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Winter steelhead Jigs

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12K views 40 replies 23 participants last post by  KrisKit  
#1 ·
What are your favorite jig patterns for winter steelhead?
 
#7 ·
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.
 
#8 ·
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........
 
#17 ·
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
 
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#31 ·
If I'm fishing for pressured fish, I try to go smaller and darker than what I think the fish have seen already.
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........