Record numbers of steelhead are getting grabby this time of year on eastern Washington's Grande Ronde River. Anglers in the know will be there to greet them.

The Grande Ronde, seen from Rattlesnake Grade, flows through Washington's southeast corner near the town of Asotin and empties into the Snake River. Photo by Travis DeBoer.

The Grande Ronde flows out of Oregon and through Washington's southeast corner near the town of Asotin where it empties into the Snake River. This river cuts its way through some of the roughest and foreboding country in the state. Its spectacular desert canyons are host to some of the most diverse and interesting wildlife.

TOO MANY FISH?
This spring, the biggest draw will be the returned hatchery steelhead. The steelhead in this river average about 4 to 8 pounds with the occasional bigger fish mixed in. Despite the great distance these summer-run fish have traveled to be here, they are aggressive, and always provide excellent sport.

This year, these hatchery fish have returned numbering somewhere around 250 percent of the desired quantities. There is concern that this many hatchery fish give too much competition to the native fish.

This conflict is a huge concern for the state. But for now it's a bonanza for anglers.

With February's rising water temperatures, the Grande Ronde comes alive. These fish begin to wake up after doing little more than surviving through the cold winter. The fishing generally continues to be quite good well into April with the hottest time being mid-February and March.

TACKLE AND TACTICS
Almost any traditional steelhead tactics will work on these cooperative, aggressive fish. Fly-fishing, jig-and-bobber, as well as drift-fishing tactics, can all give you double-digit days when the conditions are right.

The Right Conditions
The conditions that add up to good fishing on the Grande Ronde are easy to identify: surface water temps climbing above the high 30s, and water that is anything chocolate-milk colored.

"Water clarity is not a huge issue, as long as it is not in a state of negative visibility," said guide Rick Hedding.

"Negative visibility" is when the water is so filled with debris that there is a reflection of your bait or lure inside the water.

When the water levels are dropping, the fishing is best.

When the water levels are rising, fish are moving and less likely to bite, said Hedding. Fish are staging and are more apt to bite when water levels are dropping.

Fly-Fishing
The Grande Ronde is famous for its fall dry-fly fishery. But this time of year, it's a wet-fly game.

Perhaps the most deadly tactic is nymphing with a strike indicator and various egg patterns or beads rigged tandem. These rigs are simple and effective.

Balloons blown up to the size of a thumb work great as an indicator. Attach the indicator near your floating fly line. Tie the egg patterns to the business end of your tippet. The total length from indicator to hooks should be two to three times the depth of the water being fished.

Control the rate of sink and the depth of the offering with a small split shot or better yet, lead-free tungsten putty. Simply add or subtract weight as needed to get your egg patterns in the strike zone and avoid snagging in shallower water.

If your indicator is going under every couple of feet, subtract weight. If it isn't ticking bottom occasionally, add weight.

Always fish these rigs with a drag-free drift. Mend upstream as much as needed.

Nymphing techniques allow you to cover water a little more quickly than traditional down-and-across methods. You can easily rule out unproductive water.

These techniques consistently out-produce every other method on the river this time of year and can be responsible for very high double-digit days.

If throwing string at the water is your passion, then the other methods will fill a day nicely as well and might even produce a fish or two. But if you really want to stay busy, use these nymphing techniques.