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Tackle Favorites
- Topics in this section include:
Hooks
Weights
- lead, slinkies, etc
Line choices
Leaders
Corkies,
floats, spin-n- glos, yarn, etc
Pink worms!
Plugs, Spoons, & Spinners
- coming soon
Jigs
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Hooks
Hooks
- Salmon and steelhead have very tough
and bony mouths. Having a hook that is sharp enough to penetrate
its mouth and strong enough to not bend out during the fight
is critical to a successful fishing experience.
Hook Brands - There are
many different brand names on the market however most fishermen
I know have migrated to just a few brand names, Gamakatsu,
Owner, and Mustad. These hooks are chosen primarily for their
ability to catch large fish without bending or breaking, and
their ability to hold a sharp point.
Hook Size - The size of the hook
depends on the type of fishing you are doing and whether you
are going after steelhead or salmon. In general, the more
clear the water, the smaller the hook size you will want to
use. Most steelhead fishermen use size #2, #1, or #1/0 in
normal water clarity conditions. For summer and low and clear
water conditions, you may want to go down in size to a #6.
I usually use a #2 Gamakatsu for most steelhead situations.
For salmon, most fishermen use a larger hook, the smallest
usually a 1/0 and largest a 5/0. Once again I usually use
a 1/0 hook for salmon. My preference for smaller hooks is
based on the fact that they weigh less so can ride higher
in the water, when fished with a float, to avoid snags, and
I believe that smaller hooks give you a better hookset because
they penetrate more easily and create a smaller hole so you
are less likely to lose a fish once it is hooked.
Hook Types - The most common type of hook
for bait fishing for both steelhead and salmon is an octopus
style hook. It is almost always tied with an
"egg loop" leader generally 30-45 inches in length.
An illustration of how to tie an egg loop knot is shown below
and here is a link that shows you how
to tie an egg loop knot. I always use 20 wraps for the
first part of the knot and 5 for the second part. Commercially
purchased plugs and spinners usually come with a treble hook.
Most fishermen replace them with a siwash
single point hook for two reasons: first a single
pointed hook generally gives you a stronger/easier hookset
and secondly, single siwash hooks tend to hang-up less on
the bottom of a river. The following diagram shows you how
to tie a an egg loop knot.
Tying
an Egg Loop Knot*
*Note:
This diagram has been published in several books and elsewhere
on the Internet so I am not sure to whom the credit belongs.
Hook
Color - Several of the manufacturers offer hooks
in different finishes and colors. I believe that in most cases
the color is masked under water and turns black in the limited
light but I often use the red colored Gamakatsu hooks for
aesthetic reasons only.
Hooks
- Other Considerations - There is nothing more
important than having a sharp hook.
Both steelhead and salmon have tough mouths and in order to
get good penetration, your hook must be sharp. I always sharpen
my hooks right out of the package and carry a file with me
on the river to touch-up the point after using it for 15-20
minutes and certainly after a fish is caught. Because your
hook is often bouncing over rocky river bottoms, it is important
to check the sharpness frequently. A quick way to check sharpness
is to see if the hook point can easily penetrate your fingernail.
Because
we release most of the fish we catch, we strongly urge you
to use a barbless hook. More and
more, fishing regulations require use of a barbless hook and
I have made it a practice to use them all of the time. Obviously
it is easier to remove a barbless hook, and some say that
a barbless hook actually penetrates better than a barbed hook.
Barbs can be easily removed with a pair of pliers.
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Weights
Weights
- I generally use four different types of weights:
1) Pencil lead and surgical tubing
is the traditional set up. To me it's the most flexible, ie
you can break off just the right amount of lead to get the
right weight for a natural drift along the bottom, it seems
to give the best "feel" of the water/bottom, and
it is probably the least expensive. The downside for me is
that it hangs up more frequently than some of the other options.
I usually use the 1/4 inch solid core but others swear by
the 3/8 solid core and still others think the hollow core
is best --- I guess I don't have any particular reason for
my choice other than habit.
2)
I have migrated to using slinkies
more often because they still give good "feel" and
they hang up far less. The downside is you have to carry a
bunch of different ones to match the weight to the specific
drift. You may also experience less contact with the bottom
as they tend to slither over the rocks rather than bounce
over them. I make my own from .250-.275 shot and parachute
rope and they are quite economical. Some guys put scent on
their slinkies but I don't because I've actually had fish
take them for bait and it is a real bummer to have a "fish-on"
for 10-20 seconds until it opens its mouth and you lose it.
3)
Bouncing betties are less common
but work well in shallow water. I find the .75 and 1 ounce
sizes work well in certain conditions and as the name implies,
the weight bounces along the bottom and hangs up far less
than the other two weights. They are worthless for water deeper
than 4 feet however.
