FarmerDave wrote:
I'd venture to guess that the majority of steelhead hooked are either reaction strikes or lined (or flossed) inadvertently or otherwise.
Post spawn fish excluded.
I could be wrong, but I am entitled to that opinion, especially when it comes to the larger ones that are on a spawning run. They are not in there to feed I don't have time to explain my reasoning any further than that, but it could be an interesting discussion. Sorry.
You are wrong, but yes, entitled to your opinion. These fish are on a spawning run and position themselves in the creek accordingly, but they also stay in that creek for up to 6 months at a time and return to the ocean/lake at some point. A long time to go without a meal. While it would be a fair argument to say they are likely reaction strikes when you are fishing in front or redds and super easy to line them fishing through redds. But if you ever watch a steelhead hit a streamer on the swing, you'll have a different opinion. He will follow that streamer across the stream before he hammers it. Reaction? A lot of effort for a reaction.
And, as for nymphing...why would a huge steelhead care to react to a #14 nymph. It's not like they are small biting flies annoying the crap out of him. Steelhead munch on eggs and nymphs in the flows all of the time.
I'll have to dig it up, but last year a study came out that showed even migrating salmon eat throughout the run and essentially concluded that the salmon that ate more during the run were fit to pass on more genetics longer than the salmon that were not eating consuming as much.
Now, do folks line steelhead and salmon? Heck yes! But that is a terrible reason to conclude that they don't eat and that everyone that fishes for steelhead and salmon line them. Old data may have suggested that to be true, but the new data says otherwise.
So, as I always say, if you can't catch steelhead...that does not mean everyone else that can is doing it wrong. That means you need to take your game to the next level and learn more about the fish. If you just don't want to take the time to do that, well , that's cool. But again, it doesn't make the guys whom have taken the time to sort it out a bunch of flossers. It's really hard to floss anything on the swing....I catch a bunch of them that way. Conditions dictated we fish the way we did the other day. I hate fishing that way. If you'll recall I suggested we fish one of the Ohio tribs with flow and color. That's exactly why. I want to fish for active moving fish, not stand and stare at steelhead swimming in circles. Yet, even in that situation, active fish can be found in fast deep runs. The key is always knowing where to find the feeding fish for the conditions of the day. And there are feeding fish, but not all of them are feeding all of the time.
