TRINIBOY
Well-Known Member
Found this neat article on the net figured I’d share especially for the new steelhead anglers... Season anglers please feel free to weigh in and add to the topic.
Steelhead Behavior
Understanding steelhead behavior while they are in the tributaries is important if the angler wants to be successful in pursuing this species. This behavior changes with water conditions, weather conditions, the season and the length of time the fish has been in the stream. Just when you think you have the fish figured out, they will surprise you by doing something new. However, all steelhead seem to have a few traits in common which have been observed and recorded by many dedicated anglers pursuing them. Below are listed some of the most important ones:
· Steelhead prefer to hold in areas with a moderate to fast flow and of medium depth (3' - 4').
· Areas where two currents come together to form a "seam" are prime holding lies.
· Pocket water formed by boulders in fast current is another area which will hold fish.
· Steelhead will often hold above or below structure such as large boulders or logs which buffer the current and provide security.
· In a large pool, steelhead will usually hold in the head and also in the tail out.
· Unless faced with low water conditions, low water temperatures or heavy angling pressure, steelhead do not prefer the bottoms of deep holes like Chinook salmon do.
· Optimum stream temperatures for steelhead (when they will be most active) are 45 to 58 F. or (7.2-14.4 Celsius)
· Steelhead tend to move upstream on rising and falling water and hold steady in low flows or flooding conditions.
· Steelhead have an aversion to bright light, so on sunny days fishing is best at first light and again during the last hour of daylight.
· On overcast, rainy days steelhead will remain active and moving all day.
· Fish that have only been in the river a few days and those lower in the river are usually the most aggressive and easiest to catch.
· The longer the steelhead has been in the river, the darker in color it will become. A fish with a mint silver color or "chromer" is a fresh run fish that recently left the lake.
Steelhead Behavior
Understanding steelhead behavior while they are in the tributaries is important if the angler wants to be successful in pursuing this species. This behavior changes with water conditions, weather conditions, the season and the length of time the fish has been in the stream. Just when you think you have the fish figured out, they will surprise you by doing something new. However, all steelhead seem to have a few traits in common which have been observed and recorded by many dedicated anglers pursuing them. Below are listed some of the most important ones:
· Steelhead prefer to hold in areas with a moderate to fast flow and of medium depth (3' - 4').
· Areas where two currents come together to form a "seam" are prime holding lies.
· Pocket water formed by boulders in fast current is another area which will hold fish.
· Steelhead will often hold above or below structure such as large boulders or logs which buffer the current and provide security.
· In a large pool, steelhead will usually hold in the head and also in the tail out.
· Unless faced with low water conditions, low water temperatures or heavy angling pressure, steelhead do not prefer the bottoms of deep holes like Chinook salmon do.
· Optimum stream temperatures for steelhead (when they will be most active) are 45 to 58 F. or (7.2-14.4 Celsius)
· Steelhead tend to move upstream on rising and falling water and hold steady in low flows or flooding conditions.
· Steelhead have an aversion to bright light, so on sunny days fishing is best at first light and again during the last hour of daylight.
· On overcast, rainy days steelhead will remain active and moving all day.
· Fish that have only been in the river a few days and those lower in the river are usually the most aggressive and easiest to catch.
· The longer the steelhead has been in the river, the darker in color it will become. A fish with a mint silver color or "chromer" is a fresh run fish that recently left the lake.
