Steelhead

[rickerd]

I'm hoping you can learn from mistakes so I will offer this advice.

First - trout especially large trout cannot live in water above 72 degF for very long.
Second - when trout die, they sink they do not float. That is why you don't see them on top of the water.
Third - gear, use a shock bungee leader or 6-10 feet of mono as a shock resister. When they hit, especially at 3.5mph, they can take your tackle with them.

So I hope you understand all the water in the WB from sandbar west is too hot for steelhead this time of year. A 16-20 incher may still be able to survive the hot water but they will not prefer it.
So yes you have to fish east of the sandbar this time of the year.
Also understand, if you intend to release them after trolling, they will die. Even in the CB the water temps are 77 degF or more down to 40 feet now. Trout fight to their death and have no energy to swim back down to cooler water.

So, Just like with perch, if you release a steelhead and it dies, it counts toward you total.

Tight lines,
Rickerd