The Steelhead Angler

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Over the years I have been asked how you know when you have a hit while drift fishing for Steelhead. The true answer is you really never know for sure! When bouncing along the bottom of the river every time you bump a rock it feels something like a strike. There is a difference but until you feel it is hard to explain.

Some times your line will just stop this is always a good sign that there is a steelhead taking your line. Other times you will feel your line and it feels like it’s rolling over gravel (this happens quit often when the water is cold) This to is a good sign that you are having a steelhead strike. There are times when a steelhead will leave no doubt they have taken your line as they nearly jerk the rod out of your hand. Most of the time however it is just a slight difference in the feel of the line and the longer you fish for steelhead the better you become at feeling these minor differences.

There are times where you will not feel anything at all and this probably happens more then any of us know. I like to watch my line where it meets the water most of the time it leaves a small wake much like a miniature boat. But watching this when a steelhead is toying with your bait it will look like this wake is swaying back and forth in the same spot when ever I see this I will set the hook and more time then not it will be a steelhead.

There are times when you will be watching your line as it drifts through the hole and you notice that the speed at which it was drifting has slowed this to is a sign that you need to set the hook. I believe that when this happens the steelhead has been following you lure down stream and has just decided to pick it up to see what it is.

The bottom line is you never really know if it is a Steelhead strike or just bumping down the river. The best advice I can give is if you feel something different set the hook, if your line stops set the hook, if your line is not drifting as fast as it was set the hook, and when in doubt set the hook!!! 

By: RR Smith

Steelhead Gear.Com    http://www.steelhead-gear.com/

Tags: Steelhead, Steelhead Fishing. fishing

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 12th, 2008 at 10:24 am and is filed under Fishing Information. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.