Steelhead winter food

[rich_ace_G]

I'm not sure if there are patterns as well but...when they start hitting roe bags...(these are based in 1 pool)...they will hit roe bags and roe bags only. if the first hit is spinners...you can throw anything at them. silver blade pmartins or black furies has work amazing. I'm liking the float fishing right now but you can't deny that casting spinners are just as good without the challenge of re-tie.

 

[rich_ace_G]

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

this has always got me thinking. I don't know if cold temps affect their eyesight but on winter they don't seem to be shy at all. they can go 3-5 ft from you and doesn't get spooked as much.

 

[bski48]

Minnow imitations work great, was smashing them last January even on the 10 below days, the real deal however even better.... smelts, shinners, shads. I typically avoid roe in the winter once the temp dips below 0, not to say it wont work just havn't had a high success rate with it

 

[Shmogley]

this has always got me thinking. I don't know if cold temps affect their eyesight but on winter they don't seem to be shy at all. they can go 3-5 ft from you and doesn't get spooked as much.

This is interesting to think about. although im not sure if its affecting their eyesight so much as the cold makes them so llethargic they just don't get spooked and worked up with the lower food/temps because they would waste too much energy. same with the hitting my bait with clearly visible ice not even 5 inches from the bait. the fish just might be so cold that any food at all seems worth biting when its freezing out and the next meal might take a while to find.

im glad we can have these discussions and come to some kind of conclusion though, even if its just napkin science lol

 

[Shmogley]

Minnow imitations work great, was smashing them last January even on the 10 below days, the real deal however even better.... smelts, shinners, shads. I typically avoid roe in the winter once the temp dips below 0, not to say it wont work just havn't had a high success rate with it

yea dude anything that has a silver color like a mepps or even the little rapala silver minnow crankbaits have always brought in good catches for me when the roe doesn't produce..
and its even more weird that I tell everyone how effective the rapala are but I still never see anyone use them.

Ive tossed the mepps and caught but nothing gives me confidence like the rapala

 

[W_boughner]

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.
ya I've caught a lot of fish in the river at first light December through February

 

[NADO]

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

This seizure inducing writing style is looking awfully familiar....

 

[Captain Barty]

This seizure inducing writing style is looking awfully familiar....

Was to me too. Lolz

 

[Klik]

i told that to dozer two weeks ago! lol

 

[Float_down]

Treble hooks and marshmallows. Kill um' all.

 

[fishing89]

Treble hooks and marshmallows. Kill um' all.

you put marshmallows on yours? .... i should try that instead of lead

 

[shane.a]

ROE PINK W ALL FLYS GOOD LUCK

 

[hightechdecks]

bugs

 

[Float_down]

bugs

Holy hell, where did you go budd?!