Steelhead with Jason

Clearwater Steelhead, winter 2024

Jason and I had been trying to fish together for years. Jason is a fellow steelhead junky and accomplished angler. We finally nailed down some dates and it was happening. Jason mostly fishes the main Clearwater from a boat and I mostly wade on the little river. Both of us were excited to learn from each other.

"I finally get to fish with the G.O.A.T.!" Jason said, as we loaded up early in the morning.

"I just hope your expectations aren't too high..." I chuckled, shaking my head. 

The drive up to the river flew by as we talked fishing and hunting. The river had seen a couple of big spikes in flow, meaning the fish would be on the move. As we drove down the little river, we knew we'd need to fish the main because the water clarity was garbage. That's why we brought a boat! We launched the boat in one of Jason's favorite runs and we were officially fishing.

The clarity here was off a little bit too. Visibility was a little over a foot; not terrible, but 3 feet is about perfect. We fished hard, taking turns rowing to the top of the run and drifting down. We eventually moved upriver to another spot with clearer water. We watched a couple fish caught here but sadly, we never hooked up. 

We pulled the boat out with a little light to spare and scouted for the following day. With sunlight in the forecast and dropping flows, the little river would be the smart move. We selected a promising spot and anxiously awaited what the following day would bring. 

At first light, we were standing in "Moe's run". This run is characterized by a fast, pinching riffle at the top that deepens and slows to a long, slow tail-out with an unsuspecting trough. Fish hold in a few different spots throughout and I've learned where to look over the years. The crowds weren't bad on the river, so as fortune would have it, we were alone this morning.

Without any hookups by 8:30am, I moved down to the slow stuff at the bottom. I shallowed up my indicator, took off a little weight and began casting. It couldn't have been more than 5 drifts and my indicator sank. I threw a quick mend in the line, knowing that would either "un-snag" the bottom or if it was a fish, cause the fish to pull back. The indicator did not re-rise to the surface but instead pulled back. I set the hook hard. Fish on! Jason had taught me this technique the day before and I had to admit, I liked it. 

Jason came downriver with the net and helped me with the small fish. This would be a perfect fish to keep and smoke. 

With my set-up dialed and ready to go for this lower end, I resumed casting. Three casts later I was into another.

This time, after releasing the small wild fish, I had Jason fish the lower end. I walked up to the middle of the run, with the deeper, faster water and started casting again. Several casts later, I hooked up again. The sun was shining and the air temps had warmed; the fish were obviously digging it. Another great fish for the smoker!

We both went back to our spots and it didn't take Jason long to figure out the bottom end. 

Another small hatchery fish for the smoker! We don't normally catch this many "small" fish, but the early runners on this river sometimes are smaller than the normal B-run fish. 

I hooked another and lost it, then Jason followed up with a big hatchery female. The morning was really picking up! 

Jason was excited to fish some new water to him and I was simply enjoying how we had the whole run to ourselves. The action remained steady until mid-afternoon. 

With an hour or so of daylight left to spare, we left to check out another spot I had in mind. Jason wasted no time in hooking up in the new run.

This would be the only fish we'd tangle with at this location. It had been a solid day of steelhead fishing; Jason landed 5 of 7 hookups and myself, 4 of 6. 

We had considered trying a new spot for the following morning, but you know what they say... "you don't leave fish to find fish." Selecting a spot to steelhead fish is an important decision. Between the crowds you often find, and the challenge alone of "beating" the water for a hook-up or two, wasting limited time can make a big difference in the amount of success you have. We opted to return to "Moe's run" because we knew where the fish were, where to stand, and the depth and weight required for effective drifts. 

The first hour was cold and frosty, but as things warmed a bit, so did the action. Jason grabbed the first nice fish; a big, dark hatchery male.

I hooked a couple and had short-lived battles before the hook came free. Jason grabbed another on the lower end; this time a big hatchery female.

Jason had really dialed in this lower end. Every time I'd try it for a bit, I wouldn't catch anything. I wouldn't even see any fish porpoise. Then Jason would fish it and hook up, commenting on the occasional flurries of porpoising fish. Sometimes it's just not your day. 

Jason hooked into another great fish in the middle of the run; a big, wild female. The quality and condition of the fish this morning was exceptional. 

We fished until mid-day, when we decided it was time to head home.

It had been a fun few days of fishing with Jason. We each learned some new waters and had some success. The smaller fish I kept smoked up very well and were delicious. The spring steelhead season was just getting started and another trip was surely in order!