Winter Steelhead Bank Fishing 101

[SciGuy]

I have a co-worker who wants to get into winter steelheading.  I was trying to explain to him what lures/baits to use under what conditions and how those rigs might be modified.  I realized quickly that it was all too complicated so I resorted to graphics on the dry erase board in my office.  I transferred the chart into an image and thought I'd post it here.  In my eyes you should have at least 1 or 2 "lures" that fall into each of the 3 "lure categories" for a given "condition"...at least that is what I told him!

This is a gross over-simplification (i.e. ignores water temp, weather, etc.) but I thought it could serve as a place to start for a newbie.

Do you guys think this is fairly accurate or do you have comments?

[queets guy]

I thought it looked very good for a newbie steelheader.  However I wouldnt have the patience like you do to explain evrything, Id just show him how to rig up a bobber and jig set up with prawn and tell him to constantly mend his line.



              Jake

[OPfisher]

no on silty or glacial water with a spoon???

[SciGuy]

no on silty or glacial water with a spoon???

With respect to spoons, IMHO, yes if glacial (white)...no if silty (brown).  I'll modify the chart regardless to "if not too murky."

[OPfisher]

I wsa just thinking of a couple days where what I was looking to fish looked like the first time you had a few too much to drink, and the only saving grace was that I had spoons and I ended up turning stellar performances in after getting there thinking I just wasted 6 hours of drive time and gas money.

[Chum Man]

my best days of spinner fishing for steelhead have come tossing a #3 or #4 into murky(chocolate with 10" vis) water.

it's easiest to become a good steelheader if one avoids the syndrome of just tossing corkies around in every condition.  they do work, but generally best in optimal conditions.  if i have to use artificials with my drift gear, i prefer soft plastics(i've really taken a shine to kramer's stuff so far).

the other thing a lot of guys mistakenly buy into is the light lead, long leader and tiny bait/lure philosophy.  it may be called for in some summer run situations, but the guys raking in fish in the winter time mud rarely follow that plan.  they're chucking 3" of 1/4 pencil lead, 12lb leader, and a 1/0 hook with a wad of orange yarn and lump of boraxed roe...

[b water]

looks good

[bugnuts]

Only from a rocket scientist...

[Bob]

Thanks for sharing Bill! A good reference for people with questions of what to use when. With the caveat of course that nothing beats getting out there and trying new and different things.

[thefishnfool]

The other glaring mistake that I see with your chart is the fact that you say fly fishing is a no go in dirty water.  IMHO having spent many years chasing fish especially on big rivers with the bug rod...these are the best conditions for swinging fly's.  Fish move out of the deep heavy cover and are sitting in the water that is suitable for fly's.  Now one also needs to biggie size there flies in these conditions.  Your standard #2 skunk isn't going to cut it.  6-8 in articulated paterns are the go to's in these conditions.  But if you still want to think that way...then there'll be less people out there when the conditions are perfect.....lol

Tim

[SciGuy]

The other glaring mistake that I see with your chart is the fact that you say fly fishing is a no go in dirty water....Now one also needs to biggie size there flies in these conditions.  Your standard #2 skunk isn't going to cut it.  6-8 in articulated paterns are the go to's in these conditions.  But if you still want to think that way...then there'll be less people out there when the conditions are perfect.....lol

Tim

Well, actually......large profile flies are included in my chart for dirty conditions in the Intruder/Obnoxious section...along with worms, etc.