The full impact of steelhead fishing tends to land on you after several days in a drift boat; you’re either sore and wired from wrestling with steelies who grew big and strong in the ocean, or you’re just sore from casting where there apparently aren’t any damned fish.
A Rogue Steelie from a few years ago.
Steelies are constantly on the move and they’re moody to begin with, so even at its best, steelheading is fundamentally existentialist in nature. What separates steelheaders from the rest of the crowd is that they don’t seem to care much either way, and to the uninitiated it can appear they’re driven by despair as much as hope.
Sartre would have loved steelheading.
The Underground Uncovers a few Northern Steelhead Blogs
For some of the reasons mentioned above, I’m not much of a steelheader, but that didn’t stop me from looking for a few steelhead blogs, which – given the difficult nature of the pursuit – could be bitter, disillusioned efforts written by fishers living on the edge of madness.
Or not.
I was happy to find a handful of relatively sane efforts that demanded attention, this batch mostly from the Northern US and Canada.
First, there’s Musings of a Mad Fisherman (aren’t we all), a well-written blog from Ontario. Lots of nice pictures and no shortage of good stories.
Following on its heels are the Steelhead Diaries, another steelhead-focused blog with nice pictures, located (I think) in New York state.
Hooks and Liars is another Ontario blog, this one run by A.J. Somerset, a writer and photographer. A good read that includes conservation issues.
Drag Free Drifts is yet another Canadian blog that focuses not only on fly fishing for steelies, but also fishing for them with “centerpin” reels.
As always, comments are welcome. After all, it’s the Underground, not some weenie, above-the-ground dictatorship…
[tags]steelhead, canada[/tags]
Thanks for the acknowledgment, Tom.
The Steelheading world is a small one up here, and I’m familiar with all mentioned above. All are accomplished in their own right.
Steelhead Diaries comes out of London, Ontario. Not only is he a great fisherman, but he sure knows how to take a good fishing picture as well.
Waking up at ungodly hours in the middle of winter, and standing on a windswept riverbank in subzero temperatures for the hope of playing tug-of-war with a steelhead could arguably be defined as insanity :-)
BCM(Quote)
You’re welcome. Good stuff up there, and while I steelhead from time to time (mostly with Dave Roberts on the Rogue), I’m still curious as to what drives the people that do it all the time (besides hard liquor, of course).
p.s. – I’d love to be in your blogroll.
Tom Chandler(Quote)
Your question is a very good one, but the answer is much too expansive to be written here. Visit http://musingsofamadfisherman.blogspot.com/ for the answer.
BCM(Quote)
“given the difficult nature of the pursuit – could be bitter, disillusioned efforts written by fishers living on the edge of madness”
Bitter? never.. Disillusioned by living on the edge of madness? Most definately!
Why Steelheaders(both Gear & Fly)test their sanity in sub-zero conditions yearly, Is a question I myself have never fully understood, nor answered.
For some reason, year after year, I continue to do so. Maybe it’s a basic instinct somewhere deep within? Maybe we are a breed apart?
Whatever the reasons, other species denote the same devotion by anglers as much as Steelhead. It’s quite possible it’s the intrigue of un-certainty or not being able to control the variables involved, that attracts us to a particular species?
Hopefully I never find the answer to this Zen like question & enjoy the ride that it brings my way…
SD(Quote)
You have some great articles and it was great reading. For those who ask why do we steelhead fish in sub-zero temps when fishing it’s self is nearly impossible. Well if you have to ask the question you won’t understand the answer it’s something that gets deep inside all true steelhead fishermen that we are self question from time to time, yet we return back to the river as soon as we have an opportunity!
Thanks for the reading material Steelhead Gear.Com
rrsmith(Quote)
Great Article. You have a lot of great content on your blog. Glad I found it via google so I can learn more about fishing.
Brandon Mulnix(Quote)
being obsessed by Steelhead happened before catching my first fish, which took countless days, endless optimism and patience, really poor casts, no idea what fly to use, sinking or floating line, swing or high stick,sweat pouring down waders, backcast hookups. Without a doubt it borders on the edge, but that first wild hen left me no choice but to keep after it. When the calendar seeems to start in late August, yeah, well you have to be one of us to understand
laurie(Quote)
Great blog and good content. It took me a few years to catch my first steelhead in the Lake Erie tributaries. Finally caught my first one at 10 years old. Been in love with it since.
Sean(Quote)