Steelheading Drift Techniques

[Kentucky Hog Hunter]

With the Steelheading season in full swing, I wanted to begin a new post in the hopes of sharing some techniques and maybe learn a few new ones...

There is a post on the board currently that raises the question "Do Steelhead Bite in Cold Water?"

My answer is yes...Are they as aggressive, some seem to be and some seem lethargic...

Here are some techniques I have picked up over the last couple of years that I owe my buddy "Hogback" allot of credit for because 2 years ago I was just not on the road of success when it comes to drift fishing...

OK, here we go...

I think the little things count by this I am referring to the following when I drift fish:

#4 hooks...yes, that small (My normal hook is a #2 but when it is low, clear & cold...think smaller)

I prefer a sliding slinky weight setup but as my buddy Hogback has indicated a solid tie weight system is better for the type of structure you fish (Solid in fast rocky water & sliding in soft slow water)...you just need to match that up with the current & bottom structure you are fishing...I prefer slinkies but there again pencil lead is better on some drifts...You just have to experiment with that one...

Longer leder's...Typically I use 3' leder's but when it is low and clear I use 5' when drift fishing...I know, I know ...some will bring up the flossing thing but presentation is a key in my opinion and in this low clear water situation, I have had more success hooking fish on longer leder's...

Use very small corkies and bearing beads above & below the corkie...break a tooth pic off in the bearing bead above the corkie...why...it floats the hook faster and it does not hurt the line (This is a no-no in some peoples opinion but I am sharing what works for me). In addition...the key is you have to float your hook...that is why smaller is better...#2's & #4's work great for steelhead...this was some very good advice I received a couple years ago and when I applied this concept my hook ups went up tremendously...Just make sure prior to your first cast that your corkie floats your hook...

Use yarn (I like white yarn with orange corkies)...it likes the fishies teeth...It also holds your favorite scent which I will not go into due to the numerous great shrimp scent products out there...

Line Size - I have 8# Maxima ultra Green on my reels...It is very strong stuff...Last New Years Eve...I landed a 30# Chinook on 8# test line...man I felt like I graduated from fish catching school that day...My leder line size is also 8# UG...

Bait...you can use it...I seldom do when I drift fish...corkies & yarn typically will get it done but I always have eggs & sand shrimp available...

Finally - drift a jig under a bobber tipped with a shrimp tail...I am a novice at this but I saw too many bobbers go down over the last 2 weeks to make me a believer that this works...I use a 5' leder for my jig and vary my depth on my sliding bobber rig to the water I fish of course. 6' seems to be a great depth... (Oh by the way...I love using the Pink & White combo.) As for bobber size & type...a 1 oz West Coast Bobber is good as is the clear turbo floats you fill half full of water...One thing about the clear bobber...the fishies can't see it...

Tight lines & hope this helps...

[ 01-06-2004, 01:36 PM: Message edited by: Kentucky Hog Hunter ]

[Fish Hawg]

Wow ,thanks for the great info [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img] , that will help alot of people out including me thanks again....Ross

[4 REEL]

Just my 2 cents worth. I thread my yarn up throught the corky to hold it down on the hook. Just thread a piece of fishing line down and back up through the corky, lay the yarn into the loop and pull through.

[steelhead22]

I've been seeing a lot of people catching fish on jigs tipped with a sandshrimp, but everytime I try this technique I just through the sandshrimp off the hook when I cast. What's the deal? How are you guys hooking these so they will stay on?

[Fish Hawg]

steelhead22, try a pink worm a 3" lil thumper :smile:

[RichH]

FishHawg,

Those worms really don't work, its all a myth. :tongue:

Another good way to float a small hook is those little foam puff balls, they work especially well when side drifting which is another good low water technique. Just don't tell anyone where you heard that, ok?

[Jimmy Carl Black]

Add these tips to a spot known to hold fish. Phantom fish don't bite.

I'm still working on this one myself. Everytime I think I know what holding water is, I seem to learn someting new that totally transforms my logic on the whole issue.

