Tired of the other fish and sports boards. Do you guys have the knack here? Whats the right pound leader to use in clear deep holes for native steelhead? 6 or 8 or 10?

Whats the best color combo of all time on steelhead jigs?

Whats best for lower mainstem Lewis springers, plugcut herring or kwikfish or spinners?

What is the best water temperature for steelhead to bite? For chinook salmon to bite in fresh water?

Finding the knack level here.

I dont have the knack to spell obviously.


[ 11-13-2001: Message edited by: knack ]

[ 11-13-2001: Message edited by: knack ]

[ 11-14-2001: Message edited by: knack ]

Think you might like it better here Knack *.

For your Q's:

- 8 lb. UG
- Pink & white combo
- Plug cut herring (from your choices - I would prefer trolling a twirling pink prawn w/ a small spin glo or spinner blade ahead of it)
- 45 deg. for steelhead and 48 deg. for nooks (if you are asking for ranges then 43 to 48 for winter steelies and 46 to 51 for nooks)

* "knack level" - pretty high for lots of guys here (do those with the right answers get a prize?)

RT

[ 11-15-2001: Message edited by: RT i ]

One and a half out of four. Use 10 pound line for native steelhead because they should be played in fast and they arent leader shy. Right about jig color. Half for your herring and prawn answer. Steelhead bite best at 46 and kings ar 50. Close enough you pass. No other answers though. no prob.

I'd like to hear some other opinions on those Q's.
Especially the water temp thing; even though we weren't far apart.

Hells bells, man. Sure steelhead bite in the 40's, but that's still cold. They bite even better at 50 to 55, but you've probably limited by then. Or are we just talkin' winter runs here?

Sincerely,

Salmo g.

I was talking winter run steelhead Salmo, as that season is upon us. And you're right, most of the fish temps I've taken have been in the morning because I rarely fish all day. It also has a lot to do with fishing methods too. Summer steelhead move to the fly better when the water temps are well up into the 50's for sure. As for chinooks, I don't fish the big warmish Columbia for early fall nooks. In that situation 60 degrees looks real good compared to that recent season's 70 temps. I fish them in spring runoff and after cold coastal rain freshets in fall. I was a likely a little low with my estimates. If I included all seasons and all fishing methods for an average best temp, maybe closer to 50 for steelhead and 53 for chinooks. You're a fish bio so I believe what you say over what I say. What do you other guys that moniter the water temps think?

RT