Winter’s Reward

One of the West Coast's last wild steelhead strongholds, the Eel River offers winter anglers a chance at chrome-bright trophy fish in a pristine coastal setting.

During the winter months (December through March), we turn our attention to the steelhead trout that migrate inland from the Pacific Ocean. One of the last strongholds of wild steelhead on the West Coast exists on the Eel River, and over the years, this has become one of our favorite rivers to chase these elusive fish. Conditions on the Eel River can be volatile in the winter as storms come and go, so our winter steelhead trips are all about timing the correct conditions to increase our odds of catching one. Any encounter with one of these wild, chrome-bright fish is an experience you will never forget.