[Bobby Ray]

Generous post KHH [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img] Very good info.

4 REEL,
That's a great tip. I'm going to try it next time I'm out.

[First Light Bite]

Good recap for all, thanks. In cold faster water corkies work great and can trigger some savage bites. I have found the last couple years steelhead will hang out in flat slower water even with not much depth. You know the water most people will pass up because steelhead in low, cold, clear water don't use those kinds of places WRONG! [img]graemlins/idea.gif[/img] Try some of your higher water haunts in low water they will hide there undisturbed at times. For slower flat water I prefer only bait no corkies as you will usually only get 3 or 4 casts before they will spook and bait I feel stimulates the bite response better. Some places just flat hold fish no matter what water height, color, or water temperature. Once you find that magical place your average hook-ups per trip will go way up. :grin: I guess I should tell you I bank fish above where any boats go so the fish are not spooked out of the flat water by boats passing.

[skrimmy]

Steelhead22, here's what ya do to keep from losing your shrimp tail so fast:
Get some of those smellyjelly artificial egg clusters. Break off a single egg and once you get your shrimp tail on the hook and slid up the shank, take that single egg and impale it on the hook. Slide it up the shank next to your shrimp tail. It'll stay on for probably a good 20 casts or until it get's swallowed and fish on.

I learned this tip here on the board last year, I think it was Ugly Green who posted it. Good luck.

[cutt plug]

Thanks for the tips, I think I've been off on my hook size.

When you say use a small corkie, what size do you typicially use? Also, I don't know what a bearing bead is, do you have a pic of the set-up you described?

Thanks,

[Silver Ghost]

KHH, thank you very much for the post and the tips. [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

How do you rig the sandshrimp on the jig though? I have had some trouble with this and would appreciate any help.

[Kentucky Hog Hunter]

The shrimp tail thing is a a tough one...

Hogback showed me so I will try not to butcher this one so bad...

Break the shrimp off just behing the cape...

Put the hook in up at the head side underneath the shell side (The Belly), then pull the shrimp up and put the hook through again near the tail from the hard shell side till it comes out on the soft side...

It goes through the shrimp twice...

Let me also say as most people already know...I don't know what it is but for some reason it is hard to get good sand shrimp this time of year...Shrimp quality is important and I always try to remember my rubbermade baid container so I can remove the shrimp from the container and not allow them to secrete all those fluids all over themselves...

I will take a picture of a typical set up and I will also reveal another wicked set up that is sure to raise some eybrows...

[spare link]

There is a lot of info at this web site

http://www.steelheader.net/steelhead/steelhead.htm[/url]

[Kentucky Hog Hunter]

OK,

Hope this helps more... I am about to reveal my go to setup that in all honosty has been responsible for my addiction to drift fishing, so please use your own judgement as it costs a little more than your traditional setup...however, I am convinced it works...



This is a traditional corkie set up with my twist added...someone asked what a bearing bead was...those are the beads above & below the corkie...Notice the toothpik broken off into the top bead...Like I said...some will disagree with it but I am telling you what works for me...This is a #2 hook with 8# Ultra Green Maxima with 3' of leder...



OK, here it is...my go to drift fishing rig secret weapon minus the white yarn...This is a double birdie drifter set up as I refer to it...It has me snookered anyway...Notice the bottom hook only needs the bottom bearing bead for this rig and the same as the single rig the 2 bearing beads on the top one with the broken off toothpik...Once again #2 hooks with 8# Maxima UG (Oh by the way...those Rainbow Birdie Drifters are hard to come by and if anyone can put me on any more of these, I would be greatful)



Finally, the Hogback invention of the drift fishers ultimate leder dispenser...You can buy the PVC, Caps & Pipe Insulation from Home Depot & make these yourself...If your like me and have a tendency to always celebrate the Xmas spirit by decorating the trees...You better be prepared because time spent out of the water tying rigs is time you could be in the water catching fish...I have 3 of these dispensers tied up with ready to go rigs when I am on the water...

