Plastic Worms for Steelhead?
Plastic worms are very popular in British Columbia and they are beginning to catch on here in the U.S.This technique uses the same type of plastic worms that bass anglers have been using for quit some time now. Plastic worms in bubble gum, pink, oranges and reds are a very effective steelhead fishing bait. You can find some that are impregnated with sea salt those are my preference when I am choosing a plastic worm for steelhead bait.
These worms, usually fished with a bobber similar to jig fishing. You cast your offering upstream and let it float down naturally through the water. You fish the same type of water as with jig fishing. Concentrate on seams and pockets you believe to be holding fish. As with jig, fishing the ripples on the water causes the soft plastic worm to flutter and wiggle. This life like action is often just too much for a steelhead to resist.
Depth is critical when setting your bobber stop. Setting your bobber stop so that your weight is just off the bottom may take a couple of cast. When fishing a hole that you are not sure of the depth it is better to start set to high and then lower 12 to 18 inches with each cast. Once you float starts to bounce you know you are to deep reel in and raise your float about 12 inches and you are ready to fish. You will want your bait to be just above the fish’s nose.
Plastics can also be fished using the drift fishing method.
The trick here is adding just enough weight so you bounce off the bottom while drifting. I believe many anglers use about twice as much weight as they should. This will not only end up getting them snagged more often, it does not allow the bait to be presented in a natural way. They do end up catching a few steelhead however; they would do much better if they used less weight. If you feel your weight dragging the bottom, it is too much you want it to bounce. You should feel a tap, tap pause tap, tap pause when drift fishing.
