Steelhead Tactics: High Sticking High Water For Hot Chromers

Steelhead Video

It’s been a great salmon season for me so far however, it’s almost over. The salmon are paired up and performing the last duty they are required to do to ensure the continuation of their species. The fall rains have come, opening up the spawning grounds and the salmon are taking full advantage. The steelhead enters the river. It’s high water. So high in fact that it has forced me, in most cases to change tactics from swinging streamers to high sticking the seams which are so close to the bank all that is required is the length of the leader from the rod tip. Today, as promised, I have brought my buddy to the river. He almost missed the salmon this year, as life can cause you to miss events which only last a while. He is learning this river and we stopped to fish to the spawners before our search for steelhead. We hooked a few and then continued on our way. The main river was raging. Most of the fish, we knew, would be found in the side currents and we concentrated our efforts there and we were soon rewarded. Fish-on! We had consistent action all day long and we hooked over a dozen hot steelhead. Keeping them on was another story as they gave us all we could handle and more. All techniques worked. We caught steelhead bouncing the bottom, we caught steelhead under indicators and yes, when the opportunity arose, I put the fastest sinking tip I had in my pouch on and connected with a bolt of lightning. It was a great day that will be remembered if not for the fish, but for the great company and the horrible weather. Hope to see you all on the river soon.