Good fishing all & tight lines...Hope this helps...

[Fish Hawg]

Do you run bait on the Double hook setup? Thanks for the pictures....Ross

[Kentucky Hog Hunter]

Ross,

I can and do at times...The nice thing about this one is you can hang a hole sand shrimp on there...

If I do use eggs...I use them on the upper hook...Just slide the bearing bead with the toothpik in it up and use that egg loop...

Like I said, it is my go to rig...FYI...I use rainbow corkies as well ....

[steelhead22]

KHH and skrimmy- Thanks for the tips. That's EXACTLY what I was looking for. I've caught a couple fish on jigs, but I haven't been real impressed myself. But then again, I've only fish them once in awhile. It's hard for me to break lose from drift fishing a lot of times, even when I'm not picking up fish. I'll fish jigs for a bit, then give up and go to the old standby corkie/yarn, eggs, shrimp, pink worm, etc. drifted. I don't know, I just don't seem to have that much faith in bobber fishin'. Guess I need to take one day and just bring bobbers and jigs so that's all I have to use, then maybe I will give it the time necessary to learn how to effectively fish this way. Thanks again for the tips.

[Kentucky Hog Hunter]

SH22...

I was not convinced as well until my buddy hooked 6 in one day and I didn't have a bobber rod set up...

The very next day...I got 2...and then a couple more after that...

I will throw that thing till I get tired and then go back to drift fishing...I am now a believer however and when that bobber goes down...it goes down...it is so exciting catching up and reeling down and setting that hook and fell that thing scream back at you...It is awesome...

[David Johnson]

Most of the time I use a peice of prawn meat on the jig hook instead of sand shrimp, it holds up a lot better.

I like to tie a rubber band on the leader above the corkie for the same reason as the tooth pick.

And lastly, in cold, winter water I don't beleive the fish are that spooky. We catch a lot of fish after running near them with a 200 hp Merc. I've also caught a lot of steelhead after my boat or another boat drifts over the water they are holding in, sometimes seconds afterward.

[Quasimodo the fish killer]

I havent bobber fished steelies alot but I set mine up like a bobber rig for salmon only on a smaller scale.

I just use a piece of yarn above a 2/0 hook and a shrimp tail or cluster of eggs

it has worked well for me when I force myself to fish with a bobber.

I switched to this set up after losing about $20 worth of jigs one day ever have one of them days where yer gear is every where but in the hole?

I have a hard time fishing a bobber because I love the feel of one them lil suckers puttin his choppers on my drift gear


.

[BratBonker89]

Kentucky Hog Hunter,

What exactly does the Bearing bead do, unless i missed it somewhere?

[Kentucky Hog Hunter]

The bearing bead will allow the birdies & corkies to rotatate freely without being torn up by the hook eye...

Birdies & spinglows need that bearing bead to rotate free of any resistance...

[ 01-06-2004, 06:16 PM: Message edited by: Kentucky Hog Hunter ]

[theles]

KHH,

You are a stud for sharing. I have not fished for steelhead myself yet, but with your sharing of knowledge and all the hoopla on this board, I just might get myself out there to try soon.
Thanks again.

[Tilla]

And those bubblegum colored fake eggs don't work either!

I agree with David Johnson on the spooky steelhead. The fish are in their favorite spot for a reason. When the boat goes by they might move temporarily out of position, but they will slide back in, sometimes right away...sometimes before the boat has gone very far.

[ 01-06-2004, 06:43 PM: Message edited by: Tilla ]

[RichH]

Speaking of fish not spooking, last year a friend and I were fishing a slot and had a driftboat plug through another slot a short distance away. Not 2 minutes after they left that hole my friend drifted a jig/pink worm through that slot and picked one up on his first cast.

It was the second steelhead he'd ever hooked, the first was earlier in the day on the same set up.

But pink worms don't work, never use them.

