In the history of Columbia River salmon the legend of the June Hogs may be the most fascinating story of all. It’s been estimated that the ancestral population of chinook salmon in the Columbia River was between 2 and 4 million fish. The largest of these chinook were the June Hogs, a strain of salmon so big they reportedly averaged between 70 and 80 pounds apiece with some specimens reaching upwards of 125 pounds.

A steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) is genetically identical to a rainbow trout. The difference between the two is that a rainbow trout spends its entire life cycle in freshwater while a steelhead trout is anadromous (sea-run) and migrates to the ocean to feed for a portion of its life cycle. Adult steelhead generally return to the freshwater stream where they were born after spending 2-3 years in the ocean to feed.

One of the questions I get most about steelhead fishing is “What should I pack for my trip?” In all reality you could show up to the boat with jeans and tennis shoes and probably catch fish and have a good time, but there are a few essential items you may want to remember to make that Oregon steelhead fishing experience that much more enjoyable.

So you want to go steelhead fishing in Oregon but you want to make sure you pick the right steelhead fishing guide. What are some of the questions you should ask before deciding?

Steelhead fishing in Oregon became popular in the late nineteenth century and early 20th century. East coast transplants brought with them the east coast fly fishing techniques…