Coastal Steelhead
What to Expect
As with any of my trips, lunches, snacks, and non alcoholic beverages are provided as well as all necessary tackle, and accommodations can be made for waders, but it is recommended to bring your own. Most trips are done from my driftboat, combining single-hand and spey tactics as well as gear fishing upon request. Feel free to let me know if you have a preferred technique. Trips generally start around sunrise and are off the water between 4-5, and self-shuttles are standard practice on most rivers. I fish a variety of rivers, with most being larger rivers requiring 8wt single-hand and 6-8wt spey or switch rods. Multi-day trips are standard as steelheading is not a numbers game, so for your best chance at mastering the techniques and getting to touch one of these migrating giants, 2-3 days at least is recommended, but day trips are available. Some of the more remote stretches are most conveniently accessed by camping near the river, but if you are not comfortable doing that on your own, hosted camptrips are available where I will provide accommodations and all meals.
The Fish
Winter steelhead are widely regarded as one of the most difficult and rewarding freshwater fish to chase with a fly rod. Northern California offers great opportunities to hook up with these mythical creatures with a more temperate climate and gorgeous old-growth redwood scenery! Winter steelhead are found in Humboldt, Mendocino, and Del Norte counties from New Year’s to the end of March.
Flexibility
Steelheading often requires flexibility in both scheduling and destination due to the need to intercept these migratory fish along their journey and find windows where fish are present in a section with river conditions aligning. Though backup destinations and rescheduling are always possible, trips can almost always get out and fish for anadromous fish with some sneaky still water options less affected by the rain.
The Weather
The North State is a temperate rainforest, receiving up to 80 inches of rain a year. Though temperatures rarely dip below 40 degrees, it can often be into the 60s. Bringing a rain jacket is always a good idea, but the weather can be quite nice in the late season. Steelheaders closely watch winter storms as they blow out the rivers and bring fish in waiting for river gauges to drop to fishable levels, then fish the “windows” before rivers blow out again or drop below to low-flow conditions.
Lodging
There are various options for lodging in this region of California, with motels, hotels, and camp trip options possible. Generally, I will refer you to the closest lodging/camping available, but you are responsible for booking your own accommodations unless you book a hosted camp trip for an additional fee.
