught just six months later in the Skagit River of northern Washington.

Steelhead generally run about four to eight pounds when returning as adults. Some streams, however, see returning adults that average in the teens and often exceed twenty pounds. Fish approaching fifty pounds have been taken in tribal net fisheries, but the largest sport caught steelhead is 43 pounds, taken by a boy fishing in a small raft in the marine waters of Southeast Alaska ... originally, the fish was believed to be a chinook, but the taxidermist who was to mount the fish noticed the difference and sent the fish to the University of Washington for confirmation on the identification.

Steelhead may venture as far inland as 1000 miles to spawn, however, most are found nearer the ocean waters. Some streams host two runs of steelhead, a summer run (returning in summer and early fall and spawning in early to mid-winter) and a winter run (returning in early winter to late spring and spawning anywhere in this time frame).

Returning steelhead fresh out of ocean carry a blue-black spotted back with silver sides and a alabaster belly (we refer to these fish as 'two-tone cruisers', or 'chromers') with fish that spend time in the river returning to the traditional colors of a rainbow trout.

   When fishing don’t stick to the same presentation or lure when you are not getting bites. Take a full arsenal and don’t be afraid to go through the entire tackle box when looking for a bite.

    The reason most guides out perform the average fisherman is that they spend more time on the water figuring out what the fish are eating or striking at during that particular time. Just like the great athletes of our time. The great ones were not born with a huge difference in talent, they just work harder at their profession than the next guy. 

  The best time to fish for steelhead in the lower Columbia River are the months of may through September. The fish are migrating strong this time of year and with all those fish running to their home streams it makes for some great steelheading days on the river. The lower Columbia River is usually ranked in the top two for total catch during this time of year. 

  While fishing for steelhead in the lower Columbia it is not uncommon to run a sturgeon setup out and end with a dual species day. Add to this the salmon run and you have a good chance to end up with the trifecta.

  The lower Columbia River is a beautiful place to fish. With lush foliage, wildlife, and ships heading up to Portland or one of the other ports in the Columbia, there is plenty of sites to see while enjoying a great day of fishing.

    We provide all you need for a great day of fishing, so give us a call and lets go hook a big one.

 If you have any other questions give us a call or drop us a line. See you on the river.

Salmon | Steelhead | Sturgeon