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Learn
all you can - Whole books have been written
on specific fishing techniques. I honestly believe that learning
how to fish for steelhead is a life-long adventure and you
should try to read everything you can from any place you can
get it. There are several excellent periodicals
and here are several book references that I think are very
valuable for the beginner and provide some great tips for
the more experienced fisherman:
One of
the best ways to learn both practical fishing techniques and
areas to fish on specific rivers is to hire a guide. Most
guides are more than willing to share their knowledge with
their customers and to me, the education you receive is far
more important than the fish you catch.
Use the
Internet to learn more about the fish, various fishing techniques,
and information from other fishermen. Key in the word salmon
or steelhead into a a search engine, and you will find more
than a half million references. There is information published
from universites, stories and bulletin boards from other fishermen
and guides, online stores to buy tackle, work being done by
conservation groups, and lots of information about the biology
of the fish. There is an excellent article here
that provides more information on learning about our sport
on the Internet.
Most of
all I believe the best way to learn how to fish for steelhead
is by going out on the river and doing it. Every hour you
spend on the river will increase your knowledge. Finally,
I make it a point to try at least one new thing every time
I go fishing. I make a specific plan in advance of what I'm
going to learn new on the upcoming fishing adventure. That
way I force myself to learn with each fishing trip.
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Timing
- This may sound obvious but salmon and steelhead movement
up rivers is seasonal. The runs in most rivers peak for only
a short time, (4-8 weeks), and that is when you want to be
on the water especially when you are starting out. The best
way to determine when the best time to fish
is to ask around, your "local" sporting goods store,
the various fishing bulletin boards and postings from guides,
and your friends. If possible, try to get off to fish during
the week to avoid crowds, however don't avoid a good fishing
opportunity just to stay away from from other people. See
also the section on fishing etiquette in a crowd.
Many rivers
in the pacific northwest will hold steelhead or salmon throughout
the whole year. More on this soon.
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