Steelhead Tactics: High Sticking High Water For Hot Chromers

by | Fresh Water

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.

10 Comments

  1. jeremy on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    hey shaq! nicely done … as always ..i like how you got it done .. regardless of the conditions … a true steelhead fisherman .. and if you were out last weekend .. i bet you really had your work cut out for you with 40+ mph winds, driving rain and high water .. but, if i were a betting man (which i am) .. i would be willing to bet you made it work then too .. great stuff…

  2. Shaq on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Well, thanks. WRH and I were there Sunday with 70mph+ winds, sleet and hail but that’s a story he will provide to us soon…I heard you got it done as well acouple days later…sweet!

  3. greg on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Great video Shaq with plenty of juming fish, makes for great video. I’m going to fill out an absentee ballet and head out, try and leave me some steel.

  4. waterwhippa on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Way to go guys….glad to see you put the cork to them…..this fall season has been spectacular. Should be plenty of fish wintering over to have fun with into the new year! nice vid.

  5. alex on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Shaq, Great video man… I really enjoyed it, and in general love all your videos keep up the great fishing and look forward to meeting up with you next year. Alex
    http://www.patagoniaflies.ecrater.com

  6. wrh on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Shaq,

    You nailed the music with the footage on this video a perfect match. Those jumps are killer!!!

  7. AlexisMT555 on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    I’m still impressionated by the size of the steelhead.
    i should a wonderfull fighter and hard to land.
    Good job and great video.
    What the zize of the rods you’re using, lenght and line weight ?

  8. Shaq on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    We have been using various 7-9 weights with floating lines and sink tip lines depending on the water conditions. Sigle handers are 10 foot 7wts with foaters and indies. Spey rods are 14 foot 9 wt with heavy sink tips and large marabou streamers.

  9. AlexisMT555 on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    yep, water conditions seems hard, lots of currents.
    You’ll certainly hace great sensations with those jumps and big steehead in the currents.
    very interesting. Like tarpon but in river.

  10. rolcast on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Great video! Makes me want to get in my truck and start driving there.