# Muddy water?



## rpalusak15 (Apr 17, 2013)

What do the Steelhead do and where do they go when the flow is real high and the water is muddy?


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## steelhead sniper 860 (Nov 6, 2013)

They are pushing upstream when it’s high and muddy. To catch fish in stained water is a challenge, It can be easier in small creeks. I usually target slower moving sections of the rivers, sometimes on the inside edge of the run or tails of pools. Can use bigger presentations and rigs, bigger float more weight if I’m using eggs, tie sacs bigger. Goodluck


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## rpalusak15 (Apr 17, 2013)

Thanks Steelhead Sniper, do you think the rivers here in Northeast Ohio will be fishable next week? I see the water temp is up to 35 degrees!


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## steelhead sniper 860 (Nov 6, 2013)

rpalusak15 said:


> Thanks Steelhead Sniper, do you think the rivers here in Northeast Ohio will be fishable next week? I see the water temp is up to 35 degrees!


Depends on what happens between now and then. We’re getting a lot of rain on the west end of Steelhead alley it’s going to take awhile for the rivers to clean up. Just keep an eye on the gauges, maybe try poking around some smaller tribs


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## TRIPLE-J (Sep 18, 2006)

try using pieces of nite crawlers in high muddy waters and fish the eddies along the edges..
im talking about a 2 inch piece either floated or bouncing on the bottom. i prefer to bottom bounce in the mud as they are usually hugging bottom...


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## Osmerus (Dec 5, 2012)

When its real high and muddy ( almost flood stage) lots of the fish just get pushed back out into the lake. They cant take the huge amounts of silt that flow down our rivers when their way up. They will run back up the rivers once they start to drop. When the rivers start to clear a bit then the runs really pick up. With all this rain we will be lucky to fish mid to late next week.


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## steelhead sniper 860 (Nov 6, 2013)

Osmerus where did you find that information?


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## 1MoreKast (Mar 15, 2008)

I would think some get pushed out but some move up. Depends on their temper. They'll just look for the path of least resistance so that could mean hugging the banks or dipping behind structure. The bite will definitely pick up on the drop. No question there.


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## bustedrod (May 13, 2015)

cmon fishy swa were getting alot of rain and melt down here on the east end , thats good because the water temp will come up


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## Osmerus (Dec 5, 2012)

steelhead sniper 860 said:


> Osmerus where did you find that information?


Thats just what i assume. I did research on diff salmonids ( steelies, coho, brookies) in N Michigan in College and fish move in and out of river systems more often than you would think. We used to elctrofish and tag fish to learn movmemt patterns and repro behavior.
During peak flow events ( almost flood stage) plenty of fish would push back down to the lake and hang out till the flows reduced.

I Cant see fish holding in our muddy rivers that are moving that fast and silty. However you look at Salmon that run rivers in Alaska that are pure glacial silt and makes ya think maybe our steelies do tough it out through that crazy high silty water. Still think lots of them just high tail it to the lake. Easier than fighting high flows and silt.


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## steelhead sniper 860 (Nov 6, 2013)

When the rivers high and flowing there are areas that aren’t moving at all, also the only time they can get into tiny ditches and small feeder creeks is during periods of very high water. I’ve caught plenty of fish from BROWN water. I think when it’s high the fish are moving into and up the system myself. But it’s Just an opinion.


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## creekcrawler (Oct 5, 2004)

I remember reading the same, although I don't know where.
Steelies do get irritated by heavy amounts of silt/mud.
That's part of the reason the jump in the tinier tribs and ditches - 
cleaner water. And yeah, they can move back to the lake quickly if they want to. All our tribs are short runs to these fish.


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## fishing pole (May 2, 2004)

I have caught some fish after a heavy flow that literally look like they have been sandblasted


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## hailtothethief (Jan 18, 2017)

The steelhead hang out on the bank during high water. See em stuck in holes outside of the river when water drops all the time.


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