The Steelhead Angler

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This technique is affective on STEELHEAD, SALMON & TROUT

Drift fishing is easy, fun and effective. Many anglers have used the technique over the years. This technique only gains in popularity as more and more streams across the country are supporting trout, steelhead and salmon runs. Whether a beginner or a more experienced angler, this article will help, you become even more successful using the drift fishing method of fishing.

One of the most important, things you can do to improve your fishing success, is to maintain razor sharp hooks on your lures at all times. A fine-toothed file such as Luhr Jensen’s Sharp Hook File^TM is the absolute best hook-sharpening tool available. You hold it parallel to the hook point and with gentle, one-way strokes; remove a small amount of metal on at least two sides of the point. This will create a point with a razor-like cutting edge. Keep the file clean and dry and occasionally spray it with a non-corrosive lubricant such as WD-40. Sharp Hook Files^TM are available in 5 1/2′ x 3/4″ or 4 1/4″ x 5/8″ sizes.
© Luhr Jensen & Sons, Inc.

Typical drift fishing waters consist of a series of pools and rapids, with the pools (drifts) holding feeding, resting or migrating fish. Drifting lures through these pool areas, with the drift fishing technique, will often produce excellent results. The basic drift fishing technique consists of casting across and upstream, and then allowing your drift bobber and accompanying sinker to drift naturally downstream in the current, the sinker gently bouncing along the bottom. When your lure has drifted back near the bank, it is reeled in and another cast and drift made.

Buoyant drift bobbers simulate fish egg clusters, shrimp or other natural baits. Corkies, Sammie’s, and Spin-n-glows are some of the more common ones used. Their success is attributed to their color, action and buoyancy as they are drifted naturally along the bottom through fish-holding water.

There are scores of ways to add weight ahead of a drift bobber. Pencil lead, either solid or hollow core, is the most popular and has proved both economical and easy to use.

Some examples are depicted below:

Solid pencil lead is best fastened to your line using a Lead Cinch^TM, which consists of a three-way swivel and a length of surgical tubing. Your main line is tied to one end of the swivel, leader and bobber to the other end and a section of pencil lead inserted into the Lead Cinch^TM (surgical tubing). If the lead becomes snagged, it will pull away from the tubing and your drift bobber and tubing can be retrieved.

LEAD CINCH^TM: Surgical tubing and swivel rig for holding and attaching solid pencil lead. It comes ready to tie on and is available in three different diameters to fit all popular lead sizes.

LEAD TIP: Your pencil lead should always hang straight, as a bent or crooked piece of lead will often result in twisting or tangling of your line.

One of the big tricks to successful drift fishing is to select just the right amount of weight for the water you are fishing. A weight that is too heavy will snag easily while one that is too light will not keep your drift bobber near the bottom where the fish are. The ideal weight is one that results in a tap-tap-skip action as it makes regular contact with the bottom and then rises a bit before hitting again.

Experienced drift anglers usually start working an unknown drift with a 2 1/2- to 3-inch piece of pencil lead. After making a drift or two, they know if they need to shorten it or lengthen it until the drift feels just right with that tap-tap-skip action.

Hollow pencil lead is best fastened by crimping it to a short leader dropped from a barrel swivel as shown in the illustrations. If this lead becomes snagged, a sharp pull will free the lead from the drop leader and your drift bobber, leader and swivel can normally be retrieved.

Pencil lead comes in coils or long sections so you can cut off the desired amount. Most lead available through sport shops comes in diameters of 1/8, 3/16, and 1/4 inch.

Successful drift fishing requires that your line be close to the bottom. Hence, it is important to use a heavier line than you would ordinarily select for lake fishing, as it will have to take the added bottom-scraping abrasion that comes with drifting. We recommend that you use a premium quality, monofilament line, such as Trilene XT® or Berkley® Big Game.

There are three instinctive reasons a fish bites a drift bobber: It is either hungry, protecting its territory or curious. Although strikes can be hard, they are often almost undetectable especially for the novice angler. Some fish will only lightly mouth a bobber and this kind of “take” is very difficult to discern from the lure’s ordinary bottom tapping. Many fish are lost or not hooked simply because the angler just cannot detect these soft pickups. There are, however, two things you can do which will help you seize these light-biters: Use razor-sharp hooks and add some yarn below your bobber.

Sharp hooks are critical no matter what kind of fishing you do, but they become even more important when trying to hook light-biting fish while drift fishing. A fish will have a great deal of difficulty getting a razor-sharp hook out if its mouth without it sinking in somewhere. Once a sharp point catches, every move the fish makes to expel it will only drive it deeper and you will feel a harder “hit” as the fish attempts to throw it.

Yarn is your second edge for hooking light-biters. The addition of a tuft of colorful yarn just ahead of your hook and below the drift bobber will add color and contrast to your lure; it will also make it very difficult for a fish to spit out the hook. Once taken, the yarn tangles in the fish’s teeth and every effort to get rid of the lure will send another signal to you to set the hook.

Drift anglers use yarn to give their lures added appeal and color. By tying a tuft on the hook itself, or just below the bobber so as not to interfere with its action, you will often increase a bobber’s effectiveness. As indicated earlier, yarn also can catch in the teeth of fish, allowing you extra time to feel the “set” and set the hook.

