An angler here caught a giant steelhead that would have weighed more than the current state record of 27 pounds, 4 ounces -- had he not gutted it before weighing it!

These small chrome-bright steelies usually fall into the 3- to 5-pound class and can help anglers get a last-minute steelhead fix before having to go cold turkey for the next several months. While bluebacks are much smaller than the winter fish, in the warmer water of the spring, they put up a great scrap on light gear.

TIMING
As early as late August, steelhead start poking into the Mad River, but the bulk of the hatchery run shows up in December. If the river conditions are right, some of the best fishing typically takes place between Christmas and Jan. 1.

Hatchery steelies will continue ascending the river in January and then peter out later in the month. Of course, a few fresh fish are always trickling in through February. But by late January, anglers will see a much higher percentage of wild fish.

It's illegal to keep native steelhead, but you can still have plenty of fun catching and releasing them.

Most years, the crowds disappear once the hatchery run tapers off. You'll find more elbowroom later in the season.

In March, the river will still have some fresh fish in it. But the large majority of steelhead will be runbacks or "downers" -- fish that have spawned and are making their way back to the ocean.

Though not as sporty as they were when they were heading upstream, these fish are good for some catch-and-release fun while you wait for bites from fresh-run steelhead.

The Mad, like most other streams in the area, closes to fishing on April 1. By late March, most anglers are catching bluebacks, if they haven't moved on to other pursuits.

LOCATION, LOCATION . . .
Though the Mad has many miles of good steelhead water, the best fishing generally takes place in the short stretch of river between the hatchery and the Blue Lake Bridge. This is the epicenter of the action where you'll find the largest concentrations of steelies -- and steelie anglers.

Probably the most popular spot on the river is "The Pipe," which sits just below the mouth of the fish ladder. (On either side of the ladder, there are swathes of river a few hundred feet wide that are closed to fishing).

Steelhead homing in on their birthplace will hug the rocks near The Pipe. And during the peak of the run, anglers working from the disabled fishing-access area on the hatchery side often catch mind-boggling numbers of fish.

Below there, spots like Summer Bridge, Walton Paving, the mouth of the North Fork and the flat below the Blue Lake Bridge are all hot zones.

Some anglers also work the stretch just upstream of the hatchery, where there are several nice riffles, flats and runs to explore. However, you have to be willing to hike up there. The only roads are private logging roads owned by timber companies.

The loggers don't seem to mind anglers hiking on the roads. But just to be safe, it's probably a better idea to stay inside the high-water mark and walk on the gravel bars. That way, you won't run into any potential trespassing issues.