Really big Steelhead on the Lower American River

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

My old friend Charlie Fullerton, who was the director of the CA DF&G some time ago, said that they just weighed a 30 pound Steelhead in the Nimbus fish hatchery on the Lower American River.

Winter Steelhead over 20 pounds have been caught on on the Lower American River on conventional gear in the past but this is pretty wild stuff.

Jan/Feb is our prime time for large winter runs here.

[Langenbeck]

Bill: Speaking of big fish, how big was the steelhead Joe Shirshac caught about 25 years ago on a fly. You used to have a framed picture of the fish in your shop in the old days. My memory tells me the fish was 16+ pounds.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Hi Gordon,

That picture is in a big frame up in the shop.

I think it was in the '70s and was above Watt Avenue up at the clay banks.

I think it was ~16 pounds on the Boss fly in December.

Joe would not have a picture of that fish if a amateur photographer wasn't right there with his camera.

It might still be one of the largest fly caught (swinging) Steelhead in the rivers history and it was in good shape down river too.

[Mario]

Bill,
How successful is to swing size 8 or so traditional steelhead flys on the american? I was out fishing down below the sunrise bridge the other day with shooting heads and traditional flys like "the boss". That is big water down there, but it allows you to use a shooting head...are many fish caught down there?
Thanks,
Mario

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Mario,

We swing flies fairly successfully in the fall and spring but after the salmon start to spawn and in mid-winter with the cold water and hatchery fish it is way easier with the old nymph and egg cocktail under an indicator.

If you don't care about having to catch fish I would stay at the swinging.

You can go half way and swing an egg imitation, which sound different but can work. Or swing little #10 what evers.

Try swinging a big black rabbit/marabou thing with a small trailer fly.

[steeliejim]

HI Bill,

Great site! I should have signed up long ago. About that steelhead. I wrote about a 20-pound buck over two weeks ago (for Western Outdoor News), as weighed by hatchery personnel (on two different occasions).

When I heard the story about the big steelhead I called Nimbus Hatchery. According to Terry West, assist. hatchery manager--who first let out a big laugh when I told him about the "30" pounder--the 20- pound steelhead is the biggest one they have seen so far this year (They had a 15 pounder come through last week). On my latest visit to the hatchery (I drop by this time of year at least once a week), I saw one at the top of the ladder that I would guess weighed 15 pounds, perhaps larger, plus several others in the 10-pound class.

All very nice fish, and exciting to know they are swimming past our offerings, even if they don't always bite..

Jim

[Adam Grace]

Welcome Jim!

Thanks for the report/update! Great info!

Good luck on the American chasing after those brutes. :fish:

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Thanks for the correction Jim.

Either my ears or old Charlie's were not working right.

I guess 20 pounds is plenty big for a Steelhead anywhere.

[Gregg]

Does a 20 lb steelie count at a 30#'er if it's dragging your arms and rod/reel behind it as it swims away? :lol: :lol: :lol: Anything over 15 lb's is just silly in my book...

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

If we hooked a really fresh wild 5 pounder (~24")out there right now, which seems to be very possible, we would be excited about that.

Had our friend Dennis Griffin in the shop buying more flies a few days ago. He is here from the Bay Area fishing a multi-day trip. He hooked a very large, over 10 pound, 'chromer' on Tuesday swinging an #8 orange fly. He said it jumped a bunch so he was able to actually see it well then it went down river in the higher flow and before he ran out of backing, he broke in off.

I think we should all try to get out there as much as possible right now because the river is getting in better shape all the time.

I would recommend at least 2x tippet for most winter Steelheading.

When the water is low and clear for a long time on our Valley rivers we might use 3x FC with smaller flies (nymphs/eggs) on a 6 weight rod.

[OregonSalmon]

Shirshac always told me he caught that fish on his American River Special. Oh that shameless self-promoter!!! Has he been lying to me all these years??? A lie told in a fly shop...go figure. Now my entire view of the world is askew. Will the sun now rise in the west? Will dogs and cats peacefully coexist? Will beer taste bad to me?
By the way I love that Joe guy. One of the great laughs ever. If you don't start laughing when Joe laughs you are in some serious depression. Plus I should have known he did catch it on "Da Boss" since I once heard somewhere "dat Boss fly....dats a good fly".

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

"dat Boss fly is a good fly"

Al Perryman doing an imitation of Joe Shirshac.

Priceless...............