by Uncle Wes, January 25, 2005

This is the final part of my crash course about the basics of steelhead angling. I have tried to keep this series easy to understand by not using a bunch of technical terms and getting wrapped up in them. I hope this has raised an interest in steelhead fishing and also encouraged those of you who have never tried it to get out on the water and see just what your missing.



As I have said before, this has just been a crash course and nothing can replace the experience you gain on the water. When you’re out there ask other anglers questions and watch what they are doing. Try to pick up as many tips as you can because every little bit helps.



If you want to cut your learning curve down hire a professional guide – these folks make a living at this and they are the experts. When hiring a guide, ask for references and make sure they have their license some guides out there have no credentials and/or no licenses. Now, lets get started with our final part of this series.



Plunking: This is the most basic method of angling. I’m sure that anyone that has ever fished has fished the bottom of some lake or river. The set-up is the same as drift fishing from the bank except you want to have enough weight to hold bottom. You can use the same type of baits and set-ups as you did for drift fishing – the No. 1 producers in this area seem to be eggs and sand shrimp, but you can also use flat-fish and spin-glos.



Now, because you’re only able to cover such a small part of the run with this method, I’m going to give you a few hints that should make you a little more productive. When the water is high and green, work the end of the run and the tail-out area. The water is moving a little slower, which makes it easier for the steelhead to hold bottom. When the water is low and clear, work the beginning of the run where the water ripples up on top – this gives them cover from predators and they are able to hold bottom quite easily. That’s about all there is to plunking.



Something else you need to check out is the hook regulations. On many rivers you are not allowed to use treble hooks, so you must replace all your trebles with single hooks. Keeping your hooks sharp is a must – it could mean the difference in landing one or losing one. Pick yourself up a hook sharpener and check the sharpness frequently. In most rivers throughout the state, all native steelhead must be released. If it has the adipose fin, then it is a native and must be released.



You can get all of this information, and pictures if you need them, from your state regulation pamphlet. Right now the water is very fishable on the Nooksack. In fact, it’s the best I’ve seen in over three months and steelhead are being taken on a daily basis. I checked the Washington State department of Fish and Wildlife site and it seems that we have already had over 100 returned to the North Fork hatchery, which is five times more than we had last year and it’s only early January.



On a side note, I would hope that this series has piqued your interest in this fishery and I would also like to thank all of you who have been following my column throughout 2004. May 2005 bring you a successful and enjoyable angling year.



So until next time may the fish at the end of your line be the one of your dreams.