Steelhead do see nets in the day in clear water - I've watched them swim around them myself. But most gillnetting is done at night, probably for this reason and because most steelhead run at night. Gillnets are way too effective and way too non-selective, the fish that are caught aren't worth shait compared to the value of a sport caught fish, and they don't even return to the economy what our state taxes paid to raise the fish in the hatchery. Gillnetting is an archaic practice that should be opposed at every opportunity.