Bill Kiene semi-retired
08-07-2008, 07:06 AM
Terry Thomas, Sam Dasher, Aaron Stiny and I are headed for our annual August trip to the Lower Klamath River for Halfpounder Steelhead (12-22") and Summer-run Steelhead (5-10#).
It is a little early but we like to get this Steelhead thing going as soon as possible.
We did have reports of fish being caught last week so we might get lucky.
We are going with jet boat guide Alan Borges. He can take 4 fly fishers a day. Contact the Eureka Fly Shop too as they have had a jet boat guide service on the lower river for over 20 years.
It's all wading and we are using light two-handed rods.
I mostly use a floating line but will have a short sinktip too. It is classic Steelhead fly fishing where you fish the "old way" which is swinging flies. In the late summer and fall the water temps are in the range where Steelhead are very active, especially early and late in the day. With these conditions they will "move to the fly".
After the water gets down below 50 degrees in November the fish are less active and a little more difficult to catch swinging a fly so many go to indicator fishing for Steelhead at this time.
I think because of the popularity of Spey/two-handed fly fishing many more Steelheaders are fishing classic methods and swinging flies more now.
Normally Sept/October is my favorite months for summer/fall Steelheading but it's fun to get out there earlier.
This time of year the best fishing is early and late in the day with the sun off the water. Close to the ocean you can have fog. Any overcast or smoke can help it to be better in the day time. Some runs have sun off them longer in the mornings and then some get the sun off them sooner in the afternoons. All this is dependant on how the runs are positioned in relationship to the sun.
Let us know if you need any help planning a trip to the Klamath River this fall. If you want to do a jet boat trip in the lower river in September I can help you with that.
Joe Shirshac and Noe Fierros both work on Saturday and have been fishing the "middle" Klamath River for many years. If you come by on Saturday they can help you to plan a trip and even mark a lot of good runs on the StreamTime map for the Klamath River.
It is a little early but we like to get this Steelhead thing going as soon as possible.
We did have reports of fish being caught last week so we might get lucky.
We are going with jet boat guide Alan Borges. He can take 4 fly fishers a day. Contact the Eureka Fly Shop too as they have had a jet boat guide service on the lower river for over 20 years.
It's all wading and we are using light two-handed rods.
I mostly use a floating line but will have a short sinktip too. It is classic Steelhead fly fishing where you fish the "old way" which is swinging flies. In the late summer and fall the water temps are in the range where Steelhead are very active, especially early and late in the day. With these conditions they will "move to the fly".
After the water gets down below 50 degrees in November the fish are less active and a little more difficult to catch swinging a fly so many go to indicator fishing for Steelhead at this time.
I think because of the popularity of Spey/two-handed fly fishing many more Steelheaders are fishing classic methods and swinging flies more now.
Normally Sept/October is my favorite months for summer/fall Steelheading but it's fun to get out there earlier.
This time of year the best fishing is early and late in the day with the sun off the water. Close to the ocean you can have fog. Any overcast or smoke can help it to be better in the day time. Some runs have sun off them longer in the mornings and then some get the sun off them sooner in the afternoons. All this is dependant on how the runs are positioned in relationship to the sun.
Let us know if you need any help planning a trip to the Klamath River this fall. If you want to do a jet boat trip in the lower river in September I can help you with that.
Joe Shirshac and Noe Fierros both work on Saturday and have been fishing the "middle" Klamath River for many years. If you come by on Saturday they can help you to plan a trip and even mark a lot of good runs on the StreamTime map for the Klamath River.