# Fall steel



## rippin lip (Nov 29, 2010)

Tricked my first fall run fish of 2022 today on a south west river this morning. Setup was an 8 gram raven on 12# sunline fine float mainline, 1/4 oz inline sinker, 8lb sunline sniper leader, and a gamagutsa #8 hook tipped with a crawler. That bobber dropping followed by violent headshakes never gets old!!!!


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## Swampbuckster (Nov 28, 2010)

They are in! We are 0-2 today. On our last run and packing it in. First fish smashed a 3.0 Metallic Perch while slipping down a run with the motor. Drag too loose, boat drifting down, fish coming up. Couldn’t keep up with it and shook loose. Second in same run this time while dragging anchor smashed a Orange Flame 3.0. Rod doubled over and stripping drag. Fish cleared the 2’ mark on a jump back down she went. 30 yards across river 30 yards back then up she bolted, I was able to keep up but she just kept going….. under the pontoon and the motor separated my uni knot fish off! All in about 4 seconds! It’s been a grind but those fish will come to net soon!!! Have seen a few cohos below creek mouths, messed with them a bit but didn’t care to bite spinners or spawn under a bobber. Couple good small mouth and a few small ones. Great day for a a Grind!


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## RS1983 (Mar 16, 2009)

We had a really good run of Skamania this year. Whenever that happens you can pretty well count on good early fall fishing.


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## RHRoss (Dec 5, 2020)

RS1983 said:


> We had a really good run of Skamania this year. Whenever that happens you can pretty well count on good early fall fishing.


And was nice cuz last 2 years were so so


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## JKFisher (Sep 27, 2021)

Fished the grand trib last weekend for salmon. Got this stocker by-catch and not complaining at all! 
Someone help me out, is this a summer or fall run?


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## slowpaya (Oct 23, 2011)

cant see your face that well


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## Macs13 (Apr 24, 2019)

JKFisher said:


> Fished the grand trib last weekend for salmon. Got this stocker by-catch and not complaining at all!
> Someone help me out, is this a summer or fall run?
> 
> View attachment 855780


A black hole is sucking you in, face first! Run, dude!!

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## Swampbuckster (Nov 28, 2010)

JKFisher said:


> Fished the grand trib last weekend for salmon. Got this stocker by-catch and not complaining at all!
> Someone help me out, is this a summer or fall run?
> View attachment 855780


That looks like a skamania to me. The overall slenderness, tube-sock like appearance can be a giveaway. Nice job!


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## slowpaya (Oct 23, 2011)

why do you think its a dude?or are you one that feels dude is gender inclusive.not sure how i feel being called a metrosexual,so....dont do it


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## Macs13 (Apr 24, 2019)

slowpaya said:


> why do you think its a dude?or are you one that feels dude is gender inclusive.not sure how i feel being called a metrosexual,so....dont do it


That's not what a metrosexual is, yes it's a guy, yes I use dude the same as hey guys - gender neutral. 

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## slowpaya (Oct 23, 2011)

not on same page...going fishing


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## TroutFishingBear (Aug 31, 2007)

Thanks for the tip on the worm rip lip , bought some today for trip later this week/weekend…as an extra thing to toss at em…used to catch huge rainbow/cut bow trout in Colorado on worms, why not a fall steelhead I suppose.


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## RHRoss (Dec 5, 2020)

I thought every Steelheader knew bout drifting a worm, come winter a wax worm also works great


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## sthlhdr_616 (Feb 4, 2021)

Worms/Crawlers definitely have their time to shine, just plan on a lot of extra "bycatch" taking up your time. Damn near everything swimming in the river likes munchin on those things.


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## nighttime (Nov 25, 2007)

Crawlers are also really good in spring time, great for pressured steelhead. Almost can’t resist them. Like 616 said you will catch several species in the process.


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## riverman (Jan 9, 2002)

Night crawlers will put good fish on your line year round. The trick is to learn how to fish them. Lots of negative for using them from others, but I just laugh at those people and their short sightness or belief you are not much of a fisherman for using them


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

I caught my first 3 Steelhead using nightcrawlers, and have been obsessed since.


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## Levelpebble Angler (Jan 21, 2021)

Fishndude said:


> I caught my first 3 Steelhead using nightcrawlers, and have been obsessed since.


That'll happen..


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## TroutFishingBear (Aug 31, 2007)

How about bead and crawler at the same time? Good idea?


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## SteelieArm14 (Jan 6, 2012)

JKFisher said:


> Fished the grand trib last weekend for salmon. Got this stocker by-catch and not complaining at all!
> Someone help me out, is this a summer or fall run?
> 
> View attachment 855780


Skam


Sent from my iPhone using Michigan Sportsman


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## TK81 (Mar 28, 2009)

nighttime said:


> Crawlers are also really good in spring time, great for pressured steelhead. Almost can’t resist them. Like 616 said you will catch several species in the process.


I have had some banner days chasing the steel on a heavily pressured Grand trib when I was probably the only one on the river with garden hackle. I have also got some sideways looks using my 8 weight to tumble a crawler through the dark water from the Orvis crowd with their Michigan Steelheaders patches.


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## Elliot7595 (Jun 15, 2014)

TK81 said:


> I have had some banner days chasing the steel on a heavily pressured Grand trib when I was probably the only one on the river with garden hackle. I have also got some sideways looks using my 8 weight to tumble a crawler through the dark water from the Orvis crowd with their Michigan Steelheaders patches.


