Slow Down for Winter Steelhead Success

These days it is so common to see boat after boat glide down drifts side drifting. Of course this technique is deadly and one I use quite often only with floats and center pin rods. However, time and time again I have found success by slowing down and really working a piece of water. Savvy side drifters will run laps in a piece of water but only certain water types allow for doing laps. Run and gun steelheading certainly pays off when conditions are right. However, when water and air temperatures plummet, slowing down is often the ticket.

Late December catch on the Clackamas

Using center pins, I like to sit on anchor almost in-line or just off to the side of the water I want to fish and I work it. With cold winter-water temperatures, fish are less eager to move. Sometimes almost bouncing your offering off their noses is the only way to get a response. The picture below was taken in late December when the air temperature was in the high 30’s and water temperature on the Clackamas River was 39 degrees. I spent over an hour in a small piece of water working different lanes and changing presentations, and it paid off. Multiple boats had gone through this water making a quick cast on the way by, finding no takers. Of course it helps to know where fish are caught consistently so you can feel confident spending a lot time in a piece of water, but when air and water temps are cold, try slowing down and put in time giving fish multiple looks, and it just might pay off.

Northern Oregon Coastal Catch

Here is one last example to illustrate my point. Last winter I fished a popular northern Oregon coastal river and found the usual crowds on a Saturday during winter steelhead season. As we headed up river to launch we counted boats at each put in looking for the “less crowded” drift. We settled on putting in very high up knowing that we were behind around 35-40 boats. Almost all of these boats were side drifting and covering a lot of water. We took our time sitting and working water content to be last. By moving slowly and using center pins we ended up landing 11 fish and hooking may others.

Some days slowing down can be the ticket.  

- Todd Harris, Harris Anglers