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Steelhead Expo and Derby on Tap for Next Weekend by Eric Barker Moscow-Pullman Daily News, January 3, 2026

Seminars and fishing contest back for second year; starts Friday

Tournament steelhead fishing and a slate of informational fishing seminars will highlight the 2026 Steelhead Expo and Derby that kicks off Friday at Lewiston.

The three-day event centered at the Hells Canyon Grand Hotel made its debut last year and organizer Toby Wyatt is looking to build on its success. He said the seminars proved to be especially popular.

"It was anglers coming in for the knowledge, to extract the knowledge from the seminars and from those big names," he said. "This year we kind of built on that, everything that worked last year tried to emphasize this year."

Presenters include writer Bill Herzog, Shane Magnuson of Northwest Bait and Scent, and Duane Inglin of Fish Hunt Northwest. They will cover different fishing techniques, curing eggs and shrimp for salmon and steelhead, and some far-from-home fishing destinations.

Herzog will give a talk on fishing for steelhead on the Olympic Peninsula.

"It's kind of the creme de la creme of big wild steelhead. The chromers we don't get here," said Wyatt.

Magnuson will give a presentation on fishing Drano Lake -- a cold-water refugia on the Columbia River near White Salmon where migrating adult salmon and steelhead often park on their way upstream.

"A lot of our steelhead pull in there and they hang out for weeks," Wyatt said. "It's unbelievable fishing. You can catch tons of steelhead going to multiple, multiple rivers and there is salmon in there, too."

Just like last year, the seminars will be held in the afternoons, leaving the mornings free for fishing.

The tournament is expected to have a payout of about $7,000. Overall prizes and daily prizes will be awarded in men's, women's and youth divisions.

Last year, 172 tournament anglers turned in 90 hatchery steelhead. Wyatt said the Idaho Department of Fish and Game has capped the tournament at 200 anglers and is asking people to avoid high-traffic areas around hatcheries on the North Fork of the Clearwater River.

The derby entry fee is $60 for anglers 16 and older and includes admission to the expo. Children 15 and younger who are accompanied by paid adults can participate for free. The deadline for online registration to the derby is 3 p.m. Wednesday. People can also register at the Hells Canyon Grand Hotel during the expo.

More information and online registration are available at extremefishingevents.com/steelhead-expo/

Related Pages:
Steelhead Opening on Columbia, Drano After More A-runs Than Expected Show by Andy Walgamott, Northwest Sportsman, 7/31/25