lower american - a few recent pics

[ryanv829]

Been fishing the lower american a lot lately. My friend and I both work the graveyard shift so we've been hitting the river right after work in the AM. We've been fishing nymphs under indicators pretty exclusively with some success every once in a while. The best part is I was able to get my little brother on a fish the other day who just started fly fishing. Here's a few recent pics, one fish from each of us.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Thanks Ryan

Those are really nice large American River Half-pounders.

Actually they are small adult Steelhead according to almost 100 years of CA DF&G studies.

Veteran biologist Denis Lee says anything over about 13 inches is actually a small adult Steelhead.

I know this does upset some old timers but it is biological facts.....we still call them Half-pounders.


Back in the day when I would have been fly fishing daily for these nice fish we did think a "real" Steelhead was until you got to 24 inches and about 5 pounds.

Looks like we need to be out there any morning or evening we can?


If you swing small #10/12 trout nymphs on a floating line you will be more successful but if you swing a larger Steelhead #6/8 wet fly on a sink tip you should catch some larger fish.



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[SeanO]

Great looking steel there!

Congrats,

[Tony Buzolich]

Bill,

You're right on about calling them steelhead in the "old" days. A steelhead back then was a really BIG trout of several pounds worthy of justifying the name "STEELHEAD". They got that name from the steel blue color as they come right out of the salt.

I don't ever recall using the term "half-pounder" back then ( 60's-70's).
Tony

[SeanO]

I was told the name steelhead came from the pioneers up on the Columbia who caught some salmon and steel to supplement their food supplies?

Salmon they could subdue quite easily, but steelhead required multiple "bonkings", hence the name...

Take care,

Bill,

You're right on about calling them steelhead in the "old" days. A steelhead back then was a really BIG trout of several pounds worthy of justifying the name "STEELHEAD". They got that name from the steel blue color as they come right out of the salt.

I don't ever recall using the term "half-pounder" back then ( 60's-70's).
Tony

[dpentoney]

Bill,

You're right on about calling them steelhead in the "old" days. A steelhead back then was a really BIG trout of several pounds worthy of justifying the name "STEELHEAD". They got that name from the steel blue color as they come right out of the salt.

I don't ever recall using the term "half-pounder" back then ( 60's-70's).
Tony

The term "half-pounder" was in general use on the Klamath and Eel Rivers in 1965 when we moved to the North Coast.

[DPLee]

..........

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I love those little buggers.

The Eel, Klamath and Rogue Rivers have been famous for their fall runs of Half-pounders which take a fly well.

I imagine the fall run Eel River Half-pounders have been reduced in the numbers they use to be in 50 years ago.

The Rogue River received very large runs of Half-pounders this fall.

So did the Klamath River.

The Trinity River gets some Half-pounders too.

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[Frank Alessio]

I like Jack Salmon...A ton of fun on a fly rod.....