Steelhead Fishing

By Frank Campbell

            "Easy...easy", I coach the youngster as he works to land his first Steelhead.  We are only using six-pound test line, and he is hooked to a fish weighing three times that much.

            Finally, after a hard fight, the trophy is in the net.  I hurry to remove the hook as the rest of the crew exchanges high-fives with the youngster.  His proud father snaps a couple of quick pictures as I measure and release the 39" giant.  I tell the boy that the monster male was probably in the twenty-pound class and that a reproduction mount would be so close to a real skin mount that no one could tell the difference.  We all agree that a fish of that quality deserves to be released to fight again.

            This scenario was played out on the Niagara River, but could have been on any of the hundreds of Great Lakes' tributaries.  You see, Steelhead are now found in good numbers in all five of these freshwater oceans.

            In the late 1960s and early 1970s Steelhead were introduced into Lake Michigan as a means of controlling the booming alewife populations.  The Steelhead that were introduced into the Great Lakes came from the western states where there were ocean-run rainbow trout.  Great Lakes Steelhead use the big lakes as their oceans and return to the tributaries from fall to spring in preparation to spawning.  Spawning time is determined by the strain of Steelhead.

            A common thread among Great Lakes Steelhead is that they can be taken on similar presentations no matter which body of water you choose to fish.  The water became gin-clear with the introduction of Zebra Mussels a dozen years ago. This improved the fish's ability to see and forced anglers to become better at blending the line with the water or making it disappear altogether.  I now use lines for Steelhead that are gray, green or camo.

            Fluorocarbon leader material has been used in clear saltwater for years and is a help in presenting bait naturally.  Fluorocarbon line has no refractive properties and is almost invisible under water.  You can also stack the deck in your favor by downgrading the pound test of your line in order to have a thinner, and therefore harder to detect, line.

Along with lighter lines comes the reality of losing fish.  To counteract this, use a reel with an excellent drag system and try to use the longest, softest rods you have.  This will keep the fish fighting the rod and not the line.  A reel that holds a minimum of 100 yards of 6-pound test line and a rod greater than 8-feet in length is a very good starting point.

            Lighter and smaller is also better in the terminal tackle department.  My general rule is to "use as little of anything as possible".  This translates into using the smallest hooks, lightest weights or smallest bobber that conditions will allow.  Hook sizes vary from #6 to as small as #12.  Hooks must be both strong and sharp.  My preference is Gamakastu, which are strong and sharp, and will stay that way.

            Weights come in a great variety of shapes and sizes, but split shot seems to work best overall.  There are, however, instances when slinkys or pencil lead seem to be a better choice.  Usually this is the case when snags are a problem.  The long, slender shape of pencil lead, and the slinky's ability to empty itself without losing the whole rig are their main advantages.

            Bobbers that offer the least resistance are your best choice.  Steelhead will take bait more aggressively when no resistance is felt.  The instant they feel the drag of a bobber, they will release the bait.  Long, thin pencil bobbers are the best choice as they are easily pulled under.  Bobbers made out of balsa wood are a better choice than plastic or foam because they are noticeably lighter in weight.

            A wide variety of baits are used for Steelhead.  Some of them include yarn, fresh egg skin, jigs, plugs, egg sacks, and spoons.  All of these baits are excellent, and each has its own best time and conditions for its use.

The most important thing to remember is to present each as naturally as possible.  Make sure your eggs shift downstream as if they were just laid and the current took them, or that your spoon swims like a minnow that has been displaced from the bait school because it is injured.  Keep in mind, "if something looks like a fit, it will get bit".

Although this article featured Steelhead, it could have been about any species in any body of water.  These methods will work on any clear water mountain stream or heavily pressured stained water area.  I know this because I have effectively used these tactics on both.

But, for those of you who have not fished for Steelhead, you owe it to yourself to give this magnificent fish a try.

Editor's note: If you are interested in trying for these magnificent fish on the Niagara River, you can receive more information by calling Niagara County at 1-800-338-7890.  You can reach Captain Frank Campbell at 716-284-8546 or on the Internet at www.niagaracharters.com.

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