Steelhead river getting too crowded? Target these secret fish-holding spots that most anglers overlook

Many anglers, myself included, prefer not to spend their fishing time competing with crowds for limited space. In my home province of Ontario, the congestion is especially noticeable on the Great Lakes tributaries that have autumn migrations of steelhead. Even if you have a full-time job and can only fish for a handful of hours on weekends, however, it’s still possible to find success on these heavily pressured steelhead waters. The secret is fishing in the places most other anglers overlook. Here’s how to find and catch your own secret stash of steelhead this fall…

REGS REMINDER: In many jurisdictions, the regulations covering autumn fishing in rivers can be quite complicated. Sometimes, steelhead will come up a river when the typical trout season is still open, but later in the season, the rules can change. And one tributary could have kilometres of legal fishing water, while another may only have a few hundred metres. Plus, the rules can change from year to year. With that in mind, always read the regs carefully to make sure you know exactly where you’re allowed to be—and when you’re allowed to be there.