Jcolin
02-13-2020, 10:55 AM
I know this is a very subjective topic, but wondering how you guys have done with bright sunny conditions (over a few weeks, not just sporadic days in between rain) and winter steelhead. Personally, this fall on the Klamath river was the first time I've swung up steelhead on bright days, but those fish seem to be very different than the winter coastal fish.
When I worked a season in southeast Alaska a few years ago where it rains most days, we had a dry spell during Coho salmon season when the fish simply just turned off completely, they just wouldn't hit a fly no matter what.
The past week on the Russian river I've had a few sessions where there were adult fish rolling, and no luck despite them definitely seeing my fly. I've been doing this long enough to know that many, maybe most, winter steelhead will refuse a fly, and that you have to find that one right fish that is a biter, but fishing has been lousy for the gear guys too, and I am starting to wonder the extent of the effect of the warm weather we’ve been having.
When I worked a season in southeast Alaska a few years ago where it rains most days, we had a dry spell during Coho salmon season when the fish simply just turned off completely, they just wouldn't hit a fly no matter what.
The past week on the Russian river I've had a few sessions where there were adult fish rolling, and no luck despite them definitely seeing my fly. I've been doing this long enough to know that many, maybe most, winter steelhead will refuse a fly, and that you have to find that one right fish that is a biter, but fishing has been lousy for the gear guys too, and I am starting to wonder the extent of the effect of the warm weather we’ve been having.