Going to try Harrington Access for Steelhead

[MG Mason]

I'm going to go out early tomorrow to Harrington to try swinging some of my ugly self-tied soft hackles for Steelhead. I'll report my likely skunk later tomorrow morning. I haven't seen many reports for the lower A yet, but hope there's some in there.

[Mark Kranhold]

There some in there and there has been some quality fish takin out of that run over the years. Good luck and stick em!

[FattMerro]

Was out there early Sunday morning throwing some nymphs around on the opposite side of the river. Saw a few fish surface, but no takers. Good luck!

[JMKiernan]

Went out yesterday afternoon, got 1 small ( 10" ) steelhead. Been going out frequently and not really finding anything, all under 12".

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

If it is sunny with clear skies try to get out there really early on the water.

Last two hours in the evening can be god too.

I use a floating line early and late in the fall.

A darker fly is good for a hard silhouette against the light sky.

Try to fish the "tail out" of the run which is that smooth water at the end of each long pool before it goes into the choppy riffle.


Cast across, slightly down stream and do at least one mend.

Keep your rod tip point down slightly and follow your line and fly until it stops straight below you.

Add a light twitch or action to your fly nearing the bottom of the swing.

Make a cast, swing down to end of drift then take 4 steps down and repeat.

You 9' #5 line trout rod will work.

For single handed casting I like a 9'6" #6 line for Half-pounders.

For two handed casting I like a Swtich rod or light Spey rod.

Any size #10/12 wet fly / nymph will work on a 9' or longer 3x tippet.

On a large stream / small river like the Lower American you can do better if you can cast further and cover more water.

Look for rolling fish in the AM and PM. Swing your fly down into those spots.

For the next month go as many mornings and/or evenings as you can, fishing for only about 2 hours.

Any riffle from Sailor Bar down stream to lower Paradise Beach could hold fish.


**If you want to get going and learn how to "read the water" and how to fish for Half-pounders call Andy Guibord and have him give you an evening or morning One on One Half-pounder clinic.

https://andyguibord.wordpress.com/guiding-instruction/
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[MG Mason]

Well, it took awhile but I finally got out to Harrington this morning and things seemed good, but after an hour of nymphing (I'm still not sure how to swing flies very well) I had one for sure bite, but not sure if it was a Steelhead or not. I saw a fish roll downstream of me towards that big bend in the river and that's it. Ran into a guy spinfishing for salmon with some sort of bead set-up who said he caught a few small Steelhead the other day.

I did walk over to the pond and caught about a six inch largemouth bass on a woolly bugger with several other bites.