We have finally got some great water to fish. The river levels have dropped, we are out of flood stage and the fish are on the move. In the last 72 hrs, the fish have pushed in fair to good numbers with many more to come.
Right now as I sit here and put this together water temperatures are in the mid-40s which is perfect for steelhead and we are only a couple of degrees from the ideal smallmouth temperatures. The steelhead bite is all over the board right now with the better catches being taken by pinners and anglers nymphing as well. Egg patterns along with stonefly nymphs and caddis nymphs are the current hot tickets. For me, it is the swing game if you don't know me personally. Our hot tickets have been baitfish patterns such as my covid 19 and the like.
The trout fishing has been good since the start of the new year as this winter treated us well and we are seeing some stones, bwos, and a hendrickson or two. The streamer bite has been off the hook no pun intended with flies such as DnDs, circus peanuts, and the like.
To wrap this up the smallmouth bite on these massive prespawn fish should heat up within the next few days with fish being caught in the lower river. The game changer for these pre-spawn fish will be throwing a 7 or 8-wt rod with a sinking head or full sinking line with large streamers.
Until next time stay safe and God bless
