Steelhead Trout Information

• Steelhead are trout that can be either anadromous, meaning they go back and forth from freshwater to saltwater, or purely freshwater. These fish, which are long and slender with dark green speckles and pink stripes down their sides, can grow as large as 10 to 15 lbs. Steelhead are also commonly called rainbow trout.
  
  

Regulations

• A Columbia River endorsement must be purchased when fishing for steelhead in many of Eastern Washington's rivers, in addition to your regular fishing license. A catch record card is also needed to fish for steelhead in Eastern Washington. The card allows you to record the details of your catch and it helps keep track of the fish populations. If you find a tag inside your fish while cleaning it, report it. Many other states have tags, but Washington's tags are smaller transmitters keeping track of the fish's location.
  
  

Lakes

• Two large lakes in Eastern Washington have steelhead fishing. One is Moses Lake, which is about 20 miles long and is known for its long steelhead in the winter. It is in the desert region of Washington, and was created by glacial melting in the area. Its size and accessibility make it a prime fishing spot. Another large lake known for Rainbow Trout fishing is Lake Roosevelt. This lake is on the Columbia River and is long and slender, reaching almost to the Canadian border more than 100 miles from its other end at Grand Coulee Dam. Lake Roosevelt is also known for large rainbow trout during late winter as water gets a bit warmer.
  
  

Rivers

• The river system in Eastern Washington includes the Columbia River, the Yakima, the Grande Ronde and the Snake River, which connects Oregon and Idaho to Washington via Hells Canyon. The upper Columbia is the most popular place to fish in the area, and you can fish it almost year-round. The Snake River is also quite popular and is a bit smaller, so it gets a lot of its fish from the Columbia. Most rivers have a summer and a winter run of steelhead, but the winter is the best time to fish for them in Eastern Washington.
  
  

Fishing Techniques

• If you are fishing for steelhead in lakes, employ a variety of techniques. Fly fishing works near the shores, and you can drift fish or use hardware such as spinners and spoons. Lakes are a places to practice. In the rivers, you'll have to decide on your technique based on the season and the size of the river. For the bigger rivers like the Columbia, you will have to deal with fast and deeper water. A good option is to find where the fish are traveling, and fish into it with flashy exciting lures like spinners. For the smaller rivers like the Snake River and the Yakima, you will be able to fly fish or drift fish more easily.