The Fishing Corner

By Larry Dublanko

Normally, I would be saying that anglers have a week left in their inland salmon season. However, this is not the case this year because that fishery ended long ago, and it opened the door wide open for steelhead fishing. Steelheading is definitely the name of the game now.

Adapting to this fishery will require the correct set-ups to match water conditions. A new and very popular technique is the employment of jigs. Whereas jigs proved to work well with coho salmon, they are filling the tackle boxes of many steelheaders. When used correctly, they can be deadly while enticing a steelhead. Choosing the correct color and size will take some thought and attention.

Drifting shrimp or eggs has long been a proven technique. Similarly, simply drifting a corkie and yarn is sometimes all that is necessary to entice lurking steelhead away from their cover.

If it is necessary to get these fish to move greater distances, hardware is a good option. By hardware, I mean either a spinner or well-placed plug. The action of these lures will indeed draw fish longer distances, which may very well be needed when fishing rivers that are larger or have some kind of fish protection such as log jams or protective boulders.

In my opinion, the greatest asset when fishing for steelhead is a sensitive graphite rod. This tool is worth its weight in gold and far surpasses its fiberglass predecessor. However, it is hard to beat the durability of a fiberglass rod which still serves some purpose if pulling plugs from a boat.

The next piece of equipment that draws attention are fishing reels. The level wind verses spinning reel models draws a lot of discussion. For me, I have been a l0ng time supporter and owner of several spinning reels. They have worked well for me over the years with very little complaints. My best argument is virtually no back lashes. Furthermore, since I am primarily the user of hardware tackle these reels fit the situation.

On the other hand, owners of level winds will continue the discussion and argue for their superior value. It comes down to personal preference.

Our modern day of mobility has promoted the idea of fishing many rivers. It was once common to find anglers who were loyal to a particular river, but things have changed. Anglers are traversing rivers easily with jet sleds as well as moving from hole to hole in drift boats. This certainly allows one to cover more water than the conventional manner of fishing from the bank.

Bank fishing is more problematic, due to accessibility in the winter months. When the rivers are flowing higher, anglers are somewhat stuck to their prime location. In the summer time, bankers are more prone to walk a river.

So at this time, the focus is on steelhead in our local rivers. Whether one uses new or old gear to hook a fish, it will also require some skill and know how to actually land the fish. There is no substitute for practice.