What a treat it is when your line stops in mid drift, you pull up slightly to move your weight off a rock, and THEN, the rock moves! There is nothing more exciting than feeling that first head shake, and all the anticipation that it represents, and knowing you are in for some real fun over the next few minutes. So let’s talk about how you can get the most out of all that hard work it was to get a hookup by enjoying the fight and safely landing your fish. Unless you are using steel cable for fishing line and a 2x4 for a rod, you will need to play the fish if you hope to bring it to hand.

• Before you start fishing – Chances are that you are not going to be able to remain stationary while playing your fish. In all likelihood the fish is going to run either upstream or high tail it back to the ocean – and you will have to follow it if you expect to bring it to shore or your boat. Further if there is any cover, ie a large boulder, log/root wad, or deep hole nearby, the fish will make a bee-line for it.

  Take a moment to see how easy it will be to move up or down the bank. Are there obstructions? What will you do if the fish runs down stream right into that riffle/rapids? Do you have a plan for unwrapping your line from around your kicker motor? A few minutes spent planning in advance may save that fish from breaking off.

• Before the first cast - Check your equipment and yourself. Is your leader free of nicks? Did you tie on a new leader after that last fish? Is your drag set correctly? Are those snap locks all fastened correctly? Is there ice in your rod line guides? Have you zipped all your vest pockets? And so on. Often the anticipation of a day’s fishing can result in foolish oversights. More than once I've bent over and heard a plop only to realize that something important has just fallen out of my vest pockets or fishing pouch. It’s a lot easier to check that you are ready before that first cast.

• Keep your rod tip up – Well not really. You want to keep your tip near eye level through the drift so you can see bites. Once you set the hook however, most guys lean their rod to a 45 degree angle facing upstream and a 45 degree angle off the water. This seems to lose fewer fish and lets you guide the fish better once close to shore. The one thing you NEVER want to do is point your rod at the fish. You need to let the rod flex and take the majority of the power that the fish is generating.

• Let the fish run! – A major part of the thrill of catching a steelhead is to experience its extraordinary strength. An initial run may take 50 yards or more of your line off your reel in seconds, and that is just the beginning. Often they will jump completely out of the water multiple times and frequently they will make three or more powerful runs before coming to shore. The key to avoiding a break-off is to have your reel drag set properly and let them run! If you attempt to “horse” it in by tightening down your drag or using your thumb as a line stop, or if you attempt to “control” your fish by making it stay in a particular area, you are LIKELY to lose your fish. A single headshake can break your leader or pull the hook from a fish’s mouth.

• Don’t let too much line out - The more line you have in the water the less control you have over the fish. Further if you are using monofilament line, it stretches, and the more line that is out, the more your line will flex. Be prepared to move up or down the stream to follow the fish. In general, the less line between you and the fish, the better, and the more consistent pressure you can apply to the fish that will keep that hook set in its jaw.

• Try to keep the fish upstream of you - Whenever possible it is best to try to position yourself below the fish in the river. It is far easier to control and bring a fish in when you have the current working for you.

• Manage your drag – I actively manage my drag while fishing. When drifting I like to keep my drag fairly loose, tight enough to pull up and set the hook during a strike, but loose enough to let the fish make that first powerful run that almost always happens. During the middle part of the fight, I usually tighten my drag a bit so that my rod can flex and help tire out the fish. Later when the fish is close to shore or the boat I've found that it helps to loosen your drag once again. Mono lines have stretch that acts as a buffer/shock-absorber when a lot is in the water. The line can absorb a quick run/change of direction made by the fish. However when the fish is close in, and you lose the benefit of the line stretch, that sudden last-run can break you off. Often a fish will spook when it first sees your legs or the boat and make a last run, so I loosen my drag significantly to prepare for this. Finally, whenever possible, I keep my hand off the line. Trying to apply drag with your thumb results in uneven pressure application, jerky action, and a blister.

• Avoid line twist – Don’t reel in while the fish is taking line, especially when using a spinning reel. Putting extra twist in your line can cause all kinds of problems, ie line wrap around your rod tip, set you up for a backlash and worse. Just stop reeling until you can begin to take line in. If you do get twist in your line the best thing to do is put a small float on your line and let it free spool down the river until you have more out than where it began to twist. The line will tend to straighten out and it can then be reeled in again.

• The jumper – Steelhead often jump several times during the fight. Some people suggest you put your rod tip up and others say point it at the fish when it jumps. I think the best thing to do is to try to keep light pressure on the fish, enough to keep the hook set but not so much that the fish can tear the hook from it’s mouth or break your line. So keep your rod at an angle and ease up if the fish is jumping away from you and reel in if it is jumping towards you.

• Runaway fish – Sometimes the fish takes off for the ocean and doesn’t stop. Your drag is hissing and your line is quickly coming to an ugly end. It is now time for drastic measures – why not you are about to lose it anyway? One thing that sometimes works is to put your reel in free-spool and eliminate tension on the fish. With this relief they will sometimes stop and give you time to catch up to them. Sometimes your line will belly out ant the fish may think the pulling is coming form down stream and head back upstream. If these tactics fail I usually just tighten my drag as much as possible and hope the fish tires before I run out of line. (See the section below on “So it broke off”)

I was steelhead fishing one day with 10# main and 8# leader when my rod bowed over. But it didnt fight like a steelhead. It bulldogged me downstream hundreds of yards until we got to a spot where I was blocked from going any farther. I figured I was going to lose it so I tried the famous slack line trick and for once it worked. The fish stopped and started back upstream.

