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 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.