# Rocky river..



## JRBASSER (Mar 5, 2014)

Was planning on heading to the Rocky Saturday to try out some spinners, but CFS has spiked up to over 650 in the last 2 days. Do you guys think it will be fishable by the weekend? I’m new to steelhead fishing so I don’t know much about the rivers.


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## InlandKid (Aug 29, 2006)

I would say no based on flow and the temp dropping it will most likely be slush by then with the high for tomorrow is 28, nor would I be fishing spinners this time of year right out the gate, I would start with a jig and maggot then switch to spawn sack and then spinner or spoon last for ever hole I move to.


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## TRIPLE-J (Sep 18, 2006)

the rock is already starting to drop and it only went to 500ish..
you should be able to fish it by the weekend, sunday would probably be better for ya....
and spinners will work thus time of year but usually better on sunny days or days after the sun has warmed the water a bit
good luck


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## JRBASSER (Mar 5, 2014)

Went out today, River was perfect. Took a float rod, and a spinning rod with a couple blue fox spinners and hot n tots. Didn’t get any bites, this is my third or 4th year going to the Rocky without a single fish or even bite. I must be doing something horribly wrong lol


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## InlandKid (Aug 29, 2006)

Guys I know that fished the rock today did good, jigs with maggots and spawn sacks were what they were all caught on. Today's conditions were not conditions I would use a spinner or crank bait in, the water wasn't dirty enough.


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## TRIPLE-J (Sep 18, 2006)

float or bottom bounce and get the feel for that first...once you get the feel and land a few fish start branching out into the hardware side of things...
its all about depth and speed, in the rivers they arent gonna chase it very far so you gotta be in the strike zone. keep your presentations right off bottom...if you bobber doesnt tick bottom every now and then you are not in the zone...theres a fine line between ticking bottom and dragging on the bottom tho...you dont want your bobber going under every few feet cause your bait is grabbing the bottom...you want it to float just off the bottom..
keep your line to your bait out of the water as much as possible, try to keep a direct line to your bait from the rod tip....if you get too much line in the water and the current grabs it it will pull your presentation fast through the drift and raise your bait out of the zone or
go too fast and not look natural..


InlandKid said:


> Guys I know that fished the rock today did good, jigs with maggots and spawn sacks were what they were all caught on. Today's conditions were not conditions I would use a spinner or crank bait in, the water wasn't dirty enough.


water doesnt have to be dirty to use hardware, it works just fine in clear water, just dont use high vis line in really clear water...
i spoon fish all the time, and actually do better in clear water than dirty water with hardware


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## TRIPLE-J (Sep 18, 2006)

a few from today

















































landed 12 all together all on jig and maggots


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## JRBASSER (Mar 5, 2014)

Wow, that’s a good day. I think a factor that contributes to me not catching any is location. I have only been fishing areas where I see other people, often setting for less than optimal locations. Maybe I should walk the river and look for decent spots. If the river looks good next weekend me and a buddy with much more experience than me are going to hit it hard Sunday.


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## TRIPLE-J (Sep 18, 2006)

just look for the deeper holes and runs...its better to walk the river when its low and clear, then you can map out some nice holes that can be seen easily when the water is down and then you know where they are even when the river is up...even small holes a few feet around and a couple feet deep can be great if you know where they are....youre not gonna catch more then a fish or two out of some of them but hey when you can hit 5-10 of those holes in a morning that can be a lot of fish...


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## slashbait (Jun 26, 2008)

This will sound funny but before I new we’re steelhead we’re related to current and season, I would walk my beagle all over rocky river on Sunday mornings to see we’re the successful people we’re fishing. Then return to those spots during the week to wack em! Eventually I figured out why those spots worked.and also realized a hot spot one year probably wasn’t the next because a the bottom changes so much in a river.


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## Chuck T Mechling (May 27, 2017)

Struggled this afternoon but found a spot around 5 o’clock. Not sure if it was the low light or the blizzard that turned them on but went 4-6 in less than an hour! Water was great! Homemade jig and waxies did the trick!


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## joekacz (Sep 11, 2013)

JR your getting a lot of EXCELLENT advice from everybody on your post,it's a matter of time and putting it all together that you'll start to have success.I've been fishing steelhead since the late 70's starting out in Michigan,Ohio and Pa. with some GREAT teacher's. If you start to wade deeper than your knee's then your probably gonna start walking right into your fish and when you fish a long run or deep hole don't try to fish it all at once because of the variation's of depth. I try to do it in 3 section's,top,middle and tail.And each section fish it closest to you and work your way across.This time of year I would stick with bait for the most part,fish are a little lethargic.I still remember my first hook-up below Hesperia Dam in Mich.,jumped 3x before I realized that I should start to reel.No didn't land that one but fun.Keep at it.


