mike rousseau Posted September 12, 2011 Report Posted September 12, 2011 I'm looking to do some float fishing for steelhead this fall/winter/spring... Over the last 2 years I've researched artificials for steelhead and people seem to be doing well on these options... I have Wooly buggers in pink, olive, and black Steelhead jigs in pink, purple, and orange Trout beads Soft artificial eggs 6&8 mm in tangerine color And pink berkley worms... I think I have a good selection But how to use thus stuff?... And dose this stuff work? Do I add scent? Am I wasting my $$$ on this artificial stuff? Like I said... I primarily would like to float fish for these trout... But I find roe a pain in the rear end... And would like to avoid harvesting fish for their eggs... Thnx Mike
esoxansteel Posted September 12, 2011 Report Posted September 12, 2011 Your selection is good, but choice of baits will depend on the types of river you choose, faster flows vs slower flows experiment as different baits will work on different days etc, also choice of color will depend on the clarity of the water as well.
BillM Posted September 12, 2011 Report Posted September 12, 2011 Early fall hardware can definitely be the ticket when the water is still a bit warm. Once the cold gets here nothing beats nasty jam bags. I like running jigs as well, but only in certain rivers.
fish_finder Posted September 12, 2011 Report Posted September 12, 2011 Hey Mike, You can pretty much use any of those items the same way you would use roe or any other live bait. Its basically going to be hitting the right depth, as well as fishing the right sections in any given run/pool, etc. You should add some nymphs into that arsenal such as stoneflies, caddis, and mayfly nymphs. When steelhead are young, they spend at least one year in their natal streams. While there, they are feeding on nymphs more than anything else. When they return to spawn, natural instinct takes over and they'll hit nymphs simply out of what they know as food from their juvenile years. Dave
mike rousseau Posted September 12, 2011 Author Report Posted September 12, 2011 How do you determine wich presentation you use on a given day? River? Or pool?
BillM Posted September 12, 2011 Report Posted September 12, 2011 How do you determine wich presentation you use on a given day? River? Or pool? Get out there and figure out what works. It can change daily.
misfish Posted September 12, 2011 Report Posted September 12, 2011 (edited) I prety much have what you mention Mike. Get out there and figure out what works. It can change daily. Bill lives real close,so I just supply java and the ride. Edited September 12, 2011 by Misfish
vinnimon Posted September 12, 2011 Report Posted September 12, 2011 Flip a rock or two over, never know what you will find there. You may have it your arsinal If not then you know what the next step will be. if need so.
MJL Posted September 12, 2011 Report Posted September 12, 2011 I use whatever every other angler is using out there...You know...To match the hatch 40 pink worms going down river in unison can’t fail!
misfish Posted September 12, 2011 Report Posted September 12, 2011 I use whatever every other angler is using out there...You know...To match the hatch 40 pink worms going down river in unison can’t fail! I can only find the small 3 inch ones.Where to buy the larger ones?
daryl0815 Posted September 12, 2011 Report Posted September 12, 2011 How do you determine wich presentation you use on a given day? River? Or pool? I find that like a lot of species, trout prefer brighter colors when the water is stained, and more natural when it is clear, having said that I have caught trout on the pink worms in clear water, I would pick up some red berkley worms also, I have done really well on that color in the past. I also like to use live worms, but smaller 2-3inch ones on a small #8 or 10 salmon hook below a float. Obviously lighter line, and smaller flies/artificial in clearer water. I find the perfect color for the water is the greenish tinge with about 3-4 feet of visibility, which usually occurs a day or 2 after a good rain. Try fishing the head of a pool, where the fast water goes into the deeper slower water, throw your rig into the shallower water and let it drift down into the deeper water so that the rig is at proper depth as the water gets deeper, alot of active fish will hold in the head of the pool and wait for a meal to get washed down to them, so if you start your drift in the deeper section of the pool, you might pass over some active fish. Also try to fish the seams where the fast current breaks with the slower water, and back eddies, it allows a bit of a slower drift, while still presenting the bait to trout that are holding in the current. The tail end of pools, and current breaks like big rocks, I find holds less active fish, but they still can be caught, always remember to let your drift go as long as you can stand it, sometimes you will be surprised how many fish pick up a bait at the end of a drift. Fallen trees and blow-downs that provide shade can be key when the sun is high also. Sometimes a bottom bouncing rig works better than a float, so experiment a little bit if you aren't getting anything after a while using one presentation. Also remember to talk to fellow anglers, sometimes particular rivers will have certain colors that outproduce others, so talking to someone who fishes there a lot can come in handy.
