Are you indicator fishing for everything? Yikes......

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I am not against indicator fishing because without it our sport would not be as popular as it is.

I do promote all other types of fly fishing where you are casting with just a leader and fly.

I am advising those who indicator fish for Steelhead, especially those who commonly get 6 to 12 fish a day, to try and just swing flies early and late in the day in the fall and then indicator fish in the day time.

Back when I started fishing for Steelhead in the 1960s there were many more fish so fly fishing was not that hard.

Today the numbers are way down so indicator fishing with much smaller flies became necessary to catch fish.

I think the Klamath River in October is the best place to try to catch Steelhead swinging flies.


Get out on these Shad in the river now to learn how to swing flies for migratory fish.

[jerry from sac]

This forces me to post this video again.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPD8L-AzLV0

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I love that video.......thanks Jerry.

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When I was 16 years old I would out fish everyone at Watt and Howe Avenue in the Fall drifting night crawlers for Steelhead.

I thought fly fishers were just wasting time in my favorite spots. They never caught much.....

__________________________________________________ _________________

When I was around 20 I caught Steelhead above Watt Avenue in the evening swinging a #12 caddis wet fly and gave up night crawlers and spin fishing.


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Maybe 10 years later after I got pretty good at high sticking or upstream nymphing for trout I only carried one box of flies with weighted wet flies and nymphs. One leader and one spool of 3x tippet and one bottle of split shot. I did not carry any dry flies at all. I thought dry flies were a waste of time.

__________________________________________________ _________________

Now after 50 years of fly fishing all over the world I prefer to only fish a floating line, tapered leader and mostly unweighted fly for everything.

That would be for Tarpon, Blue Gill, Steelhead, trout, Sailfish, Atlantic Salmon, large mouth bass, Dorado, Rooster fish, Peacock Bass, Bonefish, Etc......

I have to choose the time and place very carefully but I only enjoy casting a full floating fly line with a tapered leader and fairly light fly.

__________________________________________________ __________

My confession is the fact that I just really enjoy fly casting and I like to catch fish on or very near the surface.

.

[Mark Kranhold]

Classic video... Got to love it!

[thepeacockspecial]

All this talk about Steelhead and it's not even September yet Darn you guys!!!

@Bill I've only fished the Klamath below Weitchpec. Are you talking about above Weitchpec by the Salmon?

[aaron]

I used to be a swing only guy, but now that my 'local' steelhead river is predominately hatchery and gets cold in a hurry I'll throw on an indo, or better yet bust out a spoon rod, for meat. I still swing 99% of the time, but our window is short for when its good.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

All this talk about Steelhead and it's not even September yet Darn you guys!!!

@Bill I've only fished the Klamath below Weitchpec. Are you talking about above Weitchpec by the Salmon?

Today they fish the entire length of the Klamath River for Steelhead in the Fall.

First riffle near Klamath Glen all the way upstream to Interstate 5.......



Averagely they fish the lower river with jet boats in September.

Middle river in October.

Upper river in November.

Very rough timing......just basic recommendation.


I like October best above and below Orleans.

.

[thepeacockspecial]

Thanks Bill! I usually don't fish the Trinity or Klamath very often, as I believe there are better options.. but I'll give those areas a try this year.

[Brian Clemens]

We are still seeing/hooking a good number of late spring early summer run steelhead in the Valley. No better time the now to get out and swing, nymph or dry fly some up. Water is perfect, and wet wading feels really good on those hot days.

Tight Lines
Brian