Steelhead winter food

[Knuguy]

So now we have lots of steel holed up in deep spots on the rivers. What do they eat all winter? Is salmon roe flowing downstream a significant part of their diet? What about salmon smolt--is that a major food source? Are steelhead dependent on the salmon runs, or do minnows in the river sustain them? Presumably there must be some advantage for them to run up from the lake in the fall and hole up all winter? Has anyone seen any scientific studies on this?

 

[W_boughner]

Smolts, minnows,insects,and roe

 

[W_boughner]

And when the temp gets down real low they become lethargic and feed very little

 

[Rain-Bow]

There's hardly any food for steelhead in tributaries. By the time opener comes around they're so hungry that they'll bite literally anything.

 

[Float_On]

I think they go around to all the snag logs and rocks and open all of our snapped-off roe bags and eat the roe...

 

[goodentight]

I was smashing them opener on roe bag mesh... just busted open bags.. crazy..

 

[rich_ace_G]

There's hardly any food for steelhead in tributaries. By the time opener comes around they're so hungry that they'll bite literally anything.

I think they stock up big before the opener...I'm having so much fun fishing steels 1 week before opener (open area of course)...once they're in spawn mode...it dies down plus they see ever bait & lure in the first day...but sometimes I like some drawbacks just to simmer down...

 

[JustOneMoreTime]

The food is there.

Apparently, many can not SEE IT! (So .. it must not exist, Right?)

Where do you think all the:

- Par / Smolts
- Insects / Larvae
- Salmon Carcasses
- Organic materials
- Salamanders, Frogs
- leeches

Go? to magic land ... lol


Sometimes I wonder if people around here actually READ, OPEN their EYES ... PAY ATTENTION... or just believe what they want to mistakenly believe.

Lack of education (of your own past time) if you ask me!

lol

 

[Rain-Bow]

I was smashing them opener on roe bag mesh... just busted open bags.. crazy..

Exactly. If there was enough food they wouldn't be starving like that.

Things like insects and salmon eggs can't sustain a large steelhead. Especially not over the winter when there's almost none.

 

[xxxSIBxxx]

I was smashing them opener on roe bag mesh... just busted open bags.. crazy..

Same here, I was sick of changing all the time and said to buddy watch this ima catch one on mesh bag and next drift float down fish on lol crazy indeed

 

[fishing89]

so im guessing its a waste of time to go steelhead fishing in winter...as they wont feed on anything until opener ?

 

[Rain-Bow]

They're still eating, but there's not a lot of food for them during the winter. A hungry steelhead will take what you throw at it.

 

[salmotrutta]

I was smashing them opener on roe bag mesh... just busted open bags.. crazy..

Yup, if you run out of roe bags, just scrounge around the riverbank for a busted one, it'll work just fine especially in the evening!

 

[xxxSIBxxx]

so im guessing its a waste of time to go steelhead fishing in winter...as they wont feed on anything until opener ?

It's more challenging in winter months and that's where you'll find the true fishermen/women trying there luck steelheading. It's almost too easy in spring time.

It's not like they just all of a sudden start biting on opener lol, water temp. and other factors play a role when they start feeding.

 

[Knuguy]

The food is there.

Apparently, many can not SEE IT! (So .. it must not exist, Right?)

Where do you think all the:

- Par / Smolts
- Insects / Larvae
- Salmon Carcasses
- Organic materials
- Salamanders, Frogs
- leeches

In other words, you don't know any more than I do!! If you do, then enlighten us oh wise one!!!

 

[Slickrick]

not sure about the small tribs, but the Niagara is loaded with smelt and shiners all winter

 

[Dozer]

So now we have lots of steel holed up in deep spots on the rivers. What do they eat all winter? Is salmon roe flowing downstream a significant part of their diet? What about salmon smolt--is that a major food source? Are steelhead dependent on the salmon runs, or do minnows in the river sustain them? Presumably there must be some advantage for them to run up from the lake in the fall and hole up all winter? Has anyone seen any scientific studies on this?

They still eat during the winter - whatever they can get. The rivers are rich with food. When fishing for winter steelhead make sure you do not fight them for too long... a winter fish is a weak fish and should be muscled in. Forget first light - I find myself going after 10 or 11.

The question about steelhead being dependent on the salmon I don't have a solid answer but would say they are not dependent on the salmon. There is no link between the salmon run vs. the steelhead run however the salmon run is super beneficial for the steelhead. Salmon eggs and rotting carcasses provide a food source for the fish and I'm sure steelhead would use salmon redds if they manage to keep their shape until Spring.

Fish will run during the fall and hole up to hold down the ideal pools until Spring comes and the spawn is on. Fish on

 

[Klik]

They still eat during the winter - whatever they can get. The rivers are rich with food. When fishing for winter steelhead make sure you do not fight them for too long... a winter fish is a weak fish and should be muscled in. Forget first light - I find myself going after 10 or 11.

x2

just last night landed the fish under 90 seconds, could of landed a lot faster in 40 seconds but was a new rod and wasn't sure about how it handles decent size fish. also try to take nets to not even bring it out of water. in minus degrees their gills can get frozen and damaged.

i was east and just before our hole in a tiny creek size water, there was at least 500 minnows and smolts hanging out. they freely feed at night. they just sit in the holes day time. there is still big insect around, we saw a black brown caterpillar still alive. they also feed on their own eggs, they have started spawning, it is random, but they don't have X spawn time like salmon, they go by temperatures that suites them. there crazyfish, frogs, insects. other fish.

also saw 5 frozen salmon that were not rotten that much, if that washes into water eventually that is more food for them.

if you watch a video on how trout behave, you will see they pretty much taste every single debris that comes near their mouth and spit it if they don't like the taste.

 

[Float_On]

I've heard lots of people say "don't bother goin out for first light" in the colder temps.

I don't know if I'm totally sold on that... It's not as if you won't catch fish... First light is always the fish's first look at breakfast.

I am on board with the fact that a noon sun can add a bit of energy to winter pool though.

Just saying, I've caught lots of first-light fish in cold-ass weather.

 

[Shmogley]

I've heard lots of people say "don't bother goin out for first light" in the colder temps.

I don't know if I'm totally sold on that... It's not as if you won't catch fish... First light is always the fish's first look at breakfast.

I am on board with the fact that a noon sun can add a bit of energy to winter pool though.

Just saying, I've caught lots of first-light fish in cold-ass weather.

You know since its gotten to below minus 5 steadily, I have been noticing im getting more hits after the sun comes up a bit more as opposed November where id get a lot more action in the first light dusk and at 12-3pm it'd almost completely die down.
early this week for example was so cold my line was creating icicles and it was very frustrating to fish all morning but then at ~11am I started getting hits even with ice on my leader line

as for food the river provides,, just take a good look at the pools, theres lots of small fish and marine insects still doing their thing it might not be enough to feed a full grown steelhead that's active all day but with the dormancy that kicks in in the cold they don't waste as much energy and this stuff will keep them going until the warmth comes back