[Tilla]

Now that you mention it again about spooky fish. While pursuing Chinook of the winter variety we watched the people focused on Steelies drift by and fish the same holes over and over. It was interesting to see the fish get picked up in the same holes by different people as time went by. (and our arms fell off from bouncing eggs)

[Birdnest]

Quality thread. [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

[Bobby Ray]

Yo Hoghunter

I know where to get those rainbow birdies.

[cutt plug]

Thanks for sharing.

[glassblower]

KHH, I seen the rainbow birdies at Sportsmans Wharehouse in Salem I think, either there or GI Joes. Awsome thread full of info, I am going to copy and past allot of this thread into a Word Page and print it out. I am going to build my own little fishing trick guide to read when things are just not working out. Only way I can keep the info is to have it on paper till I use it a couple of times.

[halfounce]

This is awesome thank you for the tips. Heres something I learned on my trip down the Rogue. I know, I still need to fill it. I haven't even gone out for Steelhead yet this season :depressed: . I guess I just work too much....

[blacktail]

Okay Bobby, cough it up. Where are the Rainbow Birdies? :grin:

Mike

[David Johnson]

half-ounce-those are great settups for leaders.

Tilla-arms tired from bouncing eggs, what about the arms on the oars :grin:

[goose]

KHH
Thank you so much for the information. What a great post.
I got confused toward the end of the thread, however, when bobbers got mentioned. You don't use these two setup with bobbers, do you? I probably missed something and got confused. Confusion is common for me. [img]graemlins/1zhelp.gif[/img]
Thanks :smile:
Goose

[David Johnson]

jig under a bobber

corkie/birdie rig drift fished.

[blacktail]

One thing I do, especially when using smaller hooks (2's and 4's), is to use a double corkie set-up with two of the smallest size corkies. This way you have enough floatation to still get your bait off the bottom, but don't effect your hook gap as much. With these smaller hooks, you need all of the "bite" you can get. I pin the top one with a piece of toothpick.

Mike

[Fish Hawg]

Blacktail do you put the corkies between the two hooks?

[goose]

Thanks, David...
That's what I thought, but the only dumb question is the one that is not asked.
That's what I like about this group...all of the patience...
Thanks
Don

[Mikeymoto]

KHH do you put the birdies on the leader on the fast spin or slow spin side?
Bobby- so where are they? The birdies that is?
Thanks,
MM

[Kentucky Hog Hunter]

Goose...

Definately what Dave said regarding jigs...

Everyone...listen to what Dave Johnson says...he does this stuff for a living and as I read this post I am learning some things here as I have hoped...

Tilla & Dave...very good points about fish temorarely moving and then going back into their slots...

Everyone...another thing to do from time to time is watch everyone else & where they cast...Throw short of those places and you might be surprised...especially if you decide to throw out that jig under the boober when everone else has been drift fishing...

Bobby "Big & Brite" my supplier of birdies is drying up...man I sure do like using those things over everything else...if you have a source worth sharing and you feel up to it...please email me...

[ 01-06-2004, 09:11 PM: Message edited by: Kentucky Hog Hunter ]

[blacktail]

Fishhawg,

I am using a single hook, so the two corkies are above it. You don't want to jam the toothpick in too tight, or you can damage the leader and/or make it so you can't slide the corkies up your leader when you need to re-bait.

Mike

[Kentucky Hog Hunter]

MM,

I put the birdies on for the fast spin side but hey...maybe try them the other way [img]graemlins/idea.gif[/img] ...I have heard of people doing a hearing plug cut from the tail end instead of the head end called a "Butt Plug" no pun intended there....Why not try different things...you may find somthing that works....

As far as the toothpik thing, blacktail has a good point, you don't have to jam the thing down so tight that your line will curly cue if you move the bearing bead up to apply bait...

See, go back and read Dave Johnson's post on this and he mentions using a rubber band [img]graemlins/idea.gif[/img]

I told you I may learn something...

