Water levels and color were about perfect yesterday in the middle of the PM River near Walhalla. Steelhead numbers were good but you have to sort through a lot of “zombi” males to find fish that have interest in anything (like eating) besides chasing each other around.
The clearer water, probably in combination with greater insect activity has brought a nice change to the spring. Instead of the big bright eggs that have been working all season with the dirty water, half our fish yesterday chose the bug.
The river is thick with drop-back steelhead, don’t forget to fish some holes. Drop-backs are great for streamers but you have to get deep enough. Trout will feed everywhere in the water column, where steelhead are bottom oriented. So don’t let streamer success with trout trick you into thinking that you have much chance at a steelhead.
