So today my class went on a "field trip" to a local mid coast hatchery,to learn about possible careers and see close up what they do.Me being the "fishing nerd" in my class of high school seniors i already know what they do,but came along to join in on the fun and ask the experts questions (pursuing a career working at the hatchery).
anyways enough with that mumbo jumbo....after helping sort some fish(fun as heck) and getting completely soaked,we went down to the river across the street to eat lunch before heading home.I noticed though the river wasn't super low,it was quite clear.This reminded me of the fact that i am handicapped when it comes to low and or clear water conditions for winter steelhead,and i just haven't been able to catch them unless the water has that nice solid green color.Ive tried numerous things;being stealthy,using lighter line,fishing choppy water,fishing,deeper water and so on..but i haven't had any luck at all.I have only been steelhead fishing for 2 years so i am a little inexperienced,but i thought after fishing low water quite a few times this year i would figure things out, only to be blanked with the exception of one trip i fished a run with an overhanging tree and a nice transition before the tailout,there was a chromer that attacked my esl twice but i wasnt able to get a good hookset.I almost always throw the nymph and indicator rig with either an egg sucking leech,or egg patterns; and im more of a small stream guy,so clear and low water is quite common on the waters i fish.So with all of that said, what should my next move be? i only have a few trips left before the season ends and i really want to see if i can get a steelhead in more difficult conditions. Any input is greatly appreciated




Brandon

It's usually harder to get them in low, clear water, but I really like fishing those conditions. Not the least of my reasons for liking low water is that a lot of the types of gear that typically "kills" the fish at higher flows stops working, which drives a lot of anglers off the river. For sure, even a wary fish in low water will bite better than one that has been pounded all day with everything but the kitchen sink, so less crowding is a great start, in mind.

There are a lot of conventions about low water fishing (smaller offerings, duller colors, lighter leaders, go home after sunrise and don't come back til' almost sunset, etc.) that provide a decent place to start, but remember that there are no absolutes. I've caught fish on big, bright stuff, on sunny days, in low water on occasion. The thing that brings it all together, in my experience, is figuring out where the fish will be holding and how you can make good presentations in those spots.

Steelhead seem to act a lot more like the trout they are in low water. Instead of steadily moving upstream, like they usually do at higher flows, they tend to move much more slowly, seeking out holding lies that provide them the best measure of cover and/or camouflage possible, much like a resident trout that is not actively feeding. Think pockets behind large, submerged rocks (your nymphing techniques can be deadly in those spots), deeper, woody spots, and the top and bottom sections of riffles. The classic runs we prefer for swinging can be good in low light, but for the most part, they don't hold much when the sun is high in the sky, unless they're especially deep or well-shaded.

It can be tough, but focus on your strengths. When you start wishing there was more water, remind yourself how much more crappy it would be to be stuck at home, wishing the river wasn't full of mud and debris.

Great summary!

I would add that covering a fair amount of real estate while focusing on the A grade water will likely pay higher dividends than pounding on a few good spots, even with subtle offerings.

I'd re-read the first reply and then re-read it again!

Great advice above! Another card I play in low clear water, especially in small stream situations, is sight fish! Hunt for them! Spot them before they spot you! The ultimate is, spot, cast, and WITNESS the reaction to your presentation. Sighting fish takes time, effort and skill, but is very rewarding and can be the best in discovering what makes them tick. Gives you the advantage to find out what, why, or why not, they do or do not take, given the situation. For me it is the ultimate rush to cast just right, and witness the take. Believe me, before you feel anything at the rod, they can strike and spit it out so fast you would have felt nothing if not seeing it! Actually, it's hard to remember after the excitment of witnessing a take, to remember how it felt at the rod? Bigger water can be tough, BUT my thought is their is always way to get a view, in low clear water, whether up in a tree, a high bank, or cautious float by. As many times I have viewed the take and spit out and felt nothing at the rod, makes me wonder how many more times it happens when I can't see?

Too many days of staring at "steelhead green" has totally killed my confidence in sight fishing. After developing fundamentals in the typical clear water, spot and stalk trout game I more or less gave that up entirely to pursue salmon and steelhead.

In recent years it seems the two worlds have started coming back together on some ways. Paying attention to the factors FF02 describes above and trying to appeal to the more trouty instincts of these fish in low and clear conditions can really open some doors in conditions that for me at least used to seem hopeless if not frustrating.

That having been said, when I can see a steelhead, I lose most if not all confidence. Why? Maybe because my experience hasn't strongly correlated being able to see them and catching them. Much of that is probably due to patience, or lack thereof.