[ 01-06-2004, 09:46 PM: Message edited by: Kentucky Hog Hunter ]

[Bobby Ray]

Blacktail, Hoghunter

Check your mail

I don't want to drop names of non sponsors, it would just get edited

[ 01-06-2004, 09:26 PM: Message edited by: big n bright ]

[skrimmy]

KHH, check your email from me too....a source for birdies and other golden oldies.....

[blacktail]

Tennessee Chicken Chaser,

blackdog??? Oh, well, i've been called much worse. :grin:

Mike

[Kentucky Hog Hunter]

Bobby & Skrimm,

Got it ... thanks guys...

Bobby, check your email...

Blacktail...my apologies...must of had Led Zepplin on my mind

[ 01-06-2004, 10:39 PM: Message edited by: Kentucky Hog Hunter ]

[Fishalot]

Tilla put a lid on it Everyone knows that the tilla eggs work the best . How do you get them to look like little cherries ? One more thing how do you get them to stay on for 10 casts ? Man you have it all figured out, you always out fish me .


Fishalot

[Kentucky Hog Hunter]

Hey Dylan,

Cheer up...we just need to go out and give ole Tilla the what for using his perfect eggs...

Oh by the way...if you want to fish Saturday with us...your in...I can fish 4 easy and if Sppoled brings "Fishin Magician" (JB) we will have one heck of a team...

I will call you...

[mophile]

KHH-
Just wanted to say "great post" and that I saved the pics for reference! Thanks!

[ORoutdoorsman]

I agree with the smaller hook size. I like to stick to either #1 or #2. I dont usually use anything smaller and my logic is this. I have heard from more than one source that fish are usually less active in striking(not all but a good portion) so you use hotter more aggravating colors, and larger rigs then you would use for spookier summer fish. I use to use 6 and 8lb line, but I would lose over half my fish(this was on salmon, I havnt tried again for steelehead) because once they got into shallows where they could kinda move freely, I couldnt get tension to keep them from spitting the hook. But I do like the smaller hooks alot. While I am no expert, something I like to do is if I find myself in the situation where I keep getting "nibbles", I will go to just a little smaller slinky, so that i almost dont bounce, and often times I have picked up more bites if they are going really soft. Also, be patient. While I am an advocate of "finding" fish, I also believe strongly in fishing good water for a long time. I have a certain hole high on the clackamas. It is a known hole, but never seems to have alot of fish biting. Well, I have showed up while people have been fishing unsuccessfully, have people come and go, and I end up pulling out several fish. I see alot more people moving all the time when they don't have a fish, then spending some time working a hole. Sometimes, in my opinion, it can be better to wait it out. I figure out of the any bait, the 12 million corkies I have, spinners, jigs, spoons, ect, if I don't try pitching more than one thing if I am not getting bites, I am cheating myself. Thanks for everybodies advice!

[tailchaser]

I guess I'll chime in on this one, there are some things that have been left out a little for some novice drifters. For one, the presentation should vary greatly depending on the type of water you're fishing. If there are a lot of snags around fish a bobber. It's pretty simple, the bobber will allow you to fish vertically through slots as drift fishing won't, and you won't lose half the rigs. I'll use both sandshrimp, and eggs with this technique. Secondly, the type of weight you use should vary with the type of bottom you're fishing to give you a better feel of a bite. On a very snaggy area, or hard bottom I'll use a slinky, areas that aren't too bad I switch to pencil lead, and then on a gravel bottom I fish split shot. The less junk you can have on your line the better. I don't advise novice drifters to use slinky's because they're harder to feel, however it makes you do one thing and that's taking the slack out of your line while drifting to feel the bump. It's a common mistake to have a bunch of slack out there (w/ lead) and feel a bite only to set the hook and not have it come tight until it's over your head. A lot of fish are missed because of that. Once you start feeling the bottom w/ lead give it a couple more turns and keep your rod tip low on the drift.

