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| Steelhead, the sea-run rainbow trout, is the king of the salmonids. Those who hooked a steelhead know that this spectacular and beautiful game fish will do everything to loosen them self. Several runs upstream and downstream up to 50 meters are very regular and sometimes the steelhead will leap out of the water several times. The measurements of the wild steelhead in Northern British Columbia are between 70 an 100 centimetres and the weights are between 8 and 25 pound. Steelhead is a fish that can be hunted with a fly rod very well and has his habitat in the fast floating rivers in the western region of the United States of America and Canada, but it can also be caught with hardware like a spoon. In the same rivers you can also find several Pacific salmon species like chum, pink, coho and sockeye, and char like dolly varden and cutthroat. The Kispiox River is one of the best steelhead rivers in the world and the steelhead on this river are known as strong, big and heavy and they will give the angler without any doubt the moment of his life. |
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Steelhead is not very easy to catch. I fish for steelhead since
1990 and I have had superb days with 6 or 7 beached steelhead,
but it also happened that I had to wait for three days for the
first strike. It is forbidden in Canada to use trebles and even
the barb must be removed from the hook. This because of the big
chance to foul hook spawning salmon. Starting steelhead anglers
have a daily average of 3-4 strikes a day. Experience showed
that about 60% of hooked steelhead will loosen itself. For those
lost souls not yet initiated into the fraternity and rites of
steelheadingdom, these wily beasts are best described as a
blistering combination of sea run, rainbow trout on steroids and
demented rodeo bull. When hooked, dozens of meters of line are
instantly ripped from the fisherman's reel in long, repeated,
drag-searing runs. Testing the mettle of knots, angler and
equipment alike, their aerial displays make the most
accomplished and graceful of acrobats or ballerinas seem stilted
and marionette-like in contrast. All too often, the angler is
witness to the parting of line and fly, with an audible "crack",
signalling yet again, the victorious departure of this
pernicious piscine over even the most skilful pursuers.
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