try sticking to one spot that you know the steelhead are at....watch what other people are using when they get a bite and where they caught this fish...mimick that and try it there at that same spot...try down sizing on your gear...lighter leaders smaller baits

keep at it - fished a whole winter my 1st season without a fish to show for it.

Yeah took me a whole year before i landed my 1st one.....Be warned though , you're gonna hooked once you get one!

Took me three years of winter fishing to catch my first. Stick with it, watch what others are doing, and it'll happen. Good luck.

I am going on my 2nd year trying for winter steel. I have different sized jigs in almost every color and pattern. Ive been using small bait presentations during cold snaps when the water is clear, fluorocarbon leaders tiny hooks. Ive picked spots and have thrown everything at them including pirate tadpolies. Every color corkie with yarn, spinners, and spoons. And I also fly fish during summer months, so I believe I can read water pretty well too. My ol fishing partner says "I'm just not holding my mouth right."

Believe me, I feel your frustration. I don't consider myself a novice fisherman either as I've been fishing all my life (trout, bass, catfish, etc.).
I've drifted corkie and yarn, thrown spinners and spoons, and floated jigs and bait. I even cured up shrimp and roe to no avail. I finally had success this last Nov. with a jig under a float. Even though I haven't caught anything since (don't get out that much), finally catching those first two has really given me some self confidence that at least I'm doing something right. When it happens you'll say "why did that seem so hard?!" Tight lines.

Not gonna lie to you. Steelhead are the toughest fish to catch. They are finnicky and if they don't want your presentation, they won't touch it. But there is more than likely fish in just about everyplace that you were standing. Just stick to what you know about fishing holes, seams, and long stretches in rivers. They hold in all the same places as salmon do and about the deepest you will find steelhead is 8-10ft, usually run in about 4-6ft of water. Try switching up colors with yarn and corkies. Slinkies seam to be better for weights because the don't "stick" to the rocks as much as lead so you get a smoother feel when drifting and as soon as you feel the bite you know it. Sometimes a little scent works some magic too. Just remember, you can't catch a fish if your line isn't in the water. Good Luck.

go to tokul. seriously. i got 2 yest. my first ones. even my gf got one.

This is my second year on steelheading and no fish. I don't fish much but I have not seen anyone around catching anything either. I'm more and more convinced that this is a waste of my time and I should be fishing for something else.

Yeah I just gotta keep at it. Its pretty funny, Ive invested so much money and time into a fish I cant seem to catch. Same as Aindrei though, all the times ive been out fishing ive only seen one steelhead pulled out and it was on the Wallace.

No matter what you do...have fun! ..Keep casting...dont give up...my father in Law told me my first year..."If your line's not in the water you cant catch fish and If the fish arent there you cant catch them so you'll have to be there when the fish are there".....sounds like a matter of timing for you recently..It will happen stick with it..

I found my success by reading water. There is reading water, and then there is comprehension and true understanding. I have seen my hookups triple from my first few seasons and 5 years later. There are so few steelhead compared to salmon, and only a few spots where steelhead really hold, it makes it very challenging for anybody but especially the novice. When you see that guy catching fish, really pay attention. Flog the water. Jigs light pink, blood red, and black. Black and red (nightmare) pattern for when the water is super cold and jin clear. hope this helps