First steelhead day this fall

[Wayne Kohan]

So steelhead season opened up today on my stretch of the big dammed river, so I headed up to “the last free flowing stretch” of this mighty river. I do realize it’s a Sunday, and I’m retired so generally allergic to fishing on the weekends, but I’m busy the next few days (tennis, golf, grandkids, lake fishing with Rich all planned for the next few days. I got up to this area a couple weeks ago as coho season was/is open so was able to brush away the cobwebs from my spey casting at that time. I did get a couple tugs then but landed nothing. I rigged up in the parking lot and headed down to the river, knowing the flows were too low for my honey hole to produce. When I got to the river, I looked upriver to see both my spots empty, though I saw about 40 boats on the river. It’s about 1/2 mile up to my favorite spot, and as I got to my first, but less desirable spot, a boat pulled into my honey hole and started fishing. Usually the boats will stay out a ways but this boat was right in practically where I would stand. He made at least 3 passes through there as I fished my other spot, and he did as well as i was doing, nada. I saw him pull out and head downriver. I did my customary 5 more casts, then pulled my line in and headed upriver. While walking up, that same boat came back upriver and blew through the hole at high speed and then headed further upstream. So the hole was mine when I got there. I stepped in and started casting (flailing) away. Somewhere before my tenth cast, my line tightened but no real pull. Hmm. I think I’ll try a couple more casts without stepping. I blew a couple casts and the first cast I got back out there appropriately I got a perfect pull and hookup and landed a nice 26 inch male steelhead. He had a missing adipose fin but his ventral fin was intact so back he went. I briefly thought about leaving as I accomplished what I set out to do but I thought I would continue on for a bit. 5 casts later I hooked up again, brought him to my feet before pulling the hook out as I was trying to grab him. At that point, I felt like I had harassed enough fish and started the walk back to the truck, happy that everything was right with the world…. Well in the steelhead fishing world anyway. Hopefully they will keep our season open past November 10th this year.

I freaking love catching steelhead on the swing!

 

[skyriver]

That's a nice way to start your season! Curious about your comment concerning the ventral fin.
All 3 states use clippped adipose to indicate hatchery fish. Is there a hatchery that clips both adipose and ventral?

 

[Wayne Kohan]

My understanding is that the adipose only clipped fish are destined for tributaries farther upriver.

 

[skyriver]

View attachment 84403

My understanding is that the adipose only clipped fish are destined for tributaries farther upriver.

Wow, I wasn't aware of any hatcheries in any of the states doing both clips. Had no clue that was a thing anywhere in our whacky state. Maybe an Idaho hatchery thing?

How long have the regs been like that? I thought the ventral clips were a relic of the past. It's been proven they can grow that thing back. It's rare, but way more possible than the adipose growing back.

 

[Wayne Kohan]

They been double clipping the Ringold hatchery fish for several years that I know of, but it used to be that we could keep the adipose only clipped fish starting Nov 1st, but that apparently has changed. I had a good year last year, then they closed it early for poor returns, which I couldn't understand, but maybe it was a poor year for Ringold hatchery fish. I just hope they let me fish until at least January this year, I usually get out several days in December and it has been my best month in past years. Plus it is peaceful after salmon season is over and there's not the crowd there is now. I love standing in the river fishing on a foggy day when there is no one around, or even in a light snow.....

 

[skyriver]

They been double clipping the Ringold hatchery fish for several years that I know of, but it used to be that we could keep the adipose only clipped fish starting Nov 1st, but that apparently has changed. I had a good year last year, then they closed it early for poor returns, which I couldn't understand, but maybe it was a poor year for Ringold hatchery fish. I just hope they let me fish until at least January this year, I usually get out several days in December and it has been my best month in past years. Plus it is peaceful after salmon season is over and there's not the crowd there is now. I love standing in the river fishing on a foggy day when there is no one around, or even in a light snow.....

Ok. I figured the only decent scenario might be a specific & local hatchery.
The numbers of fish upriver are definitely better than last year so I hope you get your December & January! Especially given it's essentially C & R fishery unless you get a Ringold fish.

Reviewing the regs for the Columbia (I never fish it for steelhead), it appears that WFDW (I assume in cooperation with Oregon & Idaho) are only allowing regular hatchery steelhead (adipose clipped) to be kept until Aug 31st. After that, all hatchery steelhead, except for Ringold fish in that section, have to be released. Essentially, trying to provide more angling for Idaho & Oregon for their hatchery fish it seems. That's probably fair.

 

[speedbird]

Ok. I figured the only decent scenario might be a specific & local hatchery.
The numbers of fish upriver are definitely better than last year so I hope you get your December & January! Especially given it's essentially C & R fishery unless you get a Ringold fish.

Reviewing the regs for the Columbia (I never fish it for steelhead), it appears that WFDW (I assume in cooperation with Oregon & Idaho) are only allowing regular hatchery steelhead (adipose clipped) to be kept until Aug 31st. After that, all hatchery steelhead, except for Ringold fish in that section, have to be released. Essentially, trying to provide more angling for Idaho & Oregon for their hatchery fish it seems. That's probably fair.

I wish the Canadians would show the same generosity for our Kings. Awesome report, I am hoping to do some Fall Steelhead this year too, lots of pretty places to practice swinging