Hardware for Late Season Steelhead?

[Eazy]

A freind of mine told me that as the season(fall or early winter)wears on, hardware becomes less and less effective?????

Anyone else found this to be true?

[kemper]

they get a little sluggish as the water gets colder. Some days you have to basically bump them in the nose with a juicy roebag to get them to bite so I would assume that hardware would become less effective yes

[Eazy]

Right on!.......Thanks Kemper!

[River Rat]

one of my favorite tricks under the ice is to slow wobble a huge flatfish a few inches off the bottom on slow but steady harbor current. Fish hit em hard. also, I always keep a panther martin and some small quick fish for winter break outs....when the lower ends stack with fish and then skim over with ice....we bust it out and I like to throw a panther martin in for the first few minutes...I get many hungry, aggresive winter fish this way. Yes they don't fight as well in the super cold water but they will hit a lure in cold water.

 

Roe will work OK but now that the salmon have come and gone, there isn't a ton of roe in the system for feed. Of course a white single can still cause srikes but artificials are my go to for cold days in Dec and most days after dec till ice out in the spring.

 

Cheers

 

RR

[torco]

Hi,

 

I am new to the board. At least when it comes to posting, I have enjoyed people's posts though for some time. Anyways what Kemper says make sense like all fish when the water gets out of their comfort range they slow down.

 

I would argue that it hasn't happened yet this year in the rivers I fish on Lake O. As I had a couple hrs on Sunday and managed to get 2 trout (1 rainbow and 1 brown) on a spinner. I decided before going I would give only only spinners/spoons a go and see what happens. It was alot of fun and good change from drifting.

[tdotfisherman]

I find that the best time for hardware is in the Spring, as the trout are making their way downstream back to the big lake. The water is warm and clear, and they are very hungry.

 

I've had huge days in tribs chucking spoons and spinners.. the 'Bows are extremely aggressive sometimes.

[Fang]

Water temp dictates everything. As it creeps down to below 40F fish will be hard pressed to take a spinner or wobbling bait. A couple of weeks ago when I was last out river temp was 52F still plenty warm enough for hardware. I bet it's dropped a bit since then

[Guest ThisPlaceSucks]

it's one weapon in the successful steelheaders arsenal.

[troutologist]

I suspect you can still catch fish on gear in colder water. I certainly know they hit lures out in the lake in very early spring...

 

 

Prehaps downsizing and fishing slower would be the trick. By changing the blades on a spinner from colorado to willow leaf you should be able to keep your bait down and fish slower.

 

 

That said, I haven't head any luck to speak of on hardware later in the year.

[Eazy]

Willow leaf style such as a Mepps Aglia long?

[asdve23rveavwa]

I've seen steelhead caught on Kwikfish in early January...slooooooow presentation is the key. Also, days where the "temp" rises a few degrees in the afternoon can make a large difference, as well.

[troutologist]

Willow leaf style such as a Mepps Aglia long?

 

 

Ya or some of the panther martins.

 

There was another one that fish well deep I think its called the double loon??

[Eazy]

I've tried those Roostertails, but you have to reel a hundred mph to get the blade to spin!

[BillM]

I've tried those Roostertails, but you have to reel a hundred mph to get the blade to spin!

 

 

Panther Martins spins with almost no force at all. I love them in small streams.. No need to reel 100mph to get the blade to spin.

[Guest ThisPlaceSucks]

i heard brookies like them too...

[Eazy]

I've got a thread about them on the OOD mag forum..

[fishinguypat]

jigs work good when its cold... marabou

[canadadude]

Winter is when we start using hardware here in Niagara, small wobbling plugs, streamers, spoons and such all take fish in the winter. The trout here go on the smelt bite in a few weeks and it's time to put the roe aside lots of days. You do fish diferrent areas though, slow deep water holds the trouties in the cold.