Regarding the unfelt take, I have seen it too and let me tell you it was food for thought! I can see how some might develop the practice of "setting the hook" on every little tick as a result. Personally I usually wait and pull back when pulled upon and I am sure I miss fish because of it.

Interesting point about not remembering what the take felt like when you have the chance to see it. In the realm of sensory prioritization, sight often trumps "feeling" at least with regard to memory. Feeling (pain especially) usually takes precedence in the immediate action required category as that sense usually doesn't allow time for processing. I know exactly what you mean though. I can't recall any memorable battles where I have watched fish eat my gear, but I sure remember what it looked like.

If sight fishing gets your blood boiling, visit New Zealand. Probably the best in class for spotting and stalking big trout.


As for steelhead, images like this will continue to haunt me and erode my confidence. How many do you count?



Image courtesy of Suskeena lodge.

That's a great photo, Coley.

For sure, when we're throwing long casts, we never feel a lot of the bites we get. The violent "tug" we associate with a steelhead eating a swung fly is often the end result of the same fish (and sometimes others) repeatedly striking at our offering, culminating in a "F*** you... I'm eating that s***, no matter how many times you try to deny me" response. Hence why we so often get "bit" on the hang-down.

A guide I fish with at least once a year takes every opportunity he can get to get up on a high bank and watch this phenomenon unfold. He says he sees many more bites come up empty than find purchase, due in no small part to how long it takes for an angler to feel a strike at the other end of 60+ feet of fly line. If you want to see this for yourself, all you need to do is to have a fishing buddy set up across a fishing lie from yourself and huck a cast to where he can reach it on the drift down. Have him grab it and pull on it, and see how long it takes for you to feel the tug. You'll see that it usually affords the fish a significant amount if time with your bug in his jaws before you know what is happening. Sometimes, they get so pissed off by the elusive prey that they attack it, turn, and start running with it, the result of which is the "tug" that becomes an obsession for many of us through countless years of fishing.

Most dedicated swing fishers get a lot more bites per thousand casts than one. Nymphing shortens the length of line between the visible indicator and the offering immensely, and that may be among the biggest reasons why most anglers catch more fish on those presentations than "on the swing." It may also explain why so many "light" nymphing bites come up empty on the hook set.

Love that pic also. I SEE YOU! Gets my blood boiling! Can be very frustrating, especially in summer which I think when that pic was taken. Most sight success I have had in summer are freshies that have not been pounded on as mentioned above. Also, I seem to have better luck in winter when conditions allow. Not sure why? Maybe because temperatures and conditions vary more from day to day? makes them less spooky?

I'm one of those guys who loves sight fishing steelhead especially the summer variety. Looks like I need to add New Zealand to the bucket list...

Steelhead are odd. I've had times where I'm keyed in on one and just as I'm getting in its zone another one will fly in from 50 ft. away and chomp down. I've also had my gear go by and once it was 30 ft. below the fish decided to turn around and inhale my offering. I guess my one piece of advice would be to approach the fish downriver and watch their movements before making your first cast.

I avoid gin clear water such as the pool pictured. If I can see a fish the fish has probably seen me first. All hope and confidence is lost, at least for me.

I like to fish the fast water (riffles) where the fish are well oxygenated and at least have a broken surface for cover. I feel the fish react more quickly to a well swung fly (such as a string leech) traveling past their nose. A lot of places up high on the Nooch with great summer water!

Brandon4455:

Your English teacher would not be happy with you. Makes it so hard to read, with 1 long paragraph.


Bobber and jig......works for me.....down size the jigs......1/16 oz. or even 1/32 oz.

OR

Bobber and a pink worm, been known to work....in just about any water conditions....

another one for white water.....where the O2 is
Have caught many fish in less than 2 feet of white water.

Lots of great advice here. Personally, fly fishing for steelhead has a lot of parallels to golf. Sometimes when things are not working I have a tendancy to overthink the game. When I get into a stretch like this on the river or the golf course, it helps me to dumb everything down and just stick with the basics. It improves my confidence to stick with techniques and bugs that I have been successful with, and largely ingnore the subtleties of conditions. Fish with confidence that each cast could be the one. I have caught fish on big gaudy bright bugs that conventional wisdom might consider a no-no in clear low water conditions. I fish those because I have confidence in them, and it tends to keep me focused on presentation more than picking the correct pattern. Maybe I am just lucky, or inexperienced, but it works for me.

Doesn't matter how many you can count......these fish are stagnant at best.....

Thank my lucky stars I fish blind for hot fish .

Mf