Steelhead anyone?
- Thread starter HUNTMAN
- Start date
BuzzH
Well-known member
Huntman,
I havent fished them for a few years, but I did fish them for 25 years or so prior to that.
Those are some great photos you took, congrats on some great fish!
I fished the South Fork, where most of your pictures were taken, long before it was really known about. I quit fishing it once it was discovered by the crowds from Montana. I think its a great river to teach kids to fish, its small, and the water is well beyond easy to read. Kind of like steelhead fishing with training wheels, a great place to learn. That river makes "steelhead fishermen" out of people that really arent.
I prefer to fish the main from the bank, where you seperate the men from the boys...
A few from the South Fork:
A bunch from the main:
I havent fished them for a few years, but I did fish them for 25 years or so prior to that.
Those are some great photos you took, congrats on some great fish!
I fished the South Fork, where most of your pictures were taken, long before it was really known about. I quit fishing it once it was discovered by the crowds from Montana. I think its a great river to teach kids to fish, its small, and the water is well beyond easy to read. Kind of like steelhead fishing with training wheels, a great place to learn. That river makes "steelhead fishermen" out of people that really arent.
I prefer to fish the main from the bank, where you seperate the men from the boys...
A few from the South Fork:
A bunch from the main:
BuzzH
Well-known member
If you really want to talk easy...for guys that know how to fish steelhead, the salmon fishing down there is a steelhead fishermens piece of cake! Fun to fish for and unlike steelhead, that I dont keep anymore, the kings are well worth keeping.
In 2001, I landed 96 kings...it was fun and I about wore myself out.
Some from the Clearwater:
Some from the little salmon:
In 2001, I landed 96 kings...it was fun and I about wore myself out.
Some from the Clearwater:
Some from the little salmon:
HUNTMAN
New member
HUNTMAN
New member
The kings are way better to eat. Nice fish Buzz. I better start tying up some bugs. Its that time of year again.
BuzzH
Well-known member
Huntman,
I know what you mean about the SF, I used to never see anyone fishing it. Fun while it lasted, and truthfully, I'd rather hook one fish per day alone, than a dozen doing the combat gig.
Nice...very nice pictures, they look like the upper river near Clear Creek.
The great thing about fishing that upper river is you dont have to put up with the jet boats...and rarely is the river unfishable up there.
My favorite fishing is still the river below Orifino...in particular on a dropping and clearing river after a 3-5 day blowout. It doesnt get much better and the fishing can be absolutely nothing short of spectacular.
I also like the Salmon River in late December and January above the confluence, the cold keeps just about everyone at home.
All this steelhead fishing talk has me thinking a trip or two may be in order...just exactly what I dont have time for! Thanks a lot!
I know what you mean about the SF, I used to never see anyone fishing it. Fun while it lasted, and truthfully, I'd rather hook one fish per day alone, than a dozen doing the combat gig.
Nice...very nice pictures, they look like the upper river near Clear Creek.
The great thing about fishing that upper river is you dont have to put up with the jet boats...and rarely is the river unfishable up there.
My favorite fishing is still the river below Orifino...in particular on a dropping and clearing river after a 3-5 day blowout. It doesnt get much better and the fishing can be absolutely nothing short of spectacular.
I also like the Salmon River in late December and January above the confluence, the cold keeps just about everyone at home.
All this steelhead fishing talk has me thinking a trip or two may be in order...just exactly what I dont have time for! Thanks a lot!
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Devil Diver Down
Well-known member
Those fish are making me drool. 
I've always been a fisherman first and a hunter as a distant second. Waiting to draw big game tags in AZ will do that to you but I've never been able to go for steelhead up there (or anywhere else) and will have to plan for it sometime soon.
I'm like Buzz in that I'd rather catch 1 fish all day and not see another person than catch a bunch in a crowd. I spend some days each year hiking Chevelon Canyon, which can be a handful getting in and out of, and mostly I can smile that I haven't seen anyone other than the guy I hiked in alongside or my own reflection in the water.
The creek offers an occasional elk, bear and bald eagle view along with some nice browns, but nothing like the lunkers you guys up in real trout/steelhead/salmon country are hooking. Note to self...
I've always been a fisherman first and a hunter as a distant second. Waiting to draw big game tags in AZ will do that to you
but I've never been able to go for steelhead up there (or anywhere else) and will have to plan for it sometime soon.I'm like Buzz in that I'd rather catch 1 fish all day and not see another person than catch a bunch in a crowd. I spend some days each year hiking Chevelon Canyon, which can be a handful getting in and out of, and mostly I can smile that I haven't seen anyone other than the guy I hiked in alongside or my own reflection in the water.
The creek offers an occasional elk, bear and bald eagle view along with some nice browns, but nothing like the lunkers you guys up in real trout/steelhead/salmon country are hooking. Note to self...
wingman1
New member
BuzzH
Well-known member
DDD,
I've been known to wet a line in Arizona...and mainly with very little in the way of crowds. I really like to fish Bartlett and Roosevelt, the bass fishing in those lakes is pretty tough to top, IME.
The whites took a beating:
And the next day, they didnt fair much better:
Wasnt as good this day, but they still took a spankin':
I've been known to wet a line in Arizona...and mainly with very little in the way of crowds. I really like to fish Bartlett and Roosevelt, the bass fishing in those lakes is pretty tough to top, IME.
The whites took a beating:
And the next day, they didnt fair much better:
Wasnt as good this day, but they still took a spankin':
Man, that brings some great memories... Awesome and grats on the great times with the boat. Buddies and I went to Sea of Cortez for some bonita action and WOW! Way too long ago!!! Your pic prompts me to call my friends and see if I could get them to start building brownie wife points... Think I'll need to work on that as well... Haha!
Sheesh -
You and a couple others here are intense!
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BuzzH
Well-known member
I turn a lot of fish loose every year...but I'm not afraid to bonk a few on the head either. I wish the lakes would hurry up and freeze already.
A few kitties from last winter:
eye, crappie, and perch:
A slimer and some perch:
A limit of perch:
A few eyes:
A few kitties from last winter:
eye, crappie, and perch:
A slimer and some perch:
A limit of perch:
A few eyes:
highmountian
New member
Man u guys great pic's and nice fish. You are in my back yard congrats to all! I love those rivers!
LILIDAHO
New member
highmountian
New member
Man great fish.
69chevey
New member
Yep,just waitin for the water to clear but it has to stop raining first!!and by the looks of it here along the south fork of the eel river its going to be awhile!!so I'll have to go after some varmits till the river clears up !!
Steelhead
Active member
- Joined
- Dec 28, 2009
- Messages
- 701
Steelhead? Like an ocean run rainbow? I think I caught one one time Those are some nice fish you've got there. I really miss the action and hatchery fish abundance of a couple years ago.... The real steelhead live on the coast but these are a whole different fish and fishery, I love it too!!
Those are some nice fish you've got there. I really miss the action and hatchery fish abundance of a couple years ago.... The real steelhead live on the coast but these are a whole different fish and fishery, I love it too!!
HUNTMAN
New member
Starting to get good on the main clearwater.Had a 10 fish day last thurs.Good luck
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