TECHNIQUE
THIN
PICKINGS
TACTICS WHEN STEELHEAD ABUNDANCE IS LOW
BY MARTY SHEPPARD
When I swing flies for steelhead , I always expect to find a fish . Catching one is my goal . And some years , even when the fish are just arriving and overall numbers are very low , I ’ ve enjoyed some amazing success . At other times , in the best years , when steelhead fill our rivers and I know every run holds dozens of fish , I ’ ve seen fishless days . Go figure .
So , even though the Columbia River steelhead run is forecast at a 50-year low , anglers will still enjoy some magical moments this fall and that makes it worthwhile to fish . But , because there are so few fish , will I change my tactics ? Not really . My techniques to find and hook steelhead , for the most part , stay the same — I want to fish good water , and I want to fish it well .
But there are some things to consider this year . For instance , when a pool or particular stretch of river has a bunch of steelhead congregated in it , those fish will react differently than they would in a section that holds just a few fish . When the fish are concentrated , they are aggressive and very territorial and loud , flashy flies get their attention . When only a few fish are in a run , steelhead are not nearly as territorial . So , when fishing a pool or run that only has a few fish ( which will mostly be the case this year ), I probably wouldn ’ t choose a big , flashy intruder-style fly and would , instead , go with a small , drab , natural-color fly , such as a Blue Charm or Muddler . Those are flies that fish prefer when they ’ re just chillin ’ out .
When trying to find fish this year I ’ ll also consider what type of water to fish . This year , with fewer fish , steelhead don ’ t need to hold in secondary water — this year , all the prime water will be available and that ’ s where you ’ ll find them . With fewer fish , you can bet there will be fewer anglers , too . That means you can be the first angler to swing flies over most of the premium runs , almost any day of the week . So , take those prime runs and go through them twice . If there are fish holding in those runs , they ’ re likely eager to grab .
Angling pressure makes a big difference in finding success on the water , so take advantage of diminished pressure this year . If you choose the right run , on the right day , you can take catch some of those summer-runs that do make it home this year and you ’ ll enjoy a level of solitude seldom seen on steelhead waters these days .
Now , don ’ t get me wrong — fish counts are a concern this year . But we have to trust our biologists and their recommendations . If they decide to close all of the Columbia River tributaries , I will follow their directives . If they keep all or some of our waters open , I ’ ll fish , and treat each steelhead that myself or my clients catch with compassion and the best handling practices . I plan to move forward with all my scheduled trips this season , with trust that our managing agencies govern our activities properly . •
Marty Sheppard and his wife , Mia , run Little Creek Outfitters in Maupin , Oregon , on the banks of the Deschutes River . They pride themselves on conservation , stewardship and angling soul , while carrying on the tradition of swinging flies for steelhead with two-hand rods in a wilderness-like setting .
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