FS Digest

Hello everyone, hope all is well. It's that time of year in WNY to start catching steelhead. I started at the middle/end of last season so I'm still pretty green. I went out today on Canadaway and got skunked bad. Anyways, I was wondering if I could get some help from you guys. Apologies in advance for the noob questions.

1. When it comes to buying floats, some companies market them as being for 'fast current/deep water'. What is considered "deep" water in terms of trout fishing? How do you determine what size float to use?

2. Do you guys put split shot on your leader line?

3. How long do you guys make your leader?

4. Is there a way to tell if my jig or eggsac is sitting in the strike zone?

Thank you guys in advance for your help. I've been a long time lurker so I know theres some guys in here with wisdom. Im looking forward to hearing from some of you and getting some insight on steelhead fishing!!

--
by nlrobot

Spiritof27 Loc: Lincoln, CA

I have found that steelies are not difficult to catch, it's locating them that's hard. Once you find em just let whatever you're throwing drift right in amongst em and they'll bite. I don't know about NY but here in California they follow the salmon and eat the roe. I always tried to get it deep, right above the bottom. Shot or weight? Depends on the current. If you can get it down with no weight that's good.

GLA Loc: WA State

In general, you want your float to sit up straight in the water. It should occasionally touch bottom as the fish can usually be found around a foot or so from the bottom. Some floats have a size label on them. e.g. 1/2 oz. This tells you how much total weight is optimal for the float to work correctly. So, if I'm fishing a 1/4 oz jig, I'd add 1/4 oz of weight below the float.

I sometimes use a small bb split shot 12-18 inches from my bait or lure to ensure it's getting down to where the fish are. I use a 3-4 foot fluorocarbon or mono leader. I fish the Northwest and am not familiar with your area. I generally use 20 or 30 lb braid and a 12 lb leader. Good Luck!

GLA Loc: WA State

To clarify my above comment, I should have said "the bait should occasionally scrape bottom". If the float is occasionally touching bottom, you'll probably need a new float. Sorry the the confusion.

FixorFish Loc: SW Oregon

I use a technique called "bobber doggin'" for steelhead, with some good success. The rig consists of a slip bobber on main line to a inline 3-way, using the "drop wing" to attach a weight (many choices..."bouncing betty", cannonball, ...or my favorite...2"-4" of hollow pencil lead crimped on wire with loop on attachment end and 1" or so "tag" extending to "tap" bottom) on short loop of light mono allowing for snags without losing whole rig. A leader of 24"-48" comes off the back and from there it can be a lure like a small kwikfish or Rebel crawdad, a blob of cured eggs, a nightcrawler rig, softbeads, spin'n'glow... even a trolling fly or a bunny leech. The bobber most use is a FLAT BOTTOM FOAM, specifically designed for bobber doggin'(although, being frugal, I just saw the bottom 1/3 off of a regular "largish" foam slip bobber). The premise of the flat bottom is that the bobber "drags" the bait/lure along at the same rate as the top layer of the current. Using P-Line Hydrofloat braid, it's easy to "mend" the line (just like fly fishing) to ensure that it's the bobber/lead weight that determine the presentation speed rather than the line being the drag force. I am using 9'-10' spinning rods, which aids the "mending" process and by opening the bail occasionally, can often can cover a 80-100+ yard drift, after casting upstream only 15-25. If the bobber is upright, move the bobber stop UP until it is laying over, POINTING DOWNSTREAM WITH SOME MAINLINE allowing the bottom to catch the flow..... the weight needs to be "ticking" the bottom, keeping the lure/bait where it needs to be..... where the steelies are !

One of the hardest things to learn about the technique is knowing how much slack to take out before setting the hook, because when the bobber goes down, the bait/lure & hopefully a FISH, will be closer to you than the bobber !
Good luck !