It's Half-pounder Steelhead time in Nor Cal

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

All the valley rivers should get a run of small silver Steelhead we lovingly call 'Half-pounders'.

They come in the rivers in late August with September being a very traditional time to look for them.

We fish for them with trout tackle for the most part. Small Spey and Switch rods are good too.

They can be from 12 to 22 inches and can be very frisky fighters on light tackle.

We have always had a few larger fish like 4 to 6 pounds mix in with them.

They are feeding on insects and the caddis is our most prolific bug out there.

They also feed on small fish so white marabou or rabbit strip streamers and leeches can be good too.

I always prefer fishing very early or later in the day for them in the low light levels especially in the hotter weather.

Put your gear in the car and go after work on weekdays if you can.

There should be some in every riffle from the hatchery down stream to Cal-Expo/River Park.

We have had reports already of Half-pounders being caught in the Lower American River.

If you want to go out with me Sunday evening to see what it's like let me know. It's not rocket science.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Let us know if you catch a half-pounder in any of the Valley rivers below the first dams.

In the fall they get some in the Lower Feather, Lower Yuba, Lower Sacramento plus others to the south of us.

Some of these river have resident Rainbows so the Half-pounders should be chrome when they first come in. After a while they being to just look like Rainbow trout.