At RiverRise Fishing Guides, we’re thrilled to introduce you to the addicting world of fishing for Steelhead in the breathtaking rivers of the Pacific Northwest. These remarkable fish, celebrated for their acrobatic battles and stunning colors, are a top choice for anglers seeking both excitement and skill! Whether you’re pulling plugs in the pristine waters of Alaska or floating bobbers in the scenic rivers of Washington, our knowledgeable guides are here to lead you to the prime locations and share expert tips to elevate your fishing adventure. Let’s explore the techniques, seasonal patterns, and essential gear you’ll need to make your Steelhead fishing experience truly unforgettable!
When And Where We Fish For Steelhead
Fishing for these “Grey Ghosts” is literally an addiction. We apologize ahead of time for the amount of crazy these amazing fish are going to bring you! Our guide service offers trips for Steelhead for about 6 months of the year, although you they’re in most rivers year round. If you’re looking to book a trip with us, here’s a quick outline to help you pick the best time to go:
- December and January is a good month to catch Hatchery Steelhead throughout Washington State. We fish several rivers and tailor our trips to the best fishing at the time. The beginning of the season is when the Hatchery fish start showing up. Most of these fish are in the 6-12 pound range, but it’s not uncommon to catch them in the high teens and low 20 pound range.
- Generally around mid-January to about the beginning of March is when we catch our BIG wild Steelhead. If you’re looking for the opportunity at catching a 20 pound Steelhead, this is when you want to go! A good majority of our bigger fish come in February and March.
- March and April is when our Steelhead season starts coming to an end as we start making the transition to Kalama Springers and then up to Alaska for our season. There are plenty of Steelhead to be caught in March and April and a good majority of those fish are Hatchery fish.
- In mid- August, we will start seeing the first few Steelhead trickle into the Kasilof River, and they are big beautiful fish. They will generally be in the river until the end of our season there, and they are all wild fish (meaning we can’t keep or remove them from the water) but they are absolutely amazing fish!
All of our Steelhead trips take place in our fully loaded 17′ drift boat or our fully outfitted 14′ whitewater raft. This type of fishery will test you; we will end up in some of the most technical water in the worst of conditions… but it is all 100% worth it!
The Gear We Use To Catch Steelhead
Fishing rods for Steelhead:
- All of our Steelhead rods are made by Stryker Fishing Rods out of Oregon, custom made for RiverRise. The conventional rods are 9′ diver/plug rods and our spinning rods are 10′ 6*12lb float rods. Having the right fishing rod is essential when fishing for Steelhead!
Fishing reels for Steelhead:
- We use both conventional and spinning reels for Steelhead. Our conventional reels are Shimano Tekota 400s with line counters and our spinning reels are all 13 Fishing AL-13 reels.
Fishing line for Steelhead:
- The line that we use for Steelhead is all P-Line brand. We use 12-20 pound braid for our mainline and then we use a 6-12 pound fluorocarbon for our leader.
Baits for Steelhead:
- When fishing for Steelhead, we use two different techniques; the first is pulling plugs (using MagLips) and the second is using a bobber rig with either a jig or beads. Just like all other types of fishing, what we use is dependent on river conditions.
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