This was our last shot at the 2024 steelhead run. Time was of the essence. The holidays were upon us, and we both had family coming to town. We had one day. One short, late fall day to make a round trip over the Bitterroots. Likely, we would spend more time in the rig than on the river. Better judgement be damned, we met in the dark and navigated icy roads on the circuitous path to the Clearwater River.
Idyllic conditions greeted us at the river's edge. A low ceiling hung over the valley. The barometer was stable. Not a breath of wind to impede our casts. More critical than atmospheric conditions, not another angler was in sight as we rigged up and marched to our respective starting points. I took the top of the short run, while my fishing partner, also named Justin, elected for the tailout. I began working out line, one Snap C at a time, until my fly was landing on the edge of the Clearwater's primary current. Following my swing, I arrived at the hangdown, where Justin entered my field of view. Sure as shit, he was already hooked up. We hadn't been in the river for 5 minutes. A search on a massive river the size of the Clearwater shouldn't be so easy.
Why Steelhead Fishing on Big Rivers Is So Challenging (And Rewarding)
Steelhead fishing is often described as a pursuit of hope. It's a game of patience, persistence, and faith, where somewhere beneath the flow, a chrome ghost is holding steady in the current. Now add a massive river into the equation—like the Columbia, Skeena, or the Clearwater—and you've got one of the most demanding and humbling fishing challenges in the world.
The Scale of the Water
Big rivers are awe-inspiring. They stretch wide, deep, and often fast, pushing volumes of water that seem impossible to read. Unlike smaller coastal streams where pockets and seams are obvious, big water hides its secrets. Where do you cast? How deep are the fish holding? Are they even there? Learning to read water on this scale requires time and experience—and even then, the river can change overnight.
Locating Steelhead in Moving Water
Steelhead are notorious for being elusive, and on large rivers, they have room to roam. They might be 100 feet out or tucked tight to the bank. Sometimes they're suspended mid-column, while at other times they're hugging the bottom in a deep trench. Add variables like fluctuating flows, temperature shifts, and angling pressure, and it becomes clear: locating steelhead on a big river is often more about intuition and hard-earned knowledge than luck.
Reading Flywater
The best swing water moves like a walking pace—not too fast, not too slow. If it's too fast, your fly won't stay in the zone long enough. Too slow, and the fly may lose its life and drift without tension. A steady, walking-speed current allows your fly to swing naturally across the fish's field of vision and trigger that instinctive grab. Look for water that's 3 to 6 feet deep, with a slightly softer edge or inside seam. Steelhead love transitional zones—where fast meets slow, deep meets shallow. Rocks, boulders, ledges, and drop-offs all create the kind of structure steelhead use to rest and wait. On bigger rivers, that structure might be 70 feet off the bank or just five feet in front of your boots. A fly rod is the perfect tool for covering the inside traveling lanes on a big steelhead river.
Beyond the Swing: Bobber and Jig with the ALLSALT
Beyond where Justin and I could reach with the ALLFLY, a juicy mid-river lie held my gaze. I envisioned a traveling steelhead arriving at this rest area while I assembled the ALLSALT with the #2 section, the most sensitive of the lineup, and rigged up a bobber and jig. Justin seemed to have the mojo today, so I handed the rod off and watched him solve the puzzle. He found the sweet spot, where the bobber eddied out momentarily. It bounced, he set the hook, and a slab of chrome went airborne.
The Payoff
Despite all this—or maybe because of it—hooking into a steelhead on a big river is an unforgettable experience. When the line goes tight, and that fish cartwheels across the current, all the miles walked, hours cast, and fishless days fade. What's left is a primal connection to one of the most powerful and revered fish in freshwater.
Final Thought
Steelhead fishing on big rivers isn't for everyone. It tests your patience, your skill, and your spirit. But for those who put in the time, who learn the water and respect the fish, the reward is profound. Because when you finally connect, it's not just a catch—it's a triumph.
Whether you're chasing your first chrome bright slab or chasing that one fish that keeps you up at night, the Allrod system is built to meet the demands of big water, big swings, long drifts and big dreams.
