Steelhead are in the Lower American River

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I know that nobody will probably go.....it's just too close.

If you go out very early, "O'Dark Thirty", you might have some luck.

Last hour swinging a #12 caddis pupa might be good too.

Flow is around 3,000 cfs and cold and people have been catching them.

Half-pounders and adult fish too.

I would try further up river. Somewhere from Sailor Bar down stream to the Gristmil access.

.

[Scott V]

Why waste my time going somewhere close when I can hike into to somewhere far away? But seriously, I need to take my new switch rod and go catch me one. I mean the river is a whole 3 miles from my office.

[Smitty Fish]

I have been out a couple of times in the past 2 weeks. Just a few
Smolts. Starting next month we should start seeing more bigger fish.

[Brett R.]

Ok, Could someone please explain to me the concept of summer Steelhead? Are they coming from the Ocean? The Hatchery? Clearly I don't know as much as I think I do about the runs on the AR. I understand the runs in the fall and the spring half pounders and I get the fishing basically sept through April.

Thanks, Brett

[Mark Kranhold]

Brett, read the thread American river half pounders. Dennis Lee gives some good history about these fish. It is about 4 or 5 lines down in the salmon steelhead forum.