By BRIAN BLOMSTER
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
On a not-too-long stretch of a Northern California river, techniques varied; personalities, too. This was monotheism of many _ sometimes clashing _ denominations.
Despite the dogmatic differences, though, all agree the object of veneration is worth the liturgical conflict. Because when one gets right down to it, with steelhead fishing, it's about the fight.
Khevin Mellegers, a seasoned guide with Mad River Outfitters in Arcata, Calif., characterizes the contest between angler and steelhead as "fisticuffs."
"That's what makes it exciting," said Mellegers, who has been guiding on north state rivers for nine years. "When you hook one, they have a lot of endurance, and they'll fight you for a long time."
Often characterized as "rainbow trout on steroids," steelhead always live up to their reputation. A recent weekend drift boat trip along a popular stretch of stream in the Klamath River drainage in California's far-northwestern corner confirmed two things: Steelhead are what devotees argue are the premier freshwater fighting fish; and approaches to catching them occupy a wide swath of the angling spectrum.
Our company witnessed bank anglers, waders, fly fishermen in one-man pontoon catamarans offering dry flies, guided drift boat parties fly-casting egg patterns below indicators, some people bouncing roe or worms, and still others pulling plugs.
They all know that, when on the bite, steelhead can be hooked through any number of enticements.
Eric Vollmers, a teacher and basketball coach at Arcata High School, has fished for steelhead on several Northern California rivers, adapting his approach based on conditions.
"I enjoy fly fishing for them," Vollmers said. "But I'll bounce roe and worms, too."
Fishing one day from a drift boat and the next from the bank, Vollmers enjoyed similar success. He netted two fish from the boat, including a 6-pounder, and four from the bank, among them another about 6 pounds.
"Great fight," he said.
The steelhead quest is more popular than ever, and many fisheries receive extensive pressure. Stretches of rivers that a few years ago seemed devoid of crowds now demand patience and a willingness to share the stream. Most folks on the river acknowledge other anglers with jovial or at least cordial small talk. Some are less generous, making no pretense of affability as they seriously work a particular stretch of water.
"Hey, they're public waterways," Mellegers said. "There seem to be more people on the rivers. I think a lot of it has to do with the Internet and the information people can get about steelhead fishing."
Just knowing about steelhead and being able to consistently catch them are different things. Some anglers chase steelies from a young age, learning and refining their techniques, cataloging what they know about reading water and fish behavior. Moreover, putting together appropriate tackle is a large part of the process.
"You don't need a $350 reel or an expensive rod," Mellegers said. "The main thing is to use good line and get a good reel with a good drag system. They don't have to be expensive."
Once on the water, putting together knowledge, experience and tackle, and gaining a feel for how the fish react, are impetus for understanding the sport and succeeding at it.
Jerry Meredith, an electrical contractor from Redding, Calif., has fished for steelies since about 2001, accompanying a good friend to steelhead hotbeds such as the Chetco, Smith, Klamath and Trinity rivers. He claims that the light finally went on for him last week.
"I finally feel like a bona fide steelhead fisherman," said Meredith, who fished with friends on the Trinity. "It was the best trip I've ever taken, and it's because I finally got it. It was a subtle difference, but I learned the difference between the feel of a fish hitting and just roe bouncing on the rocks."
With that understanding came confidence and a new sense of accomplishment.
"Before, I had fun, but I was just hoping I'd hook one," Meredith said. "But when it finally clicked, it became an expectation to catch fish, not just the hope. It's a very anxious excitement."
And the battle once the hook is set?
"It's beyond words," he said.
The fight in the fish comes from their physiology. Built to swim from the ocean upriver to spawning beds sometimes hundreds of miles inland, steelhead have endurance paralleled only by salmon, their anadromous cousin.
"That's what people are looking for, the fight," Mellegers said. "You can go out on the ocean and find yellowfin tuna or dorado, and they are great fighters. But steelhead are harder to find. They give you that great fight, but only after you've been able to find them."
