Steelhead fishing in full swing!
We are smack dab in the middle of steelhead season here on the Wenatchee and Upper Columbia rivers and it's another great season so far. The weather has been amazing, I think it has has been sunny and 60 everyday since opening day and the fish are fresh and hot. I love the time a year to put away the heavier duty Fetha Styx downrigger and plug salmon rods and break out the light action Fetha Styx Homewater sh1022 steelhead float rods. Then I got to fish for for only a couple short weeks before I had to have emergency surgery. It absolutely breaks my heart to be sitting here on the couch talking about fishing instead of doing it while the combination of great fishing and great weather is here. But my body had other plans as my gull bladder finally went out and I had to have emergency surgery to get it removed but hoping to be back out on the water in somewhat limited capacity in a week or so. As I type this there is rumor of the Methow river closing early but the Wenatchee and Upper Columbia should stay open well into late winter and early spring with a possible winter closure on the Wenatchee. So far this season the fishing has been good and the water conditions have been perfect (knock on wood) so far. We have been getting mostly adipose present fish that are immediately released with a few nice hatchery fish thrown in the also that you are required to keep. As with most years we are getting most fish using the ole jig and bobber with a variety of jigs and colors working, but blacks and pinks have been good in large and small profile jigs. As the water has been in the upper 40's we have also been able to get a few nice fish swinging large flies also with spey gear and that has been a blast also! As I am healing up quickly I am looking forward to being back out on the river quickly but until I guess I will look at fish pictures and tie up jigs. We will have quality steelhead fishing all the way through winter and booking trips on the Wenatchee and the Upper Columbia rivers. See ya on the water!