Welcome back:

So you just purchased your steelhead gear and now you‘re wanting to go and try your luck on the river. But you’re not sure of where to fish once you reach the river I will describe some of the basic spots in a river that may be holding some steelhead. The following are some examples of what I look for when I am fishing new water and I’m not sure where the fish are laying.

I thought that I would talk about where you might find Steelhead holding water and or travel troughs, Yes just like cattle or sheep follow the same trails, fish too seem to use the same troughs and these are what you look for when looking at a body of water.

Steelheads like to rest in the slower moving section of a river but usually do not stay in total slack water. Knowing this you look for spots where the heaviest part of the current is broken down and slowed either but a rock or maybe the bend in a river or even the river cannel itself.

In the following example I have outline four prime spots where a steelhead may be found.

A. You notice how on the lower side of this out line the water is what I call slack water very minimal current as a general rule steelhead do not like to lay in this type of water. However drifting inside of the outlined area would be a good place to find a steelhead as they like to stay right along side of the seam between the heavier current and the slack water.
B. Again you want to fish the seam that is formed by the rock, try hitting the upper most part of this seam when casting and not directly behind the rock in the slack water.

C. While this is not as obvious to the eye the rock slows the current by acting as a dam and the current is slowed making another go place for you to find a steelhead laying, this type of spot is excellent if there is a large run of swift water below the rock.

D. There are two rocks in the river at this point one exposed and the other has water running over the top of it. You want to concentrate your efforts in the seam created by the submerge rock as this is where a majority of the steelhead will lay.

The four locations mentioned above are the prim location drift through these location and concentrating on them should produce a steelhead, that not to say that the occasional drift through the slack water won’t as a mater of fact it is probably a good idea but concentrate on the seams when you can.

I this picture there are two seams where the steelhead like to travel.

The upper seam you will notice goes right tight against the bank and then comes out into the river cannel and follows the main current down stream.
The reason for this while not real clear in the photo is that there is a back eddy where the water swirls in a circle and steelhead do not like to fight this type of current they stay out where the water if flowing in one direction.

The lower seam is a typical river cannel seam caused by two factors the 1st is a bend in the river and the 2nd is a depression in the river bottom. These two conditions make for an excellent steelhead hole.

This is the type of hole that a lot of steelhead fisherman look for and spend much of their time fishing. It is a sure bet that if you find a hole like this and no one is fishing there you will catch a fish but enjoy it while you can because these type of holes more often then not become quite crowded with fisherman as the season heats up.

This nice Steelhead was caught in the river directly below this fisherman’s left foot just inside of the white water along the seam. Take note of the river conditions down stream and see how swift the river is that fact contributes to making this hole well worth fishing. The steelhead have fought the current for sometime to get it a place where they can rest and once there they will hold in places like this making them prime locations.

This is another type of hole to look for and I call this type a slick. You will notice that inside of the outlined area the river seems to be smooth with a couple of submerged rocks causing a faint ripple on the surface. These you will want to drift making sure that at the end of you drift your line and lure cut across just in front of the ripple as steelhead like to lay in front of these rock right on the bottom of the river.

Well I guess that that’s enough for now next time I’ll talk about how to tell if your bouncing on the river bottom or if you are having a steelhead striking your lure.

I hope you will come back to check and see my next article.

Good Luck and Good Fishing
RR Smith

http://www.steelhead-gear.com

If you believe this is going to happen at this time of year I suggest that you just stay home where it’s nice and warm, relax, and think about the coming months when the Steelhead fishing here in Idaho really picks up.

However if you want to try your luck out on the river you can still catch some nice Steelhead from the end of December through the middle of February, you just need to remember to be persistent. The Steelhead this time of year have moved into the deeper hold pools waiting for the water temperature and condition to change signaling its time to continue their trip to the spawning beds.

This time of year requires patience, persistence and a good amount of luck, some fisherman call the latter skill, however most Steelhead fishermen know that when fishing in these tough winter conditions we will take luck over skill every time. You need to change your fishing style this time of year to be successful and here are a few tips to help you out some.

* Don’t concentrate on the tail end of the hole like you would when fishing in the early fall move up stream and fish the deeper slower moving section of the hole.
* Dress warm as this time of year is brutal if you’re not prepared, and you won’t put in the time needed if you’re not able to at least tolerate the weather conditions.
* Drift through the same spot numerous times as the Steelhead have become somewhat lethargic do to the cold water temperatures and they really don’t want to have to chase anything.
* Switch up your lure colors and don’t be afraid to try something different Steelhead become very persnickety so give them something different.
* Keep your bait and lures small this is one of the most common mistakes Steelhead fisherman make during this time of year.
* Slow your presentation down as much as you can remember that the Steelhead have slowed down also.
* Try new or different spots concentrating on deep slow moving holes.
* Should you be fortunate enough to hook a Steelhead remember the spot where you hooked into him and keep on working that spot as Steelhead like to pool up together.
I have been Chasing Steelhead for over 35 years here in Idaho and yes you can catch some nice Steelhead when most Fishermen have put their rods up waiting for warmer weather and more active fish. Just follow the simple steps above and you to can enjoy one of the most peaceful times on the river and even hook into quite a few steelhead.

 Want to know my two favorite set-ups for winter Steelhead you can find them at http://steelhead-gear.com/Fishing Info Info . I may even see you on the river the next time you are out Good Luck and Good Fishing.

BY: RR Smith