The Dream Species: Fall Steelhead

 for most of us, the species of fish we target fall into two distinct categories. There are the fish we might chase on any given day, before work, for an hour at the end of the night, or whenever life allows.

but then there are those species that for us, define us as anglers, and our region from a fishing perspective. They are the fish we've come to know and love, chase and read about, build friendships around, and read books about. When people travel with out-of-state license plates to get to us, these are the fish they're chasing.

In new york state there are certainly a handful, and it's a list that's fluid and varies for each angler. But you'd be hard-pressed to argue that brook trout in the adirondack park, giant muskie throughout the state, striped bass along long island and up the hudson, and salmon and steelhead in the great lakes tributaries are some of our definitive species. These are the fish we plan trips around, build friendships over, read books about and save vacation days for.

I'm a striped bass fan and have been for years, and have become fascinated by brook trout in new york since moving back upstate. I had the chance to chase them in a truly remarkable location earlier this summer in the st. regis canoe area, which you can read about here. 

i have tried the salmon fishing a few times, and the crowds were somewhat of a deterrent --  I usually enjoy some peace, quiet and space while fishing.

but steelhead have remained on the fringes of my fishing experience. I'm fascinated by the species, and have been lucky to target them a few times with fellow anglers, but they're still not a fish I'd consider myself proficient at targeting. Honestly, I enjoy trout and smallmouth fishing in the local streams too much to motivate myself to drive hours to steelhead fish... but they are certainly an incredible species in so many respects.

Stories about people are at the soul of the road to water, and we're looking forward to publishing a print book later this year, with more than 20 chapters, each about a truly remarkable angler, but we'll keep the stories coming on this blog in the interim. 

This week we caught up with a passionate and dedicated angler named John Giovenco to learn more about what makes these lake-run rainbow trout so amazing, and what it takes to successfully target them. 

to say john is obsessed with these fish would be a mild characterization. He has written books about chasing them, created t-shirts with their image, and we don't think he has a steelhead tattoo... but it wouldn't surprise us.

For the angler looking to learn more about them or target them for the first time, we asked john for a steelhead primer.

The following are excerpts from an interview.

What Makes these fish so memorable?

JG: Steelhead are a beautiful fish with a lot of power. During the fall, they're in their prime and are very explosive, they can jump, cartwheel, one minute they might be jumping and the next they're racing upstream. They can even spend more time in the air than in the water during a fight.

targeting them, is there any day  that stands out in your memory?

JG: A few days before Halloween in 2017 I had a tremendous day. I hooked more than 30 fish. The landscape was painted in autumn colors, the weather was sunny and cool, and i was the only fisherman in the area.

Have you ever dreamt of chasing steelhead in other states?
JG: I hope to one day fish the skeena river in british columbia or to fish alaska. It would be great to target sea-run steelhead and see the different scenery.

What's the wildest thing you've ever had a single fish do?
JG: In November of 2014, I had a steelhead that just kept jumping. It hit an Autumn Chrome fly and must have jumped ten times. This wound up being a wild fish of about 18 pounds, and it had perfect fins without any tears. The fact that it was likley a wild fish is probably what lead to such an amazing fight.

Do you prefer fall or spring fishing for them?
There are a lot more fish in the fall, so that's my favorite season for them.

Dose anyone stand out in terms of inspiring anglers who've motivated you?
JG: Two guys named John Dembeck and Lani Waller both taught me a great deal about the species. In terms of fly selection, and fighting and landing these fish, I learned from both of these anglers.

What's one thing about these fish an angler who hasn't targeted them might not guess?
JG: THey give such an explosive fight. Especially in the fall, they do not give up easily most of the time. It's like hooking onto a bolt of lightning in a way. They have a violent temper. Be prepared when targeting them, they'll test your gear and your fishing ability. 

In terms of flies, what are you mimicking?
JG: I use colors that steelhead like, such as blue, pink, chartreuse, or purple. Materials like marabou or peacock sword feather offer some movement that makes the fly look alive. These fish might be eating minnows, eggs or leaches, so those are popular patterns to imitate that forage. A few flies that have been particularly productive for me are Autumn Chrome, mykiss special, and fuse. egg flies like a glo bug in chartreuse or oregon cheese color can also be good. a black stonefly nymph with rubber legs and a blue wingcase can be deadly too. 

What do you do differently when tying your flies?
JG: I use certain materials and colors that make them unique. Every autumn i like to celebrate the new steelhead season with a collection of new fly creations i make for fall-run fish. I put a lot of time and thought into each pattern.

"A steelhead fight is not over until the fish is in your net or in your hand..."
- John Giovenco