Late-Season Steelheading

Rumor has it that last week's rains brought some silver steelhead into area streams, and I may go and check it out tomorrow morning and then drag out my bow to complete a surf-and-turf day.

The silver bullets, if one believes the rumors (which I do), are being caught in many rivers. Good bets are the AuSable, Betsie, Boardman, Elk, Manistee, Muskegon, Pentwater, Pere Marquette, Platte and White rivers.

If the inland lakes stay free of ice, steelhead can be caught by trolling in Betsie Bay, and Lake Charlevoix, Manistee Lake, Muskegon Lake, Pentwater Lake, Pere Marquette Lake, and other drowned rivermouth lakes just inland from Lake Michigan.

Trolling some inland lakes can produce big steelhead.

This presents a rather extraordinary opportunity for some late-season action, and the lakes will produce fair to good fishing action until they freeze up tight for winter.

Slow trolling produces most of the lake fish, and FlatFish in X-4. X-5 and U-20 sizes are best. Good colors are silver, silver-blue, gray pearl, chartreuse with red spots, yellow with red spots and pearl.

Fish can be found near the inlet and outlets of a lake but be certain to check regulations for each individual county for specific rules and regulations that may apply.

There is only one way a person can troll a FlatFish, and that is slow. Years ago, the most successful anglers were those who rowed the boat while trolling, but now, a small outboard can be throttled back to the putt-putt speed needed to bring out the peak action of these lures.

I always used 8- or 10-pound mono, and troll lures about 40 yards behind the slow-moving boat. We would steer a zig-zag course with sudden 10-foot bursts of speed that would  spurt ahead and then quickly slow down. Fish often hit on the speed-up or when making a turn to port or starboard.

Trolling hotspots.

The best spots to troll are along the first and/or second dropoffs out from shore. Most of the fish will be hooked in eight to 15 feet of water. Fall steelhead often roll on the surface of the lake, and give anglers some idea that they are present. Key fishing times are from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., during the warmest part of the day. Another key time for fish to strike is when the sky is overcast and the sun breaks through the clouds for a few minutes.

Make no mistake about it. This is cold fishing, and we've had some great days fishing during a heavy snowstorm. Fish can be caught until the lake freezes up, and we've had a few good days when it was necessary to break ice to reach open water.

Bait produces well in rivers.

River fishing produces as well but the river water is cold and the fish get lethargic when water temperatures drop below 38 degrees. The key to river success is to fish slow, fish deep, and cover all potential holding water from every possible direction.

Spawnbags rolled across bottom work well or spawnbags can be released downstream from an anchored boat. Lift the bait up off bottom, release about three feet of line, and let the bait settle back to bottom. Steelies are somewhat reluctant to hit in cold water, and a slow presentation that gives fish time to react is what produces.

Anglers can use the dropback method with lures, and favorite plugs include the FlatFish, Tadpolly, Hot-n-Tot, and HotShot. Lower the lure into the water, and let the lure drift downstream for about 30 feet, and then thumb the reel arbor to halt its progress. These lures will wiggle in the current, and in cold water, let them wiggle in place for 30 to 60 seconds, and then release another three feet of line.

The lure will slowly work downstream, wiggle in one place, and then it will drop downstream another three feet. If a fish is holding nearby, it may drift downstream behind the lure, and sooner or later, one of two things will happen.

The fish will spook and head away from the wiggling lure. Or ... it will slam the plug. These strikes are hard, and although winter steelhead seldom jump, they will wallow on the surface.

Anglers have a somewhat rare opportunity now to fish for steelhead before the eventual freeze-up occurs. Now is the best time to take advantage of this action.

121309_droblog_Late-SeasonSteelheading_((tag: bait. Dave Richey, lures, Michigan, outdoors, rivers, spawnbags, steelhead, sunny, trolling, warm, wax worms))

Posted via email from Dave Richey Outdoors