Can't wait until fall gets here so I go swing flies for steelhead.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

4th of July is a traditional timing for summer/fall run steelhead to enter the long rivers like the Umpqua, Rogue, Klamath and Sacramento drainage.

If you are up on one of those river or live up there on one like Al Perryman you can go out extremely early in July/August in the morning and swing a dark fly for a bit.

Going up in July/August does not give much fishing time so most wait until Sept/Oct.

On the Lower American River we traditionally get in some Half-pounder steelhead in late August that will hold around Paradise beach to Watt Avenue.

Sept/Oct are my favorite months for these little beauties, going out early and late to swing small flies in the surface on a floating line.


Overall I recommend October for a week long fall trip up north to one of the good longer rivers.

By then the days are longer, weather is cooler, water is cooler and fish are usually in the rivers.

.

[Bwag]

Can't hold out any longer... leaving next Saturday to head north go down low and get up early and swing for a few.

[Rick J]

let's just hope there are fish to swing to!! Columbia system looks about as bleak as it can get and not sure how much better the Klamath will be (

[Bwag]

let's just hope there are fish to swing to!! Columbia system looks about as bleak as it can get and not sure how much better the Klamath will be (

I hear ya Rick. Normally head down low on the Klamath late August/early September, last year was rough, excluding one trip where I got into some super pounders. Going to drive right past it next week, too early for me and @ 77 degrees it's a bath tub...

[STEELIES/26c3]

I can't wait 'til July to get into stripers and salmon in the same day on the American!
oh WAIT...