| When the mid winter blues sets in for all of you | | | | your lure has caught the current and is working |
| anglers out there, don't worry there's still hope! Put | | | | properly, if it stops moving it means there is debris |
| away the prozac and cheer up! Some of the best | | | | on the bait or there is not enough current in that |
| steelhead fishing I've ever had has been through the | | | | particular hole for the bait to run effectively. For this |
| ice. If you have a favorite stream or river where you | | | | presentation I like using 6-8 pound flourocarbon with |
| always catch steelhead, there are still many to be | | | | a six foot crappie style rod. The longer rod really |
| caught through the ice. All those slow pools where | | | | helps because when these rods are left to bounce |
| you have previously caught them in the fall or | | | | on their own the strikes can be so fierce and fast |
| remember catching in the spring is a pretty good | | | | that your rod will get pulled under the ice (I've |
| place to start. By mid winter the ice in these places | | | | learned the hard way!) before you have even |
| are frozen over and are safe to fish but you should | | | | realized you had a strike. The benefit of long rod is |
| still check the ice as you make your way out | | | | that it will only get pulled half way through the hole if |
| because currents can create soft spots. In the river | | | | the fish decides to take off with your rod (so far, |
| you may have to drill many holes before you get a | | | | finger are crossed!). You may say why don't you just |
| hole that is clear of slush passing by. If the slush is | | | | hold the rod?? Well the answer to that is that you |
| just passing near the surface it's still ok to fish | | | | have to adjust you line perfectly so that the bait |
| because there's still room for the fish to travel | | | | wobbles just right so when you've found the perfect |
| through and to see your bait. | | | | wobble zone, you have no choice but to keep the |
| Rainbow's under the ice can behave very differently | | | | rod set stationary, it's a catch 22! |
| than in open rivers. These fish will smash big baits | | | | For the jigging technique and roe bags typical medium |
| agressively jigged. Baits like Northlands Mimic | | | | medium heavy ice fishing rods will do. If you choose |
| Minnows, 4-5 inch Lunkercity Finesse Fish on 1/2 oz | | | | to leave your roe bag unattended, the bite is usually |
| jig heads and bass style tube jigs rigged on minnow | | | | so soft it looks like minnows pecking at your bait and |
| style jigheads all work great! Most days the classic | | | | if you don't set the hook right away you'll miss every |
| presentations also work like floating roe bags rigged | | | | fish because this time of year the rainbow can really |
| with an egg sinkers (egg sinkers bring the bait | | | | feel the temperature difference of the roe bag and |
| through the top layer of slush that at times is | | | | because it feels unnatural, they will spit the bait out |
| constantly flowing). Another great presentation is | | | | quickly! What I'm trying to say is, with roe they |
| using a variety of different Flatfish rigged with an | | | | won't pull your rod down the hole if left alone (again, |
| egg sinker. With this presentation its key to see that | | | | so far). |
| your rod is bouncing and vibrating, this means that | | | | |