MJL Posted September 12, 2011 Report Posted September 12, 2011 I can only find the small 3 inch ones.Where to buy the larger ones? Riverwood makes 3 inch ones but fatter. Berkley makes 4 & 6" pink worms as well - I know Lebaron carried them at one time. I've used pink worms up to 10 inches (My friend got them from BPS in Florida) and I managed to win $25 and a McDonalds apple pie...My friend bet me I couldn't catch a steelhead with one...But I did
daryl0815 Posted September 12, 2011 Report Posted September 12, 2011 Riverwood makes 3 inch ones but fatter. Berkley makes 4 & 6" pink worms as well - I know Lebaron carried them at one time. I've used pink worms up to 10 inches (My friend got them from BPS in Florida) and I managed to win $25 and a McDonalds apple pie...My friend bet me I couldn't catch a steelhead with one...But I did Haha and a Mcdonald's apple pie! I caught some in the spring on riverwood worms fished almost weightless, wacky rigged like senkos, the trout were actually chasing them it was awesome.
misfish Posted September 12, 2011 Report Posted September 12, 2011 (edited) Riverwood makes 3 inch ones but fatter. Berkley makes 4 & 6" pink worms as well - I know Lebaron carried them at one time. I've used pink worms up to 10 inches (My friend got them from BPS in Florida) and I managed to win $25 and a McDonalds apple pie...My friend bet me I couldn't catch a steelhead with one...But I did Thanks bud. 10 inch Food for thought. If it,s an apple pie to get you to trick my tricks,Im buying. Edited September 12, 2011 by Misfish
mike rousseau Posted September 12, 2011 Author Report Posted September 12, 2011 So if I'm at a pool with fish in it... How long or how many drifts do you give a presentation before changing up... Like if I have a pool with 10 steelhead in it to myself... Do you "run and gun" threw your presentations... Like no hit in 10-20 minutes change up?
daryl0815 Posted September 12, 2011 Report Posted September 12, 2011 So if I'm at a pool with fish in it... How long or how many drifts do you give a presentation before changing up... Like if I have a pool with 10 steelhead in it to myself... Do you "run and gun" threw your presentations... Like no hit in 10-20 minutes change up? pretty much yes, change colors/baits after 20-30 minutes with no action, but make sure you cover the water, dont repeat the same drift over and over again, one you dont want to spook the fish too badly, and 2 sometimes all it takes is a foot one way or the other to make all the difference.
misfish Posted September 12, 2011 Report Posted September 12, 2011 Im sure things have not changed since I was doing it back 20 or so years. When I fished a slow pool,I went with a single egg under a float. I boiled my own.Added some cod liver oil to the jar and a hint of ennece(sp?). Anyone else?
mike rousseau Posted September 12, 2011 Author Report Posted September 12, 2011 Im sure things have not changed since I was doing it back 20 or so years. When I fished a slow pool,I went with a single egg under a float. I boiled my own.Added some cod liver oil to the jar and a hint of ennece(sp?). Anyone else? Anise... Smells like black licorice...
misfish Posted September 12, 2011 Report Posted September 12, 2011 (edited) Anise... Smells like black licorice... Yes. Not to much. The oil preserves the egg. I should warn you.If you do boil yer own,send the wife and kiddies out for a few hours,or you can do it like I did after learning . Use a portable burner outside. When you boil yer own,you want to see an eye in the egg. That to me is the milking of the egg. If you over boil,then you might aswell buy mikes eggs in a jar. Man Im getting back my old school stuff.LOL Edited September 12, 2011 by Misfish
mike rousseau Posted September 12, 2011 Author Report Posted September 12, 2011 Yes. Not to much. The oil preserves the egg. I should warn you.If you do boil yer own,send the wife and kiddies out for a few hours,or you can do it like I did after learning . Use a portable burner outside. When you boil yer own,you want to see an eye in the egg. That to me is the milking of the egg. If you over boil,then you might aswell buy mikes eggs in a jar. Man Im getting back my old school stuff.LOL So you literally boil your salmon eggs? Please explain... I've tried different egg cures but wasn't impressed with the end result...
Bernie66 Posted September 12, 2011 Report Posted September 12, 2011 (edited) Gagnon in Oshawa had some Gulp saltwater 3" trout worm left over from there Aug sale for $1.99. They had them in chartreuse, peach and orange. They seem to be thicker than the originals. Good to try in dirtier water on a small jig head. They still had a poop load of them lastweek. Edited September 12, 2011 by Bernie66
misfish Posted September 12, 2011 Report Posted September 12, 2011 (edited) So you literally boil your salmon eggs? Please explain... I've tried different egg cures but wasn't impressed with the end result... Just take a pot of water,add some salt. As the water is about to boil,add a cup of eggs. Stir gently.Once they come to the top,allow them to boil til you see the orange eye in the white egg. Scoop out and put in the jar of oil/Anise right away,dont allow to cool.They will plump 1/8 the size. I tried this once while doing beets for canning. You talk about red jewels. It,s all about the right temps.If the eggs cool to much,they will harden and will not absorb. If they are still hot,or warm,they will aborb the scent/colour. Edited September 12, 2011 by Misfish
mike rousseau Posted September 12, 2011 Author Report Posted September 12, 2011 So you boil till they are milky outside and orange inside... Then scoop em into oils of choice... What's the end result like?? Firm centers? Or do they pop when a hook touches them? I'm assuming they are firm... And when you have the boiled eggs in the jar... Do you refridgerate? Freeze? Neither? Shelf life?
misfish Posted September 12, 2011 Report Posted September 12, 2011 So you boil till they are milky outside and orange inside... Then scoop em into oils of choice... What's the end result like?? Firm centers? Or do they pop when a hook touches them? I'm assuming they are firm... And when you have the boiled eggs in the jar... Do you refridgerate? Freeze? Neither? Shelf life? Boy you sure are stetching my memory here. The white part if firm. The gold eye (as I call it) is the milking/scent. I would pop the hook through the yellow eye ,then through the white. Like I said,I would make a cup full.This would stay in the fridge for the fall and spring months.
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