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## TRIPLE-J (Sep 18, 2006)

yea don't get discouraged, that first one is always the hardest one to catch...I started in the 70's too, back then rockcliff ford was my home away from home lol...hell I started off with a fly rod and an ultra light spinning reel on it cause there weren't any noodle rods around and I believe pins weren't even invented yet...any type of live bait will catch them....you see guys catching fish ask them what they are using and how... just don't go walking up to them while they are on a good bite and spook the fish, you wont get much help then, wait till they are getting ready to leave or changing things up and just ask, most will help...just sit back and watch someone catching fish helps a lot too...
yea my first hook up took me through 2 pools before it went around a bend and around a big rock I couldn't see in time.... lol
back then it was all hardware and bottom bouncing, we weren't using floats at all...spoons are still my preferred way to fish then bottom bounce...


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## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

...my 2 cents.

...I struggled with steelhead a few years back. I fish the Eastlake soccer fields mostly when river fishing. I also 90% of the time cast spinners/spoons starting in late September through march. I'm an aggressive caster...fishing jig/maggot or other cast and keep tip up and watch it float by I've struggled with due to my habit of power fishing. Last 2 years I've kept at my style and have had tremendous success with spinners/spoons fishing now through the coldest waters. What I have done is just adjust to current and water/weather conditions...it took quite a few trips fishing my same spots of the chagrin with spinners/spoons...and have just casted at certain angles and made slight adjustments with non traditional retrieves with spinners/spoons. It also helps to know the water you are fishing and taking notes with paper and pictures every time out. I've talked to alot of guys out there steelhead fishing and most are willing to talk with ya...I've had guys/old timers come up to me and say what are you using to catch those fish...I've been here for 3 hours and not had a single bite. (Those times are cool in my book lol)

...everyone has an opinion or a how to do it...as I do. Only thing you can do is put the time in and keep hooks in the water. I used to think I would never catch a steelhead...shoot catching muskies was alot easier at a time...different for everyone.

...in the end don't get discouraged. Treat it like bass fishing...cast and adjust...take notes and ask questions when out there.

Pictures are fish caught with rooster tails/cleo spoons.

Stay twisted.

Don.

...after edit...4th picture is my 1st ever steelhead from the soccer field back November 2017. Had a vacation day and mid morning decided to head out with purple spinner and GO fishing...a few casts later boom fish on...almost took pole from hands lol...hooked on steelhead that day is an understatement!!!

...such a great fish to fish for during down time/winter.


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## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

...I'm sure in 20 years from now I may have input with guys like TRIPLE-J and others lol...about methods fishing for steelhead...but for now I will keep at with what works for me hahaha. 

Its fishing man...love it.

Don.


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## TRIPLE-J (Sep 18, 2006)

twistedcatfish1971 said:


> ...I'm sure in 20 years from now I may have input with guys like TRIPLE-J and others lol...about methods fishing for steelhead...but for now I will keep at with what works for me hahaha.
> 
> Its fishing man...love it.
> 
> Don.


there ya have it... just do what you like and keep at it, you will figure it out and enjoy it even more...theres no RIGHT way or wrong way or best way... theres the way you like to do it so stick too it and have fun...ive seen them caught on spoons, twister tails, spinners, bass plugs, leeches, worms, marshmellows, plastic beads, under a float, tight lined on the bottom just about any way you can think of....and with just about any bait you can think of... if you like casting spoons and spinners go for it...ive gotten to the point where im making most of my spoons and spinners anymore...so that even adds another element to it...


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## JRBASSER (Mar 5, 2014)

Went Sunday late morning / early afternoon for a bit, finally caught my first steelhead and another 30 minutes after. Both from the same hole. Never even had to put on waders. Both caught on a 1/64 oz pink marabou jig with a wax worm. Thank you for all the tips and help everyone!


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## TRIPLE-J (Sep 18, 2006)

awesome congrats on your first catch...
welcome to the dark side lol 
you wont go back now


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## joekacz (Sep 11, 2013)

JRBASSER said:


> Went Sunday late morning / early afternoon for a bit, finally caught my first steelhead and another 30 minutes after. Both from the same hole. Never even had to put on waders. Both caught on a 1/64 oz pink marabou jig with a wax worm. Thank you for all the tips and help everyone!


Well Congrat's on your first with many more coming. With your determination you'll be getting plenty more. The more you learn the river's your on by being mobile and remembering event's of the day the more success you'll have. Hope you had a good battle with that one and everything you expected.


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

Good Going, JR. Couple more trips, you'll be coaching some "newbies"!


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