Last year my best day of stealhead fishing involved a jig and baby crawlers. On top of that we caught some decent sized browns on that same float.


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## brianlc39 (Jan 27, 2013)

JKFisher said:


> Fished the grand trib last weekend for salmon. Got this stocker by-catch and not complaining at all!
> Someone help me out, is this a summer or fall run?
> 
> View attachment 855780


Looks very much like my secret spot.


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## Grinnell (Nov 20, 2019)

First fall steel for the year. Lake Huron pier. Johnson sprite spoon. Burned drag and surprised me. Thanks for the net job if your out there brother.


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## Grinnell (Nov 20, 2019)




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## Grinnell (Nov 20, 2019)

I like to show up with a 10’6 wild river loaded up with 4lb ultragreen. And a load of wigglers, smallest LO42 I can find


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## JKFisher (Sep 27, 2021)

brianlc39 said:


> Looks very much like my secret spot.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Michigan Sportsman


Super top secret spot. Only me and the 12 other guys fishing there before me must know about it 😆


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## brianlc39 (Jan 27, 2013)

JKFisher said:


> Super top secret spot. Only me and the 12 other guys fishing there before me must know about it


lol quite accurate 


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## Martin Looker (Jul 16, 2015)

I like to use a fly rod for steelhead and I have been known to toss crawlers and even spinners with it.


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## slowpaya (Oct 23, 2011)

I have a secret spot ,tore up the late steel after trout opener one year.
it looks just like that spot


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## tincanary (Jul 23, 2018)

TK81 said:


> I have had some banner days chasing the steel on a heavily pressured Grand trib when I was probably the only one on the river with garden hackle. I have also got some sideways looks using my 8 weight to tumble a crawler through the dark water from the Orvis crowd with their Michigan Steelheaders patches.


Back when I first started fishing steelhead, I watched a guy destroy them on an 8wt tied up for a spinning reel drifting crawlers. The bite was slow for the rest of us, but he was killing it. He wasn't using any weight, just a hook and a worm in the current. I went to ask him and we sat and had a good conversation.


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## D.Allred (Aug 12, 2019)

TroutFishingBear said:


> How about bead and crawler at the same time? Good idea?


I’ve tried a bead and a spawn sack and had a lot of success so I can’t imagine that wouldn’t work.


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## Martin Looker (Jul 16, 2015)

I have a 9wt fiberglass blank tied up for a spinning rod and it works great to dead drift crawlers or spawn.


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## EZDUZIT (Jan 14, 2003)

Following.


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## BOBRDWN (5 mo ago)

rippin lip said:


> Tricked my first fall run fish of 2022 today on a south west river this morning. Setup was an 8 gram raven on 12# sunline fine float mainline, 1/4 oz inline sinker, 8lb sunline sniper leader, and a gamagutsa #8 hook tipped with a crawler. That bobber dropping followed by violent headshakes never gets old!!!!
> View attachment 855637


I know that spot


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## rippin lip (Nov 29, 2010)

BOBRDWN said:


> I know that spot


You should!!!!! 😂😂😂


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## Clum (May 11, 2015)

slowpaya said:


> cant see your face that well


Yeah, thats some Covid mask...


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## rippin lip (Nov 29, 2010)

BOBRDWN said:


> I know that spot


@BOBRDWN and I fish together regularly, he netted this particular catch. Shared fist bumps and laughs followed. Dude is from my hometown and can flat out fish!!! He might have shown me the crawler trick😘


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## slowpaya (Oct 23, 2011)

welcome to Michigan Sportsman BOBRDOWN


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## Erik (Jan 17, 2000)

Got out for a bit on a south west trib. Same old story as everywhere else. Water is way low. Hard to launch a boat. Real slow going navigating the river. But good time for learning what the bottom looks like.
Fished about 6hrs and only got one little skipper. Fresh one though. He fought like he was a lot bigger. Used skein tied in sacks.


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

Went to Tippy Dam over the weekend for my annual Salmon Egg Harvest, which was (as always) a success. Tons of Kings being caught, but I was just out for eggs I could bum at the fish cleaning stations. Bummed 1 spawnbag from a buddy Sunday morning, and made about 6 casts in one spot with no bites. Broke my rod down with that bag still on, and drove to another spot. One cast, one fish (nice chrome 6# hen), and I called it a good weekend. It was tempting to tie up a few more bags, and see if I might find some more. But it was a good start to my fall Steelhead season, so I headed home. All my Steelhead bait dreams have come true for this year.


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## Erik (Jan 17, 2000)

Hit a SW trib over the weekend. Water level is about a ft higher than it was the weekend before. Made a big difference in launching the boat. Current up by the dam still screwy. A lot of people fishing up near the dam. So they must be some fish there. I went down river and not very many people. Unfortunately not many fish either. Well steelhead that is. I did find a lot of salmon. 
Managed to catch a skipper. Lost a much nicer one. Both nice and chrome. Had a few rips. Bumped a lot of salmon. 
Not used to fishing this low of water. Things seem different this fall. I been finding most of my old favorite spots are not holding fish. That or I'm just not fishing them right. Just kept working my way down river and trying any spot that looks like they would hold some fish. 

Think I'm going to head north next weekend. 
Hoping to hit it just right here pretty soon. So far been kind of tough. Early though, I know.


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