Smith question

[Jcolin]

Hope everyone is enjoying the holidays. This year I'm hoping to fish the Smith river for the first time, have been meaning to make it up there for years now. I’m thinking about waiting until February to go as it seems like there'd be more fish in the system then. Just wondering what I should be looking for flow wise, i think I heard when the gauge is at like 10-12 feet it's good. Does that sound right? Any tips or insight would be greatly appreciated. Will be swinging flies. I normally use an 18’ intermediate OPST Commando Skagit head on a 12’6 #6 weight rod for my winter steelhead fishing but also have a 12’ #8 weight, wondering if I'd benefit from a longer Skagit head and bigger rod as it's a big river and the fish can be huge. Thanks

[Carl Blackledge]

Sir,

I don't know any Steelhead guys on the Smith river that catch Steelhead on flies consistently and on a regular basis, in fact I haven't heard of any Steelhead being caught on flies in the last 10 years or so. Lots of Steelhead do get caught on bait...my 2 cents

Carl Blackledge

[Jcolin]

Hi Carl, thanks for the response. Without a doubt, people still fly fish the Smith river, though I realize you may not. Do they catch them consistently and on a regular basis? I'm sure they don't. I don't on any river in general in the winter, I know I'm lucky to hook (not land) 3 winter steelhead a season swinging flies on the Russian river and Mendocino coastal rivers, and I'm on the water as much as possible during the winter, weather permitting, even if its only an hour before work. If I spend 3 days swinging flies on the South Fork Eel and I get a single legitimate grab that's a good trip. So to be clear, obviously a 3 day trip to the Smith would likely result in a skunk, as do most days for me swinging flies for winter steelhead.

[NCL]

Only fished the Smith once and the challenge seemed more to be finding water that was good to swing. There were 6 or 8 in our group and we never got any fish. It might be a good idea to go with a guide the first time just to learn a little about the river.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

20 to 50 years ago nobody guided Winter Steelhead with a fly rod in Northern California.

Mike at the Eureka Fly Shop told me the Smith river was too clear for fly fishing for most.

In the drought of the late 1970s people caught salmon and steelhead from small prams in the tide water of the Smith river.


Jcolin, your description of your winter steelheading was so right on the money.

Winter Steelheaders who swing flies is a small dedicated group serious anglers.



Spey Commando Mike McCune told me that winter Steelheading was one of the few ways to catch a big wild Steelhead on a swung fly.



In the past 20 years with the rise of two handed fly fishing we have a few guiding winter Steelhead on swung flies.

.

[pvsprme]

Rich Zellman (steelheadwater.com) and Jason Hartwick (Steelheadonthspey) guide the Smith for winter fish. Both would recommend your 8 weight over the 6 as you’re going to be using skagit heads and lots of T or heavy MOW tip to get down. Timing is critical as the river rises and falls very quickly.

[Jcolin]

Thanks guys, yeah i thought hartwick guided on the smith. Would be cool to float it if thats feasible. Carl, reread my post and im sorry for sounding snotty, all i meant was not my first rodeo steelheading and my expectations are definitely realistic( low).
I have heard the river is generally not fly friendly, theres gotta be some gravel bars and runs to swing though. Think i have my dads old streamtime map for it if i can find it. Thanks and will post a report after i go.

[Carl Blackledge]

Jcolin,

I didn't take any offence to your post. I am a regular fly fisherman for Salmon on the Smith river casting flies out of my pram, If I ever thought I had a shot at catching Steelhead on the fly from the Smith consistently I would have been there and done that (we are maybe 20 years too late). FYI the Smith was so bad this year for Salmon I didn't even go and a few regulars did show up and told me it was the worst on the Smith river this year ever and the Chetco was about the same, Now after that being said you would have a lot better chances to fly fish the Chetco for Steelhead then the Smith. Contact "at rivers edge RV park in brooking's Oregon " rent a little cabin from them walk 2-3 hundred feet and cast to Steelhead and actually catch fish if you time it right. Another suggestion would fish the Russian River, It has lots of Steelhead at the right time, again it's timing and the later in the year the more fish. The last week or two of February and the first two weeks of march has more fish that at any other times of the year, make sure the river is open. That's my 2 cents. Carl Blackledge

[WLREDBAND]

Caught on the Smith swinging in January 2019. Big difference between tough to do and impossible!!!! Winter steelheading is definitely tough, but certainly not impossible!!!!

[Troutsource]

I think I'd need adult diapers to fight a fish like that.