How do you "read" a river?

Splitshot · Post by **Splitshot** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 10:10 pm

I just finished a couple of books on steelhead fishing. They talked a little about water tempeture and things like looking for cover for the fish but I still have some questions. I'm mostly interested in spoon/spinner fishing.

Can you catch fish in 3 feet of clear, fast running flat water- no holes?

How fast is too fast?

How muddy is too muddy?

What's your definition of "blown out"?

Can you catch fish in white water?

Basically, what water wouldn't you fish and what conditions would keep you away from the river?:study:

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Post by **Amx** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 10:15 pm

1 = yes

2 = not sure if it is possible to have a stream current move too fast

3 = Too muddy would most likely be mud with no water, and there are catfish that live and hybernate in that stuff until it rains again.

4 = don't know, seems I've heard of 'blown out' before but it isn't coming to mind.

5 = yes, been there done that.

Splitshot · Post by **Splitshot** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 10:33 pm

So Tom, it sounds like your saying adverse river conditions will not stop you from fishing...

I've heard "blown out" and thought it meant too high fast and muddy?

Post by **Amx** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 10:41 pm

Ok, that sounds like what I've heard. If the river is usually 'muddy', then the fish are use to it and will bite. If the river is usually clear and becomes muddy from runoff, then the fish will probably quit eating until the water clears agan. White water is normal for fast moving creeks, and rivers, around boulders and such. The fish I've caught have been right in the white water behind and in front of boulders. Such as high creeks in the moutains, just dip your spinner in the white water around the rocks and boulders and lift up, sometimes you can't even feel the strike of the smaller fish.

curado · Post by **curado** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 10:44 pm

1= yes a amx said sometimes this area will hold more steelhead than salmon

too fast: never is

blown out = flood stage. skykomish is fishable at 10,000cfs but at 20,000+cfs wont go near it

white water fishing can lead to limits at times alot of people wont fish these areas

flinginpooh · Post by **flinginpooh** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 11:18 pm

I just go no matter what it looks like usually, then ***** about it later, only to still have more fun then the best day of work. Ive actually caught limits when water was blown out and Ive been skunked too. Steelhead have always skunked me.

curado · Post by **curado** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 12:08 am

same here taken limits of silvers in nasty colored water

sellis_414 · Post by **sellis_414** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 9:00 am

Splitshot wrote:I just finished a couple of books on steelhead fishing. They talked a little about water tempeture and things like looking for cover for the fish but I still have some questions. I'm mostly interested in spoon/spinner fishing.

Can you catch fish in 3 feet of clear, fast running flat water- no holes?

How fast is too fast?

How muddy is too muddy?

What's your definition of "blown out"?

Can you catch fish in white water?

Basically, what water wouldn't you fish and what conditions would keep you away from the river?:study:

.

This year was my first year to fish for Steelhead, due to the fact they opened the Wenatchee entirely to the tumwater dam... So lots of area to fish plus there was a record run this year... For your questions above...

#1- I was informed that Steelhead like walking speed water. ( I found a spot on the wenatchee, caught 6 hatchery and 12 natives).

#2- The wenatchee hardly ever "floods or crests its banks" but this year just before winter the river came up about 18" and the water got discolored. At the hole where I was catching all my fish, either they moved on or my tackle wasn't working or #1 was the problem.

#3- I would say the same as curado

#4- I tried numerous "white water" places in search of a new hole and didn't have any luck.

After the change in the water levels, tried to find new fishing spots (searched for a couple weeks) didn't find anything, I quit fishing the wenatchee... Other people have since I stopped, Curado for example came over and had luck. And my experience might just be my lack of knowledge, lack of patience or just an eastern wa thing?

gpc · Post by **gpc** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 9:22 am

Man those are some tough questions and really depend on the angler. Once you spend ALOT of time on A river you will learn to "read" the river, but it dosnt come easy. Its key to know a few methods of fishing and know them well. That way, when you show up to a river you can work with the river. For instance if you show up to a river and its really moven, drifting will probally be your go too, but if all your skills lie with the spoon, you will probally come home empty handed. And vise versa. And the basics also go along way, if it is really muddy water you want to go bigger, brighter and smellier. I am by no means a pro, but I hope this helps.

curado · Post by **curado** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 2:04 pm

hey sellis, my dad got a steelhead yesterday. they are still in there.

gian · Post by **gian** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 9:27 pm

Splitshot wrote:I just finished a couple of books on steelhead fishing. They talked a little about water tempeture and things like looking for cover for the fish but I still have some questions. I'm mostly interested in spoon/spinner fishing.

