To me steelheading is epic. I say pick a geographic region and let er rip. For swinging flies perhaps a fall trip would be better, the Deschutes for spey casting.
To me steelheading is epic. I say pick a geographic region and let er rip. For swinging flies perhaps a fall trip would be better, the Deschutes for spey casting.
September is much too early for the Salmon river. Mind you, fishing was shut down last year as so few fish returned and this year returns were non existent. Unfortunately the fishery couldn't be further from epic these days.
In February, maybe 40 years ago, my fishing partner, Mel Jeffs, along with teenagers Galen Geller (Oregon Salmon) and Paul Keel took a weekend run up to the iconic winter run Matole river.
Mel and I slept in the back of his pickup with a canopy. Geller and Keel slept on the ground in sleeping bags with a giant old canvas tarp on them. In the morning when we woke up there was frost everywhere and there was a wet spot in the middle of that tarp where their hot breathes were rising.
We had little intel so we basically just fished around some with zero results.
It was always a fun trip to reminisces about around the evening fire while camping in September at Deep Creek campground on the Pit River.
Bill Kiene (Boca Grande)
567 Barber Street
Sebastian, Florida 32958
Fly Fishing Travel Consultant
Certified FFF Casting Instructor
Email: billkiene63@gmail.com
Cell: 530/753-5267
Web: www.billkiene.com
Contact me for any reason........
______________________________________
Thanks for the great observations and recommendations. Epic for me means beautiful landscape with relative solitude and exploration. Would love to have the opportunity of catching a big on small water nymphing and then a real big on big water on a big swing. Alot to ask, I know. I have a recollection of a faded 60's Field and Stream image with two brothers pulling massive steel out of a small chasm. Love the idea of just getting into an area (Skeena system or OP or NorCal/Southern Oregon) and letting the weather guide your instincts.
Fished the Deschutes this fall at Wagon Blast and had a great time. Also did some exploring years ago on OP and found our way onto a small coastal stream filled with fresh chrome. The music stopped when we mentioned the stream in a local bar. We had no idea what were doing at the time. The only chrome we found on the Hoh was in a small tributary culvert.
One Bay Area Boy to another. Feb-Mar is prime time in the best part of our state. Weather and flows permitting, head to Fortuna and fish/explore to your hearts content. Everything you just asked for is available up their. Half a dozen different coastal rivers right at your feet. The beauty of the SF Eel can only be topped by The Smith or the NU in my humble opinion. Walking through a grove of old growth redwoods out to the the river is breathtaking! The main stem Eel can seem huge compared to other CA rivers but small to the Skeena. The chance at truly large(for CA) and wild steel is definitely there. Personally, I could spend a month up their easily fishing a different beat daily!
What ever you decide it won't be wrong. Can't be! Let us know what you decide and then make sure you share the experience with us!
Tight lines!
J.K.
Great post! I would add yes to southern Oregon. It's so pretty up there!!
Thanks for the advice JK. Sounds like a blast. Dripping redwoods, moss, Bigfoot and chrome...and maybe a skunk or two...
Has anyone fished the Idaho steelhead run? My understanding is that the Descutes fish are actually the Idaho run that is getting a little r and r on their way up the Columbia and to the Salmon River. Sound accurate? It sounds amazing up there but also desolate and bone cold?
Deschutes is often colder than the main columbia so B Run Idaho fish will tuck in there,but the Deschutes has a wild run of steelhead that provide a great fishery.
So few fish are returning that the Clearwater is closed and the Salmon isn't worth the drive. It was closed last year. The Salmon has a short late Fall window when fish are around, they show up late October and you'll have a few weeks until the river freezes over. Again, Steelhead are on the verge of extinction here due to the 4 problem Columbia dams.
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