Your Winter Steelie Season

So how did you all do? A good season...fair season or less? Mine was fair except for one single fish...my first to the boat on jig and float...and my best sized in years...thank you FJ...that one fish will be ever hard to beat in my memories. So lets hear it? How'd you all do?

Gooose, I raped em. I had an extremely good winter run........Nuff said.

Did good this year. Had alot of fun and learned a bunch. I fished with a couple guys that taught me a hell of alot. Got one pig that I am proud of too goose.

I had a pretty good winter season too Goose. Is it spring yet? Sure has been cold out. What a wild and wacky winter. I'm hoping for some warm weather for summer fishing here real soon.

Best season, as a whole, on The Sandy River in my 17 years living here. Need to get toether to tell stories, gooose.

Being as I was out of work all winter long and had nothing better to do but fish 3 to five days a week,I would have to say that is was a damn good year.I did not catch as many as I would of thought when I put into a time on the water versus caught fish perspective but I did learn alot about my favorite haunts and found a few new ones.

I was disapointed with the mid march returns on the sol duc.I make that trip every year and have always surprised my self but not this year.

Oh yeah I got to meet you!

Gooose,

For me, this was the most phenominal season ever and one that likely will never be repeated. I managed 100 fish, beating my previous yearly total by 71 fish. In fairness, most of my fish came from the upper Snake tribs which were swarming with fish all season (no I'm not that good). The best part of it all was that I had my 2 and 4 year old kids with me two thirds of the time - man were they good luck!! Let this be a lesson to you dads, taking the kids Steelheading - even in the dead of winter - can be awesome, as long as you prepare and remain flexible. Besides, taking the kids gives our wives a break and for me let me justify a few extra trips.

I learned so much this year, especially regarding water temperatures (44 - 54 deg. F = Hot Fishing on the Eastside!!!), and size of presentaion (#4 single hooks with light weight worked best for me). Also, it gave me the opportunity to learn the subtleties of Steelhead strikes. In years past (including a 5 year, 100 trip period where I didn't touch a fish), I was bottom bouncing with gear that was way to big an heavy. With all of those tap tap's on the bottom I was actually learning to tune out strikes. A buddy of mine suggested switching to a slip bobber which was the best fishing advice I've ever gotten. I highly recommend this technique!!

I hope that all of you will or have had a year like mine (I know some of you have blown my totals away), but even without catching big numbers I always have a great time.

I had a good winter, probably my second best in the last 6 next to last year. Last year, the water was always low and fishable and I killed them. I caught several high teens & twenties last year too. This year, flows were more typical and the rivers were blown some of the time, so I didn't get to fish as much. Still plenty of fish, though. I didn't see as many big natives on the OR coast this year, but there were plenty of 8 to 12 pounders. Lost one about 15. So far this year, my biggest steelie was a 16 pound summer run.

Goose,
I had the best year ever for me and My clients. Even better than last year.
I think you will find that is the way it will be with everyone.
Also e-mail me if you want to catch some springers.
Peace Superfly

I'd have to rate it the best year ever in terms of numbers of fish (steelhead) and fish per trip.

The only thing that would keep me from rating it the best ever, is that there were no real memorable steelhead. One or two into the low, maybe mid-teens. Nothing approaching 20 pounds. I don't think I even lost one approaching that.

I mostly fish the Kalama. I caught my first steelhead on a fly this year. Had as much fun with the silvers using fly, bait and gear as you could ask for. Caught a 23 lb. king on a fly. And one day, at band camp, I stood beside one hole and caught a steelhead on a fly, a king on a fly, and silvers on a fly, on bait and on spinners - kind of a double triple - three kinds of fish and fish using three different techniques. So that was unique, for me, anyway.

No complaints.

It was an insane year as Superfly and I were trading holes regularly. All you could here was fish-on! The only thing that dictated catching fish or not seemed to be if the river was blown. If it was in "we were there" Hope it stays this way for a few more cycles. Statewide guys were doing well, the hardest thing was deciding were to go. Friends were calling with good reports from everywhere. Man I love head, steelhead! There is nothing quite like slaying salmon one after the other though too! Then again summerruns and springers taste great and fight hard! Sometimes its a toss up, but for whatever reason I always find myself wanting to target the fish runs that come next rather than whats in at the time. Anyone else?

Did very well for me. Hit fish most trips, and multiple fish on many trips. Best day was 8 fish on, which is great for me. And my 6 yr old caught his first steelhead, which was the best.

If the rivers would have stayed in shape, would have been better, but I can't complain.

Did really well on brats last December, but hit a slump in Jan and Feb that could mean only one thing............BIG ONE COMING!!!!!! Sure did too, landing a big buck in the mid 20's followed by a few more in the 20ish (20 give or take a pound) range. Last time I had a steelheading slump I ended up landing an upper 20's fish. The fish God's definatlely work in some weird ways sometimes, but I've got them figured out My favorite river was sloooowww for way too long this year which put a damper on the numbers too

I might add that the best part of this years experience so far for me has been meeting a lot of people from this board. Most were all coordinated by e-mails, phone calls and chat but two were pure random meetings. First there was Superfly who just happened to stop in at the Cove Park midday as I was headen out to the Quil...half hour we happened to meet again on the river for some fun busting silvers...the second was when I was driving down the Duckabush road just before dark and passed two guys hiking down the road back towards there rig....one of the guys looked like a real crazed steelhead fishing type and when I ran into them on my way out I stopped to chat....wouldn't ya know it...hey it was ltlcleo.
I wonder how many others of you I have wandered by in my fishing endeavors. Anyway just wanted to say it was a very good year for making friends. Hope to see you all at F4.2 or on some other river at another time.

