clueless steelheader

[nijimasu]

let's just say, hypothetically speaking ya know, that some guy who has only caught a few steelies fiddling around with a nymph rig on his 5 weight flyrod in Stanley and in the Boise River in town was going to have the week of March 22-28 off work, and he wanted to try his hand at some serious steelhead fishing? Would you send me- erm... I mean him - to riggins? Orofino? Salmon? Stanley?

More important, is there a website or book you might have read that will tell him how to set a rig up and fish it so he's not as much of a duffuss when he gets there next week?

Seriously- I'm happy to do the research and everything, but I could use a hint or two as to where to start-

thanks,

nij
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[chrome_junky]

well i guess it depends on the money your looking to spend in gas and if your going to be fly fishing or not. any of the places you mentioned you can get into fish
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[flyfishingfool]

I would use the same tactics that you used on the Boise River. Of course the river structure is different and fish will hold in different places but the tactics I have used are basically the same. They are all real steelhead and most of them want the same things (hypothetically speaking anyways, some steelhead tend to have lock jaw). I had a blast on my 5/6 wt last spring on the Little Salmon. We fished for probably 10 hours total and I caught 8 or 9 fish. The thing about catching steelhead is being where they are at the right time. I am no expert by any means but I know that being in the right place at the right time can make a huge difference. My craziest steelhead story is when I caught a 29" out of the Boise while I was fishing for whities at the end of march. I caught it on my 4wt with 6x and a size 20 Hare's ear. I just thought it was a huge rainbow but then I saw the hole punch in its cheek. I had no idea they stick around in there that long. I have always had luck catching them on an egg sucking leech pattern and even a basic wooly bugger with a beadhead. That time frame you have off was the same time we hit the Little Salmon. So I guess you could go there, then head up to the Clearwater if you wanted to, depending on how the fishing was. Wherever you go, you will have a blast. Good luck!
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[Belasko]

I just got back from salmon. People were catching from down in the canyon up into town (to a lesser extent), but the concensus is around town should be good in about a week or so. I would aim for Salmon - Challis area. But that's just me.
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[SteelieNut]

I have found that the best steelhead fly-water (for me anyway) is from Ellis upriver to Yankee Fork in mid April. The weather is warmer, there are plenty of fish, and I rarely don't catch a fish a day. As far as time, I only fish April with my flyrod because I'm downriver the rest of the spring. A person can catch them all fall and spring though. My brother caught one yesterday on his flyrod down by Shoup. So your dates are good, unless the river gets muddy. Things are really starting to warm up down there, so a blown out river is a chance. I have fished a few different ways, swinging flys like a speyrodder, "jigging" flys through channels and around rocks, and the most productive by a long shot is your basic indicator and nymph fishing. Good luck to ya, and I'll PM ya with some good spots to try.
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[nijimasu]

Thanks to all that have responded- This is sounding like it could be great!. This is a Boise River fish I caught last November-


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[nijimasu]

I guess I better gear up- mostly fly fishing, but I have a spinning rig and I ain't afraid to use it. Any news of fish concentrations anyone would care to private message?

Good luck to all that go out this week-

dale
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[Tapajos]

Just saw this. The south fork where I fished the last 2 weeks was on fire for fly fisherman. I left my 6wt home no point in breaking a $700 rod. But they were seriously CRUSHING the fish. Not even in the deepest holes but in the riffles. Im sure some were flossed but man there was like 6 people fishing a hole with my wife my friend and I and nobody caught a fish in like 3 hours. But just above the pool there were like 5 fly fisherman and if they werent doubled up someone almost always had a fish. That was day 1 day 2-3 it got muddy and the fly fisherman were nowhere to be seen
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[nijimasu]

wahoo!!! Finally got out today- fished around Stanley, and hooked up with 7 fish- 2 were foul hooked, one was wild, and the others came unbuttoned before they came in, so nothing in the cooler- but still- seven steelhead in one day for a noob must be some kind of record or something-

thanks to everyone who sent me tips! Very helpful!
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[jigs]

sounds like you had a good trip. I am heading up on tuesday do you mind me asking if you were using the fly pole or the spinning reel. Fly or bobber? Also up river or down from stanley?
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[nijimasu]

I used a fly rod and simply nymphed with single egg patters- they seemed to like fluorescent orange with a little sparkle in it. The fish are still concentrated around the Yankee Fork confluence, but there are plenty of fish upriver, and I'm sure with the warmer temps they will be heading up. It was much less crowded upstream of town, so that's where I did most of my fishing.

Caution- If you have to drive through Loman on your way, be careful in the evening hours- there are elk ALL OVER the road- hundreds of elk off to the sides, hanging out wherever there are cabins. I'm guessing they are hanging out around people to try and ditch the wolves.

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