| Have you ever gone steelhead fishing with some one | | | | hitting another rock, which would make his rod tip |
| and had them catch fish all day long and you very | | | | bounce again. Suddenly the lights came on!! I was |
| seldom even get a hit? Do not feel alone if this has | | | | using more weight, my bait was actually dragging the |
| happened as I think that we all have been there at | | | | bottom, and his was bouncing off the bottom. I was |
| some point. I do have some simple tips that will help | | | | always told to keep your bait or lure on the bottom |
| you turn the tide as to how often this happens | | | | if you wanted to catch a steelhead. I took that to |
| though. | | | | mean you actually had to stay on the bottom all the |
| I remember years ago now when I first started to | | | | time. |
| steelhead fish how frustrated I would become when | | | | Once I saw what was happening and experimenting |
| my fishing partners were reeling in steelhead and all I | | | | with different weights and line weights. I got to |
| could do was watch. I would be fishing right next to | | | | where I would feel my line bounce of the bottom |
| them, using the same bait, same lure, and casting to | | | | float a little ways and then bounce again; I too |
| the same spot. The only thing I would hook was an | | | | started to catch those elusive steelheads on a |
| occasional rock. Does this sound familiar, been there | | | | regular basis. |
| done that type of deal. I started to believe that they | | | | If you too are having trouble hooking into steelhead |
| had some sort of secret bait and they were not | | | | on a regular basis here are seven tips: |
| telling me. They would even go as far as to set up | | | | |
| my lure and bait just like theirs and still nothing. | | | | 1. Try reducing the amount of weight you use. |
| Then one day while steelhead fishing with a good | | | | 2. Use as light of line as you are comfortable with. |
| friend who has since past I decided to sit and watch | | | | 3. Try adjusting the length of your leader making it |
| to see just what the difference was. I watch for | | | | longer or shorter to get the right drift. |
| quite awhile and I still could not figure out what he | | | | 4. In heavy currents try to use a smaller bait or lure. |
| was doing different then what I was doing. He would | | | | 5. Keep your line tight so you feel the bottom it |
| cast up stream just a little ahead of where he was | | | | should feel like bounce pause, bounce pause. Not |
| standing, let the line hit bottom, reel in the slack line, | | | | bounces, bounce, bounce! |
| and let his bait drift through the hole. I had done the | | | | 6. Do not cast upstream to far you will only snagged |
| same thing hundreds of times but could not get a hit. | | | | more often. If you are not hitting bottom in a drift |
| I guess I should mention that I did get a few but | | | | add a little weight at a time until you get the right |
| just not on a regular basis as he was doing. | | | | drift. |
| I continued to watch for a little longer determined to | | | | 7. If you just cannot seem to find the right, |
| figure this out. Then I noticed that the tip of his rod | | | | combinations for a good drift try drifting your lure |
| would bounce when his line hit a rock in the bottom | | | | from a slip bobber. You can adjust them so your lure |
| of the river, and then be still for a little while before | | | | or bait floats right in the strike zone. |