April Steelhead

I will be going to the SR in mid-April with a buddy from Cali. He is a real FLY BRAIN. Will there be any Steel in the river. Or are we just going for river chubs?
Thanks
Straw

Hey Straw, I agree with Retired. I was up April 8th to the 12th last year and did very well in the upper river. River was very low (285 cfs) due to lack of snow. Don't know what the conditions will bring with the snow melt but you should hit it at the right time! Good Luck!

Straw,April is a good time to fish but you may get high and muddy if it's raining and snow melt.If that happens hit the small tribs as a fall back plan:)

hi guys back from israel no fish to speak of did get to try my luck there but they are in a big time dry spell
but straw i am a PA guy and the 2nd Sat of apr is our trout season i love to hit the salmon a couple of days before i do very well on nice steelhead using a cooper john or drifing a white beed i like to fish slow and deep (by the way we go back to PA and stop at a local stream with a couple steeles in the cooler its great to see there face when they see them a lot of guys dont know a steelhead from a rainbow.) good luck and stay dry

ORIGINAL: jonnyfishon

Hey retired, those fresh fish might just be dropbacks that are changing back to their lake colors. Just saying.

I always thought that the steelhead don't turn back to silver until they reach the deep waters of the lake...Is that true?

ORIGINAL: ssgt12

hi guys back from israel no fish to speak of did get to try my luck there but they are in a big time dry spell
but straw i am a PA guy and the 2nd Sat of apr is our trout season i love to hit the salmon a couple of days before i do very well on nice steelhead using a cooper john or drifing a white beed i like to fish slow and deep (by the way we go back to PA and stop at a local stream with a couple steeles in the cooler its great to see there face when they see them a lot of guys dont know a steelhead from a rainbow.) good luck and stay dry

ssgt,are there rivers to fish in Israel?If so,what do they fish for?

Pafisher & Metal:

Thanks for the info. I only fished for the droppies a couple of times,it was mid river around Pineville, and the Steelies I saw/caught looked worn out and black&blue.

I recall reading articles and interweb postings that the deep dark waters of Lake O turns them back to chrome, but if you guys say otherwise via first-hand accounts - I believe you.

p.s. - does Dougie charge the fish to pass though "his water" on their way back to the lake?

Hey guys-
 I know this isnt my post but the info coming along is really great for all of us. I never realised those silver fish were spawned out and getting back up to snuff. Always thought they were late runners. The more you think ya know the less you really do.
 Still think those guys will have a great time on the river in mid April if the weather holds. But then the Pulaski area weather is a real fickle thing year round.

Hey Straw- Different strokes-
  My opinion of HIGH water is 1200- I hate it. Many guys up there think thats the best time to fish.
Different guys fish a bit differently and it gives them  different comfort levels. So when you read this stuff sometimes it depends whos doing the writing.
   I was fishing a real high feeder once and was not comfortable with it. A guy came along who told me how he had cleaned up there a week or so before when the REAL snow melt was happening. He was moaning that the water was going down.
  Me- I like a nice 500 to 600  maybe even up to 900 and then I hear guys saying there is NO water. Perhaps the only real issue for most is MUDDY water and then thers  guys who do OK in that too.
Generally during muddy runoff you can take a look at feeders cause they tend to clear faster.
   BOTTOM LINE- fish when you can its better than looking out the window.
    BTW-take a look at Whitakers Post and look at the Photo section - a few  April Steel in it-some may still look like the later March fish too.

Randy:

Thanks for your input.

I understand the difference between West Coast Wilds and Lake O Stockies and the distance they travel.

The West Coast steelies sure do take a beating traveling hundreds of miles.
The SR Steelies sure do take a beating in their 13 mile journey as they are caught over & over & over & over & over & over and have their picture taken more than a runway Super-Model.

I was not preaching to the choir that my opinion was the absolute truth. I was expressing my comment about what I read and heard (not West Coast articles) - but Lake O trib articles and previous posts on Al Gore's interwebs made by other experienced SR fishermen and Guides - who I thought had the expertise to believe.

I also understood that exposure to sunlight (in addition to spawn mode) was also a determining factor that makes the Steelhead change color - especially their tops (or backs) as part of natural defense against predators (not us two-legged Neandrathals wearing rubber suits ).

Guess I was wrong, guess the previous articles and expert Guide testimony on the subject was wrong too.

Thanks for clearing this matter up with your expertise...

Once again - U the Man Randy..

Tight Lines to You...

Drake,
Care to name your "so called expert guides and or angler sources?" 
-
Best Fish's,
Randy
www.yankeeangler.com

We "ALL"  appreciate your expertise on this subject!
Thanks for answering my simple Q. (Names of your so called experts?)
-
Haveing only fished 1 or 2 times? for Spring Steelies?
Caught 1 and 2?
-
Thanks for your expertise!
Best Fish's,
Randy
www.yankeeangler.com

Who really cares why he quit posting there? The point is he did the right thing in doing so.
Even I caught a few db's btw. Very not my style. Saggy bellies not my thing.

ORIGINAL: salmotrutta

Who really cares why he quit posting there? The point is he did the right thing in doing so.

just BB'ng ole Randy.. It's an inside joke that will not be revealed. Besides, it was just internet BS that did not amount to a hill of beans..

I will give props to Mr Jones - he is a very knowledgeable fishermen who knows his chit, and he always offered up info.
His website (although simply designed with no frills, bells & whistles) was the #1 resource for info before the "new & improved" IT geek boards became popular.

Nothing wrong with simplicity - heck - look at this site - who the heck needs video uploads and gimmicks like SC has - when noone will even post a friggin report on that site anymore.

One more thing about Mr. Jones - I've never heard or read a single word where he berated another fishermen for keeping their legally caught fish - a big step above the PETA dimwits that took over SC and basically brought the reports traffic to a screeching halt.

Just tossing marbles back & forth with RJ - he's a big boy with a thick skin and I'm pretty damm sure my BS runs off his back like water from a duck..

Tight Lines - (copyright Randy Jones) - I recall first seeing those words in print on his Yankee Angler website..

They asked me to not post there.