Winter time in the Pacific Northwest can be a drag for some. When the temperature drops, the rain and snow begins, and the sun takes a vacation, not to return until mid-June, I get down right giddy.
It's not football, the holidays, or even skiing that I'm all excited about. It's the return of winter steelhead.
In my world their are few greater challenges for an angler than winter steelhead. Pound for pound they are the strongest fighting fish I have ever set my hook into. The acrobatics these fish display when hooked is incredible. On more than one occasion I have lost fish to tree limbs 5 ft above the river.
The conditions during the season add another layer to the challenge. Howling winds, frigid temps, high flows, and debris in the water make it a sheer battle of will.
You'd be hard pressed to find a more dedicated or enthusiastic fisherman than a steelheader. You have to be to enjoy fishing in these conditions!
I'm going to try my luck on the main stem Nehalem River, on the N Oregon coast, here in the next couple of weeks. There is a brief window of opportunity for me when the river levels drop and before school gets to intense, and I intend to get on the water.
I'll be fishing for steelhead from a kayak, so my inclination is to run a plug downstream off the bow, and either back paddle or anchor up. Either way is semi- chaotic once you hook up in fast water, because you are basically at the mercy of the flow of the river. The only advice I can give for that frenzied moment is to wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from the tree branches that you will inevitably be crashing into! Trust me, you won't see them, or care when you have a big slab of chrome ripping line off your reel.
The anchor system I use in these high flows has a carribeaner for quick release, and a float attached to the end so I can retrieve it after release. A quick release mechanism and a float are crucial when the water is flowing fast. Logs and debris floating down river, or under water and catching your anchor line, are a real issue this time of year.
Not only is the quick release important for safety, but also, you have to be able to release when you hook a large fish. High flows and strong fighting steelhead will likely snap your line if you attempt to fight them while anchored.
A good how to description of a quick release anchor system can be found at northwestkayakanglers.com
As details come together for my kayak fishing trip for winter steelhead on the Nehalem, I'll post them. And as allways I'll give a detailed trip report with photos as soon as I return.
Until next week,
Jason
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