Seasons change and they
come and go every year. With spring and fall means rain. So with that our creeks
and smaller rivers start to rise, carrying muddy water, and dump it into the main
rivers. When the river starts to clear you will find Steelhead anglers
everywhere in the Great Lakes region chasing their beloved Steelhead.
Many stay home though if
the water is running too high. And if visibility is to a minimum but I must say
sometimes you’re missing out by not going during high water periods. If the
river is chocolate milk and unsafe that’s one thing but if there is some
visibility and it’s safe I still fish. No fish is worth losing your life over.
Practice safe wading with a wading staff and always wear a wading belt. If it’s
safe to go then I’m on the river and choose to fish differently. Steelhead can
be caught on jigs, flies, spawn, spinners and minnow baits in a variety of
conditions.
First if the water is
cloudy, head upstream, above the inflowing creeks. You should find clearer
water there. Don’t know where they are then get on Google Earth or get a map of
the river. Do your homework before you even leave the house.
When I arrive I also get
out of the car and stop at bridges and boat
launches. I will put my waders on and judge the clarity myself. By stepping in
the river and looking at my boot and how far down I can see it. I even take my
measuring tape sometimes and measure it for my fishing journal. I’m looking for
at least a foot or more. What a lot of people forget is the visibility
downstream vs up stream sometimes can be night and day.
With rising rivers means
fresh fish in the system and those fish are usually biters. Keep that in mind
when you’re making a plan. That should drive you to get out and give it the old
college try. You can’t catch a fish by sitting at home. By having stained or
cloudy water allows you to approach steelhead much closer than normal. They
can’t see you as easy; this is to your advantage.
Hence why when I walk up
on a hole I just stop and look at things for a minute and make a plan.
Sometimes during high water those fish are real close to the bank trying to get
a break from current or the silt. So consider making a cast or drift before you
go stepping into the hole and spooking the fish you’re after.
Also during high water
and poor visibility fish sometimes are on the move during day light hours. Not
just at night I have seen this first hand. So some holes might not have a fish
in it and a few hours later it will. But sometimes they get their move on
cloudy, high water days remember that.
Now smaller rivers will
come into shape faster than a larger river but this depends on what part of the
country in live in and how those rivers are feed. Be it run off or cold water
springs etc. So bottom line is, some rivers near you clear up at different
rates. So if your home river is a larger one and takes a while to shape up,
then all the more reason to learn high dirty water tactics.
Everyone thinks color is
the main thing to focus on in high dirty water. Yes it’s important but not as
important as the lures contrast. Certain color combinations provide more
contrast in the water hence drawing attention to your offering. I personally
love black or gold lures accented with the colors, like chartreuse, red and
orange in dirty water.
I also believe that
bigger lures isn’t always better in high dirty water. I actually sometimes use
smaller lure profiles in dirty water. The fish will tell you what they want
based on their level of activity. That changes by the water temperature and the
water clarity. Sometimes they are willing to move great distances to hit your
offering when other times you have to bump them on the head with your offering.
Hence why water temperature and clarity is so important to the Steelhead
fisherman. That subject alone we could write a book on.
Vision and contrast is
only a small part of the equation. Things like scents, the lure motions and displacement
also come into play. You have to experiment the fish will tell you what they
want. You just have to pay attention to the clues the fish and river give you.
So if you’re a fly fisherman, or casting lure’s you need many sizes, colors,
actions and shapes to try. If you’re float fishermen try different sized pieces
of roe and spawn bag sizes, and colors.
I hope this post has
inspired you to get out and give Steelhead fishing a try during high water
periods. We only have some much time to get after this fish at certain times of
the year. So get out there and make the most of it. As always practice C.P.R.
Catch, Photo and Release. May all your Steelhead Dreams Come True.
Ole Willie!
Don't forget to support our sponsors and subscribe to this BLOG at the top of this page! Your comments are always welcome and join us on Facebook and Twitter or give our page a share with someone.