After a half hour it came to shore. It was a large king that was clearly past its prime but obviously still had a lot of fight in it. I got it to shore, took a quick pic and guessed its weight at 25+ lbs. A few seconds later it was on its way to do nature's calling. I was afraid that because I had fought it too long that it wouldnt survive, but this guy still had lots of energy as it took off. The good news is that this story is almost ten years old and still fresh in my mind.

• Play your fish quickly - Fish build up lactic acid in their bodies as you fight them. Depending on the length of time you take, the fish may not be able to recover enough to survive once it is released. Please use appropriate sized tackle when fishing for salmon and steelhead and be expeditious in bringing them into shore and releasing them.
• The stand-off - Sometimes your fish will move out to the middle of the current and bury down close to the bottom and then not move. Just standing there doing nothing and hoping the fish will move will result in the hook loosening in the fish’s jaw and lets the fish regain some strength. This is the time to use the pull-up and reel-down pumping action on your rod. You may also want to tighten your drag a bit also which will let you put more leverage on the fish. Keep doing this until the fish moves.

• So it broke off – The worst thing to do is slam your rod down and throw a tantrum. All that does put sand in your reel and nicks in your rod. The best thing to do is try to figure out what happened while the experience is still fresh in your mind. Examine the end of your line. Sometimes you can tell that your knot failed, other times your leader will be frayed and you can attribute the loss to abrasion. And still other times you wont be able to determine the cause of the failure. In any case take a deep breath, savor the thought that you actually had a fish on, and enjoy the moment. There will be future opportunities!

• The foul hooked fish - Sometimes a fish will be unintentionally hooked somewhere other than in its mouth. Usually the fish will move erratically and you may notice that it is foul hooked when it jumps. If your fish is foul hooked you must immediately try to set it free. In most places it is illegal and it is always unethical to keep a snagged fish. The best technique is to point your rod directly at the fish , set your drag strongly and try to break your leader.

• Bringing your fish to shore or boat – If you are fishing from shore, you may be able to lead the fish into shallow water, remove the hook, and release the fish without ever touching it or taking it out of the water. Please take care not to let the fish get sand in its gills. As the fish is coming close to shore or your boat, you should always lighten up on your drag so if it spooks and makes a last run, it wont break off. Actually you want to strike a balance with your drag, ie loose enough to let the fish make another run but tight enough so that you can steer/guide the fish to the spot where you can remove the hook.

  Often a fish will lay still in the shallow water long enough for you to take a picture before you release it. Keep your rod tip at a 45 degree angle so you can apply constant tension, and wind in as much line as you can – the shorter the line the better. Try to keep the fish up-river from you. Finally, when possible, try to position yourself so the fish is between you and the river. That way if it spooks away from you, it has nowhere to go -- they even beach themselves sometimes.

If you need to grab the fish and the best way to do this is to wear a wool glove and grab it just in front of its tail with one hand and under its belly near the head with the other. Make certain that you dont touch the fish's gills as they are sensitive and you can easily cause permanent damage. In any case try to minimize contact with the fish so you don’t rub off its protective slime. Another option once you get your fish close to shore is to just break it off -- chances are you are going to release it anyway and this will cause less trauma to the fish.

If you are using a barbless hook, it usually will come right out. If your fish is deep hooked but not bleeding you can cut your leader and leave the hook in place.

A word of caution when your fish is close to shore. This is a time when your adrenaline is rushing, you want to "finish-off" the fish and get it back into the water and you can make mistakes. Chances are you will have most of your line reeled in and your rod tip bowed over. If the fish finds a way to roll or break off your hook, you want to make sure that you dont get a face-full of lead and hook. Always be mindful of your terminal tackle and respect the fact that the fish may do the unexpected.

• Using a net - Some fishermen use a large net to land their fish. If you are fishing alone it is difficult to both guide your fish close to shore with the rod in one hand and using a net in the other. A btter alternative would be to have a fishing partner assist you with the net. A net can cause damage to a fish's lime layer so please take care when using a net to minimize fish movement once it is in the net. Whenever possible, you should try to bring the fish into shallow water and release it without touching it.

• PLEASE release your fish!!! – Once you have the fish ashore and you’ve taken your picture, please release it. You may need to revive the fish - simply grab it at the tail and face it into the current. Please note that it does no good to move it back and forth as you are as likely as not to get sand and debris into its gills. Once the fish has regained some strength it will just swim away.

  Native or wild steelhead are threatened throughout the whole PNW. It is important to let every single fish have a chance to spawn. If you really want a fish to eat, your local grocery store always has some!

  Even if your catch is a hatchery fish, by releasing it you will give another fisherman a chance to catch again. Sometimes you can even catch the same fish twice yourself!
  

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