It was a chilly 38 degree morning on December 14, 2018, but my homewater was still running at summer levels so I stayed with my summer gear and summer approach with a surface fly. I started at the top of a favorite run and I was pleasantly surprised with a sudden aggressive rise to my green-butt yellow stimuwaker. The steelhead was instantly hooked and taking off on it's first run. I was anticipating that I hooked into another late hatchery summer run, but this steelhead seemed to fight with more determination than I'd expect from a tired hatchery brat. As the steelhead drew closer I was able to see that it was not a large fish but that it seemed quite bright. I was then determined to land this steelhead so I could get a better look. I wondered if it might even be late running wild steelhead.
I fought the steelhead carefully, but with steady pressure. I was eventually able to lead the steelhead into a shallow bay. It was a bright hatchery hen in perfect form. I took a few photos and rejoiced in the blessing of getting a second dry fly steelhead in December. Water temperature was 44 degrees.
I later emailed a picture of the steelhead and the story of it's capture to Bill McMillan. Bill responded that he felt like the steelhead looked like a winter run which must have strayed up my way possibly from the Clackamas. At the time of encountering this steelhead, there were 3 non-finclipped winter steelhead counted that ascended Willamette falls. Catching this steelhead on a dry fly was definitely like finding a needle in a massive haystack!
On December 30, 2018 I found myself on river that is better known for it's hatchery winter steelhead run and parades of sidedrifters that pursue them. This is not among the popular winter steelhead fly swinging rivers, but as an extra opportunity to fish coincided with my better half's plans, I went for it.
I drove into a little town along the river and managed to find some river access up and down from a popular boat launch. The water above the boat launch looked and fished well, but it was no surprise that I didn't find a steelhead that was willing to rise in the 44 degree water that was also showing some color.
I made my way to the water downstream of the boat launch and noted it to be running fairly briskly as it came out of the rapids below a long pool. As I surveyed this run, I saw that there were two rocky outcrops on my bank that broke up the current and formed soft cushions downstream as the current evened out. I fished the first bay and felt that it swung my surface fly nicely, providing a miniture flat where a winter steelhead would have a break from the main flow.
I felt a fair amount of confidence and anticipation, even in this unlikely location and under atypical surface steelhead conditions. There was a high water event the week before and the river was on a steady drop, so at least I had that on my side.
That first piece of water below the rock break didn't produce any excitement so I proceeded down to the second outcrop to swing through the soft water below.
I had just recently purchased a 11' 3wt Vector trout spey that was on sale from my local Cabelas and balaced with a 200gr OPST Commando head and 50gr 10' floating trout tip. I was enjoying casting my purple and black Bivisiwang with this light setup.
I remembered that there are folks who are concerned with overplaying and tiring steelhead out with such a light rod. I knew that as long as I was staying with my typical 8# or 10# maxima for tippet, that I would still be able to fight steelhead aggressively with a low rod position and clamping down on my click/pawl reel.
As I settled into fishing the flows below that second break, I noted that the rock structure extended diagonally underwater towards mid river. This made for cover and soft cushions where steelhead could hold. As I fished through this juicy stuff I was imagining what it would be like to put the light rod to the test with a legit winter steelhead pulling on the other end.
I made a cast across the break formed by the diagonal rock structure and as my Bivisiwang came past the bump of current, I suddenly saw the boadside form of a steelhead launching itself across the surface as it took my fly. My line drew tight and the fight was on.
My chance to confirm my ability to quickly land a winter steelhead on a light trout spey presented itself quicker than expected! I lowered the rod as I tightened into the steelhead with my little 3 5/8 Perfect. The steelhead made several short but powerful runs, but I kept as much preesure as possible on the reel to slow and tire the steelhead without breaking the 10# maxima tippet.
Within about 5 minutes, I had the steelhead near shore in a convenient shallow area. I was able to get a few photos while noticing that the steelhead was still very strong and fresh.
Getting 3 steelhead on surface flies in December has never happened to me before. This has given me enough encouragement to fish on the surface full time through the rest of winter and beyond! I hope to have more dry fly winter steelhead stories to tell in the coming weeks.
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