FishwithJD

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No trying to Reason with Steelhead Season: The Photo Essay

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Well, it’s winter and that means those of us in the masochistic, semi-antisocial, diabolically obsessed society of incurable lunatics (also known as “steelheaders”) are going to be our most unproductive selves in terms of real world activities. If you love a steelheader, it’s best to set him or her free for the next couple months — don’t try to intervene — it will only exacerbate the situation.

Now, in case you’re one of the aforementioned inflicted souls and you happen to be stuck in your office cubicle, 100 miles from the nearest steelhead, take a look at the following photos. Like therapy, they may just help you to get through the days until you next set foot in green water…or, come to think of it…they may cause you to do a swan dive out the window. Well, in any case, read on with caution! Click here to read more…

Which Hot Shot Rod?

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JD-

I’m looking for a new Hot Shot rod. Was looking to add to the HSR collection but forgot that the 930 is spinning only. Wanting to keep things light, what do you think about the HS 795C from Rogue or the Lamiglas G 1336 T. The Lamilgas seems a little short at 7’6″ and I’m not sure what ” Flame Tip” means? What’s your take?

Thanks, Derik

Hey Derik,

A sweet little number for plugging steelies with small plugs is the XCF801 from Lamiglas. It’s 8 feet long and rated for 6-15 pound line. The coolest thing about this rod, however, is the fact that it’s fiberglass. Glass is truly the way to go with plug rods — you get much better plug action and tip “readability” with glass, plus hooks stay buried better…which, of course, is always a huge plus when you’re plug fishing!

And this isn’t your granpapy’s old clunky glass, either. Modern manufacturing processes make it much lighter and thinner than in the old days… Check out ’em out at: monsterfishingtackle

NOAA Fisheries: “Change CA water pumping ops”

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nimbus-damWell, the Feds finally understand what we’ve all been saying for a looong time: The way the Northern California’s water is managed is a bad deal for fish like salmon, steelhead, sturgeon…and even, as it turns out, southern killer whales.

Last week, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released its final biological opinion that finds (surprise, surprise!) the water pumping operations in the Central Valley by the federal Bureau of Reclamation jeopardize the continued existence of several threatened and endangered species under the jurisdiction of NOAA’s Fisheries Service.

Federal biologists and hydrologists concluded that current water pumping operations in the Federal Central Valley Project and the California State Water Project should be changed to ensure survival of winter and spring-run Chinook salmon, Central Valley steelhead, the southern population of North American green sturgeon and Southern Resident killer whales, which rely on Chinook salmon runs for food.Click here to read more…

Los Angeles River Steelheading!

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la-river-steelhead

Rush hour traffic is at a standstill on the graffiti-caked overpass 40 feet above our heads. Impatient commuters lay on their horns and bang on their steering wheels like caged monkeys as we hike towards the river. I step over a used rubber glove and then crouch down at the water’s edge near a soiled diaper. I try not to touch the water for fear of contracting some sort of unspeakable disease. A yellow Prestone jug floats by and almost looks as if it’s glowing in the low evening sun.

“Ain’t she beautiful, bro?” my guide asks with a huge grin.

This is definitely not my idea of paradise, but when my spinner gets crushed on the first cast and line starts ripping off my reel at an alarming rate, I start to reconsider. But let me back up here…Click here to read more…

How to Side Glide for Steelhead

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Looking for a new technique to help you put more steelhead in the boat — especially in clear, snaggy rivers? Give side gliding a try! A modified form of side-drifting, side gliding allows baits to be presented to steelhead quickly and naturally with minimal bottom contact by keeping the lines slightly downstream of the boat. Here’s a mini lesson:
Click here to read more…