Can you catch fish in 3 feet of clear, fast running flat water- no holes?

I rarely see fish in this kind of water unless there is a large boulder or log nearby. Then depending on how fast the water is they will either hold in front of or behind the structure. If the bottom is completely flat I will just move on.

How fast is too fast?

I've had spoons tear off 10lb line trying to fish rivers that were too fast. If it's moving too fast to wade through, I'll usually not cast into it, but look for slow areas around it to target.

How muddy is too muddy?

I think muddy water is harder to fish because the range of you presentation is decreased. I'll still fish this, just target the banks of the river. Muddy water does not stop me.

What's your definition of "blown out"?

When your in the river and dodging logs, bushes, cars, houses. I'll come back later.

Can you catch fish in white water?

I will fish directly above or below white water. I may throw my presentation into white water and let it drift downstream into the calmer water, but I never target white water for holding fish. I imagine that to be like trying to eat your lunch on a treadmill.

Basically, what water wouldn't you fish and what conditions would keep you away from the river?:study:

.

Splitshot · Post by **Splitshot** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 11:24 pm

Sounds like a lot of good advice here. Just as good as the books I read.

One last question- what the heck is a tailout?

(I'll be trying my luck on the Umatilla tomorrow- first time steelhead fishing for me.)

goodtimesfishing · Post by **goodtimesfishing** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 12:00 am

hey splitshot a good book to read is Steelhead & Salmon Drift-Fishing Secrets by Timothy Kusherets it will answer in great detail most of your questions. You can look on amazon for the book and it will even let you read parts of the book right on line. also you can go on utube and look up videos by the same writer(Timothy Kusherets) he shows videos of tailouts and shows how to read water, points out the places steelhead will hold. Very good readings and videos.

sellis_414 · Post by **sellis_414** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 8:19 am

See link...

http://www.midcurrent.com/articles/tech ... lhead.aspx

Reat the Identifying Sweet Spots in this article it explains it all

curado · Post by **curado** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 8:50 pm

fishing the wenatchee is different from most rivers on the west side. here is some wenatchee metal caught on tuesday the 22nd by my dad

:thumleft: :viking:

sellis_414 · Post by **sellis_414** » Fri Dec 25, 2009 9:17 am

Thats a nice native!

Tell your dad good work! Im gonna hit it on Monday then Rufus Wednesday.

SAPIplate · Post by **SAPIplate** » Mon Dec 28, 2009 7:30 pm

As far as speed goes, walking speed runs are most often what you want. They should be between 3-6 deep for medium sized streams. Pocketwater is also a good place to target fish. Fish the seams on your side of the boulder/stump/whatever. Casting into the the slackwater directly behind the the obstruction usually results in a terrible drift and if the obstruction is small or the water is clear, then you risk spooking the fish behind it. Avoid super slow, nearly stagnent water, no fish are in it, unless it's very deep or directly below faster water. Also avoid fast whitewater. Steelhead won't hold in it. They usually race through it vary fast. This is why some of the best fishing is directly above or below shallow, fast water.

Post by **Mike Carey** » Mon Dec 28, 2009 9:50 pm

Splitshot wrote: Sounds like a lot of good advice here. Just as good as the books I read.

One last question- what the heck is a tailout?

(I'll be trying my luck on the Umatilla tomorrow- first time steelhead fishing for me.)

A tailout is the end of the drift. The head waters are the top. At the tailout the water shallows out and speeds up, and when this shallow water then again slows down and deepens, that is the "head" (sometimes called incoming riffle). In between the head and the tailout is the main body of water, also sometimes called the drift or pool. The theory is steelhead enter through the tailout, which is tiring because it is fast, rapid water. They work their way up through the pool which provides better protection (deeper water) and slower water (rest areas) until they get to the head of the drift (pool) at which time they repeat the process all over again until they get to where they are going.

It can be confusing because the tailout and head are opposites of the same thing, seperated by fast, shallow water.

Another book to recommend would be "Western Steelhead Fishing Guide" by Milt Keizer. There are lots of good reference books out there, and of course more information available on the web.

curado · Post by **curado** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 1:40 pm

1 thing to remember steelhead will not hold in pools,holes for long. try fishin the wenatchee there is white water and the metalheads act completely different then westside steelhead

Splitshot · Post by **Splitshot** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 8:23 pm

Thanks Mike for making "tailout" easy to understand. Too bad some authors just expect you to know what they're talking about.

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