 |
| Sauk River Steelhead |
|
Steelhead
Oncorhynchus mykiss, aka the steelhead! The fish of a thousand casts, a creature of myth and lore. Sought by many, but held by few. Why does the steelhead enchant so many? Loved and cherished by some, haunting and tormenting to others! The fish of dreams or nightmares? All I know is I’ve been hooked since I was little kid!!
The steelheads range is from the eastern shores of Russia to Alaska south to California. Washington, Idaho, Oregon and British Columbia are where most people pursue them. Though there is steelhead in the Great lakes. And a run on the Rio Santa Cruz in Argentina (flows into the Atlantic). The greatest majority reside on the Pacific coast. From small coastal rivers like Oregon’s Wilson river. To the mighty Thompson river in BC. The steelhead migration in fresh water could be only just a few miles, or almost thousand. The steelhead is basically a rainbow that went to sea. After hatching the juveniles will spend up to two years in freshwater before heading to sea. At which time they’ll spend from two to four years (and if where lucky six) feeding in the salt.
Once they return to their natal rivers to complete the cycle is where we pursue them. Rather they be small half pounders from the Klamath River in California, sipping caddis skaters on the surface or the freight trains of the Skagit on sink tips, they are all wonderful, and no matter how you fish for them each and every one of them is a treasure. Swinging flies is my preferred method for steelhead. The swing is the thing and the tug is the drug! Pretty much sums it up for me. While the heart stopping yank from a hot Sauk chromer in April is hard to beat, it’s the explosive surface takes that really get to me!
A treasure to cherish and protect! With stocks plummeting up and down the west coast the steelhead have a bleak future. Over harvest, habitat destruction, poor ocean survival and bad hatchery practices are to blame. All things brought on by us!! And it will take us to fix it!! It won’t be easy and it won’t happen over night. So do your part, bonk that hatchery brat, donate money or time to a conservation group, plant a tree. Do something!! WE are at a cross roads RIGHT NOW!!! We can save the steelhead or let it go the way of the dodo bird, back to myth and legends!
|
 |
| A winter surprise, Skagit River |
|
Coastal Cutthroat Trout
Oncorhynchus clarki clarki, aka the coastal cutthroat, sea run cut or harvest trout. Call it what you want, I call them fun!! From Alaska to Northern California the coastal cut brings fun and excitement to thousands of anglers of all ages. From feisty six inch resident fish to eighteen + inch anadromous monsters. Tiny little creeks, to lakes, beaver ponds or large rivers to fishing in the salt chuck. There’s something for every one to enjoy these little fighters. My favorite way to fish for them is with a reversed spider.
The reverse spider developed by Mike Kinney for cutthroat, is a fantastic way to fish for them. Using a floating line you use a pump and strip retrieve that imparts lots of movement to the fly. Waiting to see a flash or visually watch the cutty circle the fly before attacking it. Just as fun is using a dry fly, twitching a caddis and watching that slab rise out of the depths to sip it down is truly unforgettable!
Here in Washington the cutthroat are protected from harvest in their marine environs. Unfortunately the state allows retention in the rivers. A backwards policy in my mind. While populations have held steady the cutthroat have their own problems. Mainly from urban sprawl encroaching on their low land spawning tributary creeks. Plus the cutthroat is a very slow growing fish. An eighteen inch cutty might be ten or more years old. Still the cutthroat is a worthy adversary with breathtaking beauty and fight.
|
 |
| Skykomish Bull/Dollie |
|
Bull trout/Dolly Varden
Salvelinus confluentus, aka the Bull Trout. Or Salvelinus malma, aka the DollyVarden. Thought to be the same fish but are now recognized as separate sub species. Along with the Brook Trout, Lake Trout and Artic Char round out the Char family. Three of witch is native to North America (Brook, Lakeand Bull Trout).
The Chars range is quite large, encompassing all of North America from Alaska to California east to New Brunswick. As well as Northern Europe and Asia.
The Bull/Dolly Trout are only found in pristine cold water. Making them an indicator species of a healthy watershed. Not known as great fighters, the larger members can put forth a reasonable tussle. Quite often the take is mistaken for a steelhead due to their veracious hits. Late winter after the spawn they’re so aggressive I’ve hooked the same fish in a couple minutes.
|
 |
| Coho on a skater |
|
CHOHO SALMON
|
 |
| Floating line Chinook, Skykomish river |
|
CHINOOK SALMON
|
 |
| Tide water Chum, Alaska |
|
CHUM SALMON
|
 |
| Bunny with a tide water Pink Salmon, Alaska |
|
PINK SALMON
|
|