How to get Steelhead (Skykomish)- ADVICE?

[amandapanda]

Hi there!

I've read all the recent posts, seen a bunch of awesome pics, saw a couple of great videos , and I appreciate all this forum has to offer along with the great moderators and friendly guidance... but taking further time to research through 20+ years of posts seems a bit daunting. If someone can ad a link to a forum subject that answers the following questions, I'd gladly follow it and read more- otherwise... feel free to share your experiences, successes, & yes- even failures (since those are some of the best learning experiences). I'm HOOKED and I haven't river fished yet! Biggest thing I caught was a hog of a small mouth bass from a lake and it put up a decent fight (for me). This is a post asking for info for my own selfish reasons (and for any other new greenies out there that are looking to try to figure out how to get set up right).

I'm looking for advice, expertise, guidance, gear tips, tackle to use etc...

So far, all I could gather is:
1) In my area- Reiter ( off skykomish river) opens at 6am but the line for it is so long that I'd need to show up probably at 5 to get a good spot and wait in line for it. Is this the best place to go or are there others on Skykomish worth visiting that is more unexplored but still easy to get to?
2) Spots that may be good are by the hatchery hole & inlet mouth (where is that?)
3) Pink jig head with a white tail (prawn tipped) and to jig from the bottom 1-1 1/2' from the bottom. I've seen a few posts about those.
4) Also spoons: which color hits better pink or silver?
5) If I use light line- It'll be a long fight. I'm not sure if I could hold up to a half hour+ fight (not physically strong enough these days) but I want to bring a good one (or more) home to put on the dinner table! What is the recommended pounds for line/leader. If I just use 25pound will I be able to horse the fish in or is that over kill? I think I might cry if I loose a fish due to inadequate gear. And really, sitting in a little inflatable boat crying just doesn't sound like something ya'll would like to see me do when I get out there.
6) I've read two different things in regard to using a barb-less hook. One was that it was not ok and another said it WAS. Which is it? I understand trebles aren't allowed.

I'm keeping in mind that I'll be in a small inflatable boat for 2... it is not easy to stand in it and if I do, it's pretty wobbly. I'm concerned I'd call out "fish on" and shortly there after the following call would be "man over board!".

My love for fishing grows daily... any words of wisdom are welcomed.

[natetreat]

Wow, okay. Where to start, right? You're going to want to start with a bobber and jig to catch steelhead. It's going to be the easiest way to start. There are lots of jigs to choose from, but go with pink. A weight and a slip float under that. You're going to use 15 pound mainline and 12 lbs leader, that should be sufficient. Bring lots of jigs, and run them right over the bottom. Start fishing around the mouth of the Sultan or at Reiter on the Sky, when you're learning, you want to learn where fish sit, because stumbling blindly through miles of water is going to get frustrating.

[spoonman]

Definately don't bring a boat to rieter, no fishing from a floating device allowed. A spoon is my all time favorite way to fish for steelhead. Hence the spoonman handle, but is certainly not as easy as casting and retrieving, you gotta almost drift it but keep you line just tight enough to feel the spoon flutter. Silver, real silver is the way to go, later in the year dull brass. Also don't get into a crowd of jig and float fisherman and start casting a spoon because it travels faster than a float. Another hint for getting along in the combat zone is fish how everyone else does and remember the guy downstream from you casts first, then you, and so on, good fishing etiquette will win over those around you and you might then be able to pick their brain for more info

[Brat Bonker]

Hey spoon man do you use stee-lees at all? I have several of those spoons but have only hooked one steelhead on them.

[spoonman]

Stee lees work good. Just keep in mind they are the shallowest working spoon. They work good in tailouts but I don't think they get down far enough in the meat of the hole and don't get down fast enough to work the head of the pool you can use them in really slow water kind of like a spinner. I caught my first steelhead on a copper with a Flouresent red stipe stee lee.. but bc steel and rivrfishrs I think are more effective,and expensive, spoons.

[Brat Bonker]

First cast ever with a BC steel got me a 14lb summer run last year but also my first cast ever with a stee-lee got me a nice Skagit winter run do I know they both work. Would the steelees work good at Reiter?

[rcthepirate]

I would be more apt to go with a bc steel or a rvrfshr up at reiter, probably because that is what I use up there. And I catch fish very consistently on both, but I would definitely say I favor the BC steel over any of them.

[Brat Bonker]

cool only problem is that no one sells BC steel near me, what about Lil Cleos?

[Dan Boone]

I'm pretty sure BC Steel is just a more expensive version of a Little Cleo.

[Brat Bonker]

thats what I thought. what type of spinners work good at reiter?

[amandapanda]

Thanks for the tips guys. After further consideration with my fella/fishing buddy (and my lack of experience), I think I may make one trip to reiter just to watch & learn... and then go further down the river to a more private area without the throngs of fisherman. I'm wondering how far down I could go & still have the probability of taking home a hatchery or two. I know it would be more likely to catch ones that need to stay in (ones without the clipped fins). I'm totally stoked though & really look forward to heading out there & having a good battle with my first steelhead. They look like giant rainbow trout & if they taste as good, I'll be in heaven.

[fear_no_fish]

YOUTUBE!!! Watch some videos on the tube, it will give you a better idea of what to expect once on a river.
How to fish, where, what to use, how to read water, its all there, just got to take the time to learn it.

[DannyL]

Fish in between the hatchery intake creek and the big rock. I've already said too much :P don't let me secret out! Hahaha (jk) no secrets on the sky.

[Brat Bonker]

I'm wondering how far down I could go & still have the probability of taking home a hatchery or two.

As long as you are downstream of any hatchery you have a good chance to catch a hatchery fish.

[spokey9]

Also check out Bill Herzog's books: Color Guide to Steelhead Drift Fishing & Spoon Fishing for Steelhead. Both are (in my opinion) a must read for anybody getting started. Very indepth about where steelhead like to hold in various water flows and temperatures and various presentations that they'll hit along with tips on gear selections for summer vs. winter fishing.

[spoonman]

Also check out Bill Herzog's books: Color Guide to Steelhead Drift Fishing & Spoon Fishing for Steelhead. Both are (in my opinion) a must read for anybody getting started. Very indepth about where steelhead like to hold in various water flows and temperatures and various presentations that they'll hit along with tips on gear selections for summer vs. winter fishing.

Yup

[countryboy87]

lewis street in monroe is a really good spot with lots of beach and some sweet looking water. then right in sultan there are some good spots to fish from. far as gear goes 12lb mainline 10lb leader and i can not stress this enough... USE QUALITY LINE spend the few extra dollars it may make the difference. then a float and jig or float and eggs or spoons/spinners.

[racfish]

There are Spinners and also Spoons. They are different working lures. Spoons roll and drift and spinners actually spin down. Maybe Im late in answering this. I see some people say one and mean the other. If you toss a Vibrex / Blue Fox even with a single hook you'll catch. I swear by those. Lil Cleos or Lil Jewels are both great river spoons. The Crocodile or the Castmaster are a cast and retrieve spoon.

[4steelhead]

King County library system is a good source for books and DVDs. If you don't live in King County, dont worry you can still get a library card.

[returnofthefish]

Steelheaduniversity.com is a good website to learn from