Bait Below a Float?

[Dragfreedrift]

Rod-

When is primetime for the Vedder up your way?

DFD

[Ironhead]

A few stragglers around in december and a really good push in early january, these early fish are the clear finned, chrome bars that keeping fighting even while their in the back of your vest  .
The odd wild fish around from Christmas on and this run spreads itself out pretty well ,which makes for a good long season and not really huge number days,just the way I like it.
Ya gonna come up for a visit ??.

[winterchrome]

I too am a big fan of roe under a float.  I powder coat 1/8th and 1/16th cone weights and slide down the leader depending on water depth.  In shallower water, I leave them off. 

[SciGuy]

As some of you could probably have predicted, I''ll chime in on this subject.  Running bait under a float has been my most effective method for brats the past 4 years.  Both roe and sandshrimp tails have worked well with or without a glo bug or yarn for color and to hold scent.  I think that adding a split shot about 8 inched up from the hook is VERY important.  If there is no split shot, the bait swirls around in the current in and out of "the zone" (i.e. you don't have good depth control).  This is especially important if you, like me, fish a lot of swirling canyon water that doesn't have classic drifts.  If the weight is too close to the hook it kills the natural action of the bait that you get from having neutral bouyancy.  A split shot 8 inches up from the hooks seems like the perfect medium; you are in the zone but you get quite a bit of natural action.  I like this set up for another reason; you can easily adjust the presentation.  The rig can be suspend off the bottom for a dead drift presentation or you can move the float up the mainline and drag the bottom a bit (bobberdoggin/poor-man's-driftboat).  Both have been very effective...you just have to figure out what work on that day.  In general, I think slowing down the presentation is better when the water has a bit of color...but there have been many exceptions.

[bugnuts]

What do you know...you live in Denver. 

[SciGuy]

Hmm...welll, I know that you are a punk...flipping lawyers

Denver weather:  8 degrees, feels like -4 with the wind chill.

3 weeks until I'm back in WA to fight steel...

[bugnuts]

Nice to hear from you too Bill.    I'd like to hear your fishing schedule when your back in WA...we never did manage to hook up last year.

[SciGuy]

I'll shoot you a PM once the dates are set.  My guess is it'll be the 27th and 28th out on the penn. Keep posting pix until then.

[Brian]

Glad to hear your getting back up this way Bill! Good luck, look forward to your report!