One last little technique Nitrobass showed me a few years back is to tie your yarn inside the baitloop on your setup. What this will do is give you the ability to get to your baitloop if it slips up the shank of the hook. Pretty cool trick. Also just for giggles I never go lower than a #1 hook on steelies. Unless we're talking about summers in low and clear, but a typical winter steelhead will be in colored enough water to not notice the difference. Also be careful in leader lengths. Mine are typically 24". If you decide to go longer you give the fish a little more time before you feel the bite.

FYI I run two completely different lines on two rods for steelies. For a bobber rod I run 20 lb tuf line for my main, and use a 4' 10 lb maxima green leader. I do this for one reason. My bobber is attached on the tuf line so I don't loose my bobber if I get hung up. Got tired of buying thills all the time. Secondly on my drift I have 12 lb high vis green main, and 10 lb maxima green leader. I love the green line because I can always tell where my drift is at and it doesn't seem to have an effect on the fish. Anyhow my best setup this year is a small pink corkie, with a faded (almost white)pink yarn and a smidge of egg or sandshrimp. Of course all of the lines change when the water is gin clear, then I'll move to a longer flourcarbon leader.

Last but not least I don't spend hours in one hole. Work it systematically from one side of the hole to the other never making the same cast twice. I tend to work the furthest spot from to the closest. Move about 15' and do it again. Usually it'll take me 30 min. to work over a hole and then I'm gone, there are lots of holes to get to in a day and rarely will you go home empty handed. It's just a matter of finding fish instead of waiting for them.

tc

[Fshklr]

KHH, [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]
This is an awesome thread with huge amounts of info and how to's. [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img] Thanks for taking the time to show others some great tech tips and providing some awesome info. Will be using a couple of those ideas as well!! [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]
Now this is why I come to ifish!!
Dan

[Rubber Hooks]

KHH, Thanks for starting this thread. I used to be a "Bank Maggot" many years ago and this brings back many memories. I am a firm believer in the go small and light, especially when the water is low and clear. I generally use a #4 hook (bronze colored), small black swivel, 6# leader, just enough slinkie to be able to cast and drift. I take a sandshrimp tail and trim it down to just a segment,I get 2- 3 baits this way. No corkie or yarn. Took my biggest steelie ever doing this. The water was so low that I had to keep reeling to keep the slinky for hanging up. Every time I see low water, I think Summer run tatics, regardless of the time of the year. I am just getting back to being comfortable on the bank again. Keep up the posts, I enjoy reading them
Tight Lines
Rubber Hooks

[Kentucky Hog Hunter]

Tailchaiser...

Great advice [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

[David Johnson]

It's a common mistake to have a bunch of slack out there (w/ lead) and feel a bite only to set the hook and not have it come tight until it's over your head. A lot of fish are missed because of that. Once you start feeling the bottom w/ lead give it a couple more turns and keep your rod tip low on the drift.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">Good point.

Getting a good hook set is very important, there's a lot of slack out there and they're not called steelhead for nuthin'.

As for feeling the "bite", some say a slinky isn't as good. I think a very sensitive rod make all the difference in the world. Get the very best you can if you want to increase your success.

[Silver Ghost]

I have always used a #4 hook with the smallest corkie's for drift fishing. I have had good success with the trusty pink and white corkie, a little pink yarn, and some Anise oil. I would like some opinions on whether you think this is too small for winter fish though?

I have also had great success drift fishing with the fake rubber egg paterns that are orange in color and some yarn through the egg loop on a #2 size hook.

[parker]

Or, you can save some money and just use a #1 hook and a little clump of cured eggs.



I'm a firm believer of the KISS method of steelheading. Seems to work for me.

Oh, and as stated above, rags and pink worms never work for steelhead.

[ 01-07-2004, 01:20 PM: Message edited by: parker ]

[Kentucky Hog Hunter]

Very Nice looking bait there Parker...

I bet that just might work....

[Dakotan]

KHH,
That was an awesome post and most insightful thread. With all the great tips you have, you should write a book. I don't have much experience or success drift fishing (mostly just with spinners) so I am looking forward to trying these techniques out. Thanks a lot for starting a good thread.