Jigs? You have 10 years worth of eggs to fish!

 

Once I started fishing jigs it took an act of Congress to get me to use eggs again. Fingers like staying in their gloves.

 

Historically I have had my highest success on Aero Jigs in the Nightmare pattern, but my home water are often times very clear and had rarely greened up. After that I like red and black color combos. After those two I like the Woolly bugger jigs, often times for those I tend to gravitate toward pink or peach colors for some reason. I have never done well with the big fluffy jigs similar in style to a twitchin jig.

I also like to attach a 24" leader right to the jig hook and add a bead dropper. Won't work in boilly water, but your traditional steelhead runs that works well.

 

If I'm fishing for fresh fish, I've done very well with pink and white in clear water and cerise and black in stained. If I'm fishing for pressured fish, I try to go smaller and darker than what I think the fish have seen already. I'm hoping my buddy calls me to say it's worth the drive north this winter........

 

I’ve caught the majority of my jig steelhead with Aerojig 63 (hackle) or 135 (marabou) 1/8 oz Nightmare Jigs. After that, pink & white or red & black.

 

Orange head, purple body, one day I caught, chinook silvers summers winters and dogs on that color. All without bait. It's my favorite color, followed by pink and white.

 

 

I've never seen that 1 before I'm having a bunch tied up. I'll get that 1 added to the list
Thank You 👍

 

Nightmare and pink with white are my one two go to jigs.

 

1. Nightmare
2. White head and tail (bunny) with shrimp colored body.
3. Pink/purple.

 

The second row is what I tend to migrate towards in 75% of conditions. I always start with a jig through the hole first as my hook to land ratio is much better over a bead.

 

Good looking jigs. I am curious what storage box you are using in the pic you posted?

 

There are a couple trains of thought. Steelhead are a cool species because they actively feed in tributaries. Steelhead bite because they are either reacting to previous feeding instincts or they are actively feeding. So you can use both tactics to catch them. You can use highly bright and vivid colors to trick them into biting or you can try to resemble natural food for the steelhead and hope they bite them. So you'll see folks fishing what's called an intruder type pattern or just something bright or unordinary to the fish. Or you'll see dark, buggy jigs intended to mimic various species of insect or fish. Both of those reasons are why jigs work. And that's also why I don't use bait for steelhead. You don't need to. I can and will catch more fish on beads and jigs or yarn, than a bait guy can ever dream of. Presentation is really the only key to steelhead fishing. That and knowing where the fish are. Put your bait in front of them and they will probably bite. -Sean

 

I have a Lot of eggs I gotta use still 😆
I've never caught a winter steelhead, so I'm hoping to this year.

 

this is probably my favorite and most effective clear water jig. Gold crystal flash, white artic fox, and red estaz on an orange or green jig.

 

That's a cool jig

 

I got another one to help you out here's my jig box. Only the three aerojigs in The left hand corner ain't hand tied . These are the colors u want

 

Wow steelhead candy shop

 

If I'm fishing for pressured fish, I try to go smaller and darker than what I think the fish have seen already.

Speed Test​

Cut and paste much? 🙄

If I'm fishing for fresh fish, I've done very well with pink and white in clear water and cerise and black in stained. If I'm fishing for pressured fish, I try to go smaller and darker than what I think the fish have seen already. I'm hoping my buddy calls me to say it's worth the drive north this winter........

 

When it comes to steelhead jigs I don’t fish nightmare. 😁

 

This jig worked well this morning……

 

The beaded shrimp tail made by First Bite Jigs is the GOAT. Small in low or ideal conditions, medium when there’s some color or depth. Wish I could still find them!