Category Archives: Steelhead
You May Be Killing Steelhead And Not Even Know It
STEELHEADERS ARE GENERALLY PRETTY SERIOUS ABOUT CATCH-AND-RELEASE, BUT IT'S LIKELY THAT MANY ARE MORTALLY WOUNDING FISH WITHOUT EVER KNOWING IT. There are few species of fish as vulnerable as wild steelhead. These fish are beset on all sides by threats both natural and man-made. With their...
Burning Chrome
By Louis Cahill The sun never rises. Not today, at least not here on the Deschutes River. The light is an eerie yellow-orange. The air is hot and dry, and the wind is howling. It’s unsettling. You’d expect it to feel like fog or overcast but it...
Nets, Go Big or Go Home
I received an email from a reader the other day asking advice on steelhead nets. I thought it was a topic worth some discussion. We put a lot of thought into rods, reels, lines and flies but often the piece of equipment that seals the...
The Bobber Conundrum
THE OTHER DAY I RECEIVED THIS EMAIL FROM A READER. *** "Just wanted to bring up an issue that has been eating at my soul for years! I just can't wrap my arms around the thought of using a bobber. That being said, I know that when...
Dean River Chinook
By Jeff Hickman IT'S TIME FOR THE BIG BOYS. With the rapidly increasing popularity of Spey fishing, targeting Chinook salmon has also recently become hot. These large powerful anadromous fish have always been attractive to fly fishers in areas with strong populations. But with modern spey...