Peace

I agree with you gooose as far as meeting people goes. Met a lot of great people from the board many of which have become good friends. Still need to meet you too, gooose. We've chatted and e-mailed a lot and I know if I don't see ya in the next couple months, I'll see you over "you know where" in August or take a ferry ride and I'll show you how it's done on this side of the sound! Peace

I'd say this year was a toss up with the "93" season.How ever I fished a lot more back then also.Hopefully this next winter season will be just as good as this past season was!!!!Good luck,
STRIKE ZONE

I caught close to 20 in December when most fishermen were waiting for the January peak runs. I stayed home in January and played with the kids.

By far my best year. After seeing the light and switching to jig fishing I was hooking up regularly. Got my first 20 pounder. Before I was just so-so into steelie fishing, now I'm a fanatic, that made the 3 hour run way too many times this winter for my wifes' liking, and not nearly enough for mine!

Big_Jim

I didn't fair as well numbers wise as past seasons for Steelhead...but I sure got to fish with a lot of different people from the board.

Thanks for the good times...Craven,SalmonFool,Gooose,Rocklizard,Timber,GMAN,Dogfish,TTT,Fishon,Woodsy Wayne,Fish4Steel and Fishawk.

I also had the opportunity for a good time Salmon fishing with Wiser and Rapid Robert.

I also enjoyed meeting...Marsha,Stew,Giz,RT,DanS,Osprey,DJ,FH5,Jeffhead,FisherDan,Bigdog,Fresh Fruit,Loose Bruce,Hey Ya'll,Mikey likes it,Gloabou,Bait-O-eggs,Drachir,Flasher and possibly a few more good people who I fail to recall. If I forgot you let me know!

Meeting,fishing,sharing and having a good time is what it is all about. Look forward to hooking up with a few more good people in the future.

Feathered Flyer...witnessing the joy of your triumph and being able to revisit it through photos...will continue to be one of those great trips in the annals of time. You can pick through my bag of tricks anytime *honk*

FJ...out.

i did pretty good considering it was my first year... banked 8 and hooked 2x as many.

i Learned so much from the people on this board (thanks everyone!!!)

I got to meet and fish with a few of the legends such as FJ, RockLizard and FS... oh wait a minute jk FS. I am lookin forward to meeting more of you at 4.2!

Tyler

My season was fanfreakintastic, caught more, learned more and had a really great time. There is something really appealing about waking up at 430am driving 1 to 2 hours away and standing out in the cold wet weather just waiting for that strike. Or rubbing the ice off the guides on your rod as you drift down a nice river on a beautiful crisp winter morning, thanks Matt.

In a couple of months I'll be hating the heat and fondly looking forward to next winters run...........

I'd rate it in my top 3 seasons I can recall. Especially early on in the hatchery run when I had more than one double-digit day. I landed more fish last year, because the water conditions were favorable for the way I fish, but this year I caught nearly as many and they were better fish. I didn't fish as much this year, but I was able to do some pretty good damage when I did get out.

I'm speaking strictly steelhead here though, as last season was unfreaking believable for salmon. So many fish it was stupid.

I also got a chance to book some hours with Osprey, Y'all and Jeffhead which was, as always, a pleasure. Also met some of the other folks here down at F4, and plan on hooking up with some of them for future action.

I'm with 'rat77, though. Late summer can't get here fast enough for me. Can you beat a sunny, crisp day about three days after a major rain storm, that clean smell in the air, leaves changing colors, about 3 feet of visibilty in the river, and kings and silvers aggressively biting about anything you feel like throwing at them? Plus, you KNOW winter steelhead is just around the corner.

I'd give the 2001-2002 season a thumbs up.

Had a great winter run season, nice to have lot's of fish and fishable water for the most part. Mostly fished the Cowlitz where I made 19 trips, boondoggin below BC. Caught fish every day with the best days had the boat limited by 9:00 a.m.
Also had some good days for nates and brats on the Solduc and the Hoh.
I'd have to go back to before the flood of '96
to have a better year........If I every get done with springers, I'm lookin forward to summer runs, and meeting more people from the board.

Not to bad for me over all. I did well early and then again late. I have to agree that most of the fun was meeting people from the board. Rock Lizard, Gooose, Timber, Wiser, RR, Glou-boa, Dogfish, capt Dan, Dan S. I am still looking forward to meeting Aunty M, Stew, Rt (can I still say RT here?) TTT, FS, GMAN and a few others.

Winter steelheading was very good this year. I was busy this winter and didn't fish as much as usual. However, I caught fish every time out, usually a limit + a few releases.

For a change, the fishing was better in Portland, Oregon than British Columbia. Gotta love it!

I had a good season. Over Spring Break instead of going to those Mtv locations to party I spent on the river. We hooked 15 in 4 trips and 1 trip we got skunked. Also was a small oly pen river were I hooked 5 and landed 2.
I got the honor to fish with Dogfish, great guy I highly recommend fishing with him.
The best part was the god forsaken day that I spent floating with a buddy and we hooked 8 and landed 4. bad landing percentage It had 2 inches of snow on the ground and was raining all day. But we only saw 2 other boats. It was awsome. Take care guys and see you in a few weeks.

Best season in recent memory for me as far as fish hooked per trip. Did much better on december hatchery fish this year than ever before (found a new fishery) and nate fishing was consistent too. Only negative observation I had was there weren't as many big fish (natives) this year as in years past.....hooked more overall though.

Bring on summer!

UNREAL!!! Hope to see the same cycles in the future...
Keith