steelhead fishing

One thing you need to know is once steelhead leave saltwater and move to freshwater they can no longer utilize/digest food.  With that said, they still seem to have a feeding instinct and will still strike at baits or other fish but have no way to convert that food into body sustinance. In the fall, when steelhead reach Idaho and the water is still relatively warm, steelhead strike at items suspended in the water column.  That's why plugs, flies and lures are the most effective items for catching steelhead.  The best success is to fish eddy lines and the tail-end of pools.  In the winter when the water is colder, they aren't quite as agressive and bright-colored "sammy" with shrimp or other bait is a popular item to entice a steelhead to strike.  Usually, this bait needs to be presented in the water column and within close proximity. As temperatures begin to clime in the spring and steelhead get closer to spawning time, they become more aggressive and lures, plugs and flies are effective items to entice steelhead to strike.  Again, they are in the active water column and not feeding on the bottom.