About the only thing that has been consistent with 2013, is it has been consistently inconsistent. Strange year, this fall season is one of the driest on record, less than 3” rain since July, creating prolonged low-gin clear steelheading conditions. As if conditions weren’t challenging enough, weather gods delivered the flip side and sent a round of artic air and freezing temps that settled into our neck of the woods for a week.Br-r-r, just when you thought steelheading could not get any more challenging, the deep freeze quickly dropped Trinity R. water temps below 36 degrees. Simply brutal and challenging the elements were difficult enough; as for fishing, man you really had to want it!

Holding true to the strange 2103 yr. and another head spin, we are once again currently experiencing above average temperatures as another abnormally warm high pressure has backed up the artic chill and settled in. Water temps have bumped up a few degrees, fishing is once again bearable and surprisingly steelhead are grabbing during the heat of the day and late afternoons. Small surges of steelhead continue burping up out from the North Fork canyon and anglers targeting Pigeon Point up to Lewiston are scoring on the occasional fish. Majority are colored late summer-early fall fish with a bleed of bright natives mixed in, possibly representing the lead edge of our winter runs.

Cold water steelheading is without a doubt the most demanding. Air temps cold, water temps cold, your cold, fish cold, Hell everything’s cold. Heat up and cool down by reminding yourself; days are short, aquatic hatches brief, fish lethargic and sexually maturing, less willing to graze and not just anyone can catch a winter steelie. Here are a few A-B-C’s you might want to keep in mind to help fuel the stoke and attitude.

A- Take advantage of full sun exposed waters and target them during the peak air temps of the day. Even though it may only vary a few degrees, the progressive rise in air and water temps seems to pull the trigger for brief mid-day aquatic hatches and steelhead grabs; generally late afternoons and early evenings.
B- Unlike summer-fall steelhead target deeper waters that reflect slower water velocities, remember everybody is cold and it’s all about sex and this fish are maturing and staging. Plus with this year’s low flow conditions fish prefer deeper lays. Slow up presentations and offerings, generally slightly slower than prevailing velocities and fish presentations deep, sustaining drifts/swings as long as possible in primary targeted waters.
C- Fly selection greatly depends upon approach. Traditional (single-switch-spey) favorites are articulated marabou patterns that offer plenty motion and do the dance in black, pink, purple, orange, highlighted with Krystal flash to give’em something to wink at. Chappies, egg patterns Breadcrusts and Golden stones are also excellent dead drift choices. Straight line nymphing anglers generally do well fishing droppers with smaller (12-14-16) trinket offerings such as Golden stones, generic caddis/mayfly nymphs such as Psyco-Steelhead Jon-Red/blu/Copper johns, Cream Dreams-Green Weenies on long and lighter tippits. When in doubt lift!

Good things happen to those who wait. Our next freshet should encourage tradition winter natives into the system; biggest of the year! Be ready to jump. Until then winter is here and the time is right. We thank you all for your loyal support—HAPPY HOLIDAYS & have a great NEW YEAR!