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The winter season is winding down and I wanted to give you an update on how the season went. I did a total of 40 guide days from the middle of December to the middle of April. We hooked 52 steelhead with only about a 50% landing ratio due to the incredible fighting and acrobatic skills of these amazing fish. But my clients were more than happy with the opportunity to hook up and feel the awesome power of a mint bright winter steelhead. The fish we hooked averaged 8 to 12 pounds and a couple of my clients were tied into fish that were much larger, but unfortunately the fish had the upper hand.

River conditions were outstanding all winter. I only had to change dates a couple of times all season which is fantastic considering the dramatic changes in weather. The river fished well from 1400 c.f.s. to about 3000 c.f.s. Typically the fishing was best when the river was either stable or rising which is pretty unusual for most winter fisheries. In addition, the dam removal project seemed to have no obvious negative impact on the river and hopefully with time the river will only improve. Overall the season was certainly one of the best in recent years, and I hope it continues to be productive next season.

For all you technical junkies I will discuss the sink-tips and flies that produced the most fish. Fly colors varied day to day depending on the water clarity, but in general purple/blue, pink, black/blue and red/orange were all consistent. Size variation seemed to be more important than color. In off-color water we fished larger flies. In clear conditions we used the same colors tied much smaller. Weighted flies were only needed on a couple of days because the average run is 4 to 6 feet deep and the fish are fairly grabby. A few of the hottest flies were River Rat Squid, String Leechs, Tandem Tubes, Exasperators, Signature Guide Intruders and Northern Lights.

We used a variety of sink-tips during the season to get the fly down in the water column where winter fish like it. Typically a 10 to 12 foot piece of T-14 with an un-weighted fly was more than adequate although there were a few days where water conditions demanded a 14 foot piece of T-14. Fortunately, the majority of Sandy fish are wild and are more than willing to chase the fly, so by no means do you need to be dragging the bottom. Most importantly, be sure to angle your cast according to the depth you want to achieve i.e. straight across with a big mend for more depth, more down stream with a small mend for less depth. Secondly, be sure you fish at a reasonable casting distance where your sink-tip turns over and lays out straight on every cast. If your sink-tip is piling at the end of your cast your tip will drop straight down and your fly is much more likely to hang up. Keep in mind that the majority of fish are caught with casts between 30 and 50 feet.

All and all it was fantastic to guide and share a river that has had an amazing impact on my life. It was a pleasure to fish with everyone that made it out this season, and I can’t wait to fish with you again. Anyone who has further questions or is interested in fishing the Sandy next year please contact the shop for further information at (541)395-0995.

Tight Lines,

Travis Johnson

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