Your favorite lure for large native steelhead

[Fishing Maniac]

Just curious what everyone's go to lure is for large native steelhead? I like the larger pick worms under a float or a #6 spin-n-glow drift fished. They are due to show up very soon and I'd like to get some new ideas for targeting them.

[KillerDave]

I like hardware. Either a 2/5oz Little Cleo Spoon (any color) or a #5 Silver & Black Spinner.

[No Wishin Just Fishin]

Birdie drifters with shrimp. Always works where I fish and the river only has wild fish and in Mar they are large

[greenbuttskunk]

they do like spoons, and the little cleo is a good one. Large natives will still hit just about anything. You never know when you'll be graced with one.

[Akuracy503]

Would it be common method to stay way from using baits while targeting native fish? so they can be released easier without harmful hook swallowing etc..

I been drifting roe for the hatchery fish, but when the natives show up im strongly considering no bait..

any ideas, opinions?

[grandsalami]

My go to lure is bubblegum colored wiggle wart. My other go to bait is an orange cheater with white yarn and a whole sandshrimp (medium sized shrimp).

[Fish Hawg]

Tadpollys, (clattertads) Pink with black head.and the redish copper with glitter
And wiggle warts Half flourescent red head and white tail....Ross

[Siwash]

I'll chime in with the spoons, my preference for this time of year being the 2/3oz hammered silver from Mor-Tac or the Herzog models from Pen-Tac.

True story from a trip last winter... I'd worked through a particularly nice hole, under just about perfect conditions, with my usual spinners--nada. Had one of those funny feelings; couldn't believe that spot was empty, so on a hunch I tried mixing things up by switching to the big spoon instead and worked back through the same hole. Cha-Ching! Easily my biggest fish of the year.

[cosmo]

Plugs probably account for more 20+ steelhead than anything.

On bait--drift fish, or side drift--NO DIVERS ON THE WILD FISH!

[Lure Dragger]

For the really big ones one of my go to lures would have to be the michael jackson wiggle wart. I have caught more 18 pound plus steelhead on this by far than any other color.

[blacktail]

Nates like hardware, but will also take your drift gear, jigs, etc...

As far as baits for nates (hey, that rhymes), you should be fine driftfishing it. Just don't use divers with bait when nates are present as fish tend to take bait deep this way.

Mike

[GutZ]

The "Sol Duc Slayer" as we call it is a Wiggle Wart, Silver with Red Herring Bone pattern. Consistently outfishes evertything else in the box.

[Steelie King]

I'm going to go with the Mag Wart in the old hot pink/bubble gun color. Also dont overlook the florecent red hot shot!!

[RichH]

My 20's have come on: pink/white jig, wiggle wart, tadpolly, rags/eggs, corky/eggs, plain corky, spinglo.

As for my go to baits, eggs.

[Mr. BrownTrout]

#35 Pirate green hotshot

[flatbottomboy]

flatfish are deadly!

[rags]

Pink and white jigs. Oooooh baby!

[willierower]

Tadpollies, Color to match water conditions. Clatter Tads in murky water. My second favorite is a pink worm/spin glo combo behind a diver. The biggest steelhead hooked out my boat was on the worm diver combo. That steelhead was an easy 22lbs, My sister crackered it off at the boat It was only the 4th steelhead she had ever tangled with. I think I was more disappointed then her.

[Flatfish]

Plugs. Spinners. In that order.

What kind of plug? Do you really have to ask?

Mark and the black with black herring bone dog.

[Dakotan]

#5 or #6 Blue Blue Fox with silver blade. The bigger the better it seems. I can't wait until March.

[Mad Mikey]

I like to target nates when the big crowd is chasing those, oh, whatcha' call em' Springers???
March, river is almost abandoned. Lots of water to myself and I prefer to toss #4 vibrax and MOVE like a madman covering lots of water.
It's not about the catching but the fishing, barbless siwash for me. If the fish throws it which happens occasionally I still got the thrill of the take and the power.
Big fish and solitude rule.

[Spinner]

For plugs I like the solid green wart with the black back, or the silver/green herringboned wart...also the silver/orange herringbone tadpolly/warts, the metallic red small hotshot for clear conditions...gold/silver and orange mag warts for high water...green pirates...blue pirates...solid green mini tadpolly...silver & black wart.

When drifting bait I like the small spin & glos with the mylar wings...orange

[sliverslinger]

my favorite is a size 5 blue fox spinner in all chrome. if that doesnt work I will switch to a U20 flatfish fished very slow in the flo. orange color. works killer.

[Mikeymoto]

Which ever method you choose, dont forget to target them in trophy type waters, not just in the standard runs.
Done well with larger spoons and larger plugs.
MM

[slabhunter]

Back when we still had a place near the Hoh this worked well.

[rola76]

Definitely spoons for drift fishing/casting and Mag Warts for trolling/plugging.

[Fish Hawg]

This is a Steelhead/Salmon killer

[hustlerrjim]

pearly okies
drift fishing on the south fork.

[ 01-18-2004, 07:03 PM: Message edited by: ****** ]

[steelheadslayer]

PINK Worm!!! [img]graemlins/idea.gif[/img]

[First Bite]

Favorite?...jigs. Most productive, pink worm or rags.

Mark