4)
Finally if you are plunking, you
need to get a heavy enough weight to keep your rig in place.
I usually use the pyramid or pancake shaped weights in the
2-4 oz size.
Rigging
your weight
There are two traditional ways to rig your weight, either
fixed or sliding. Each has its merits but most often if I'm
bank fishing I use the sliding setup and from a boat, the
fixed setup.
In the
figure below, the sliding rig, (on
the left), uses a barrel swivel to attach the main line to
the leader and a snap swivel is rigged on the main-line side
of the barrel swivel. Note that some fishermen chose to put
a small bead between the snap swivel and the barrel swivel
on the main line to act as a bumper for the knot. I believe
this is a matter of personal preference and have never had
a problem with the rigging as shown. This example is shown
with a slinky as the weight.
The fixed
rig uses only a snap swivel to attach the main
line to the leader and as shown here, surgical tubing and
pencil lead for the weight.
I generally
prefer using the sliding rig because it gives me a direct
link from the rod tip to the bait so it helps feel the bite
a bit better. On the other hand the sliding rig can sometimes
result in a belly in the line between the weight and the bait
resulting in less control of how high/low the bait is riding
in the water. Said another way, the weight can slide back
towards the rod resulting in an increased effective leader
length.
With the
fixed rig, you definitely can feel the bottom better and you
know where your bait is. However, in order for you to feel
the bite, the fish must also move the weight. So the selection
is a compromise for me.
Rigging
your Weight
Examples of Fixed and Sliding Techniques
There
are other ways to rig your weight as well. Some fishermen
use a barrel swivel to attach their main line to their leader
and leave a several inch long tag-end on the leader-side knot.
To this tag-end they will pinch on a length of hollow-core
pencil lead using a pair of pliers. Another technique uses
a three-way swivel to attach your main line, leader, and a
small length of line pinched on to hollow core pencil lead.
Finally, some fishermen will flatten the end of a piece of
pencil lead and then poke a hole in it to avoid using the
surgical tubing. Certainly there are other variations as well.
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Leaders
Leaders
- There are three basic considerations for leaders: line weight,
type of line, and leader length. See our discussion on brands
of line and leader to use, here.
Line weight - Generally, salmon
are not very leader shy and you can use a heavier weight line.
By contrast, steelhead are quite sensitive to your line and
you should always use as light weight line as possible. Finally,
when using spinners, spoons, or plugs you should always use
a heavier weight line.
When
I'm drift fishing from the bank for steelhead I generally
use 8# test leader. I will often use 6# test leader when fishing
in clear/low/summer conditions. When bank fishing for salmon
I usually use 15# test leader. Finally when using spinners
or spoons, I most often use 15-20# test leader.
Type
of leader line - For years the primary choice
for leaders was standard monofilament line. Many fishermen
swear by the Maxima Ultragreen brand however I have had success
with many others, Stren, Trilene, Berkley, and Sufix just
to name a few. Lines were chosen for their color, (or lack
of), line thickness, (the thinner the better), and their durability
or abrasion resistance. Clear mono lines are still perfectly
adequate for today's fishing techniques.
In
the past couple of years many fishermen have begun to replace
mono line with flourocarbon based lines. These flouro lines
have a refractive index close to that of water and so become
almost invisible in the water. The one drawback to these lines
is their lower degree of abrasive resistance. They tend to
nick and fray more easily than mono lines. As a compromise
I have found a P-Line brand that is mono line with a flouro
coating that gives me the best of both line type qualities.
Technology is changing rapidly and I suspect that pure flouro
lines will overcome their abrasion problems and soon will
be the only choice for leaders.
Leader
length - The length of your leader depends primarily
on the type of fishing and the clarity of the water. Generally
for both salmon and steelhead, fishing a leader length of
30-45 inches is appropriate. Use the longer leaders in clearer
water conditions and shorter lines in more colored water.
The length of your leader does have an impact on your ability
to "feel a bite" Usually the shorter your leader
is, the better chance you have of quickly feeling the bite
and setting the hook.The goal for your leader length is to
make it long enough to have your weight not intrude into the
fish's line of vision relative to the bait but short enough
so that your bait will stay at the same depth as your weight.
Too short of a leader may result in spooking a fish from your
bait and too long of a leader may result in your bait not
traveling close to the bottom of the river. In almost all
cases I will start using a 36" leader and then rarely
adjust accordingly if necessary. If you are fishing plugs
from a boat you may want to use longer leaders, up to 4 feet.
Change
your leader frequently - The most important
tip I can give you is to change your leader frequently. Fish
have small but very sharp teeth that can put nicks in your
line and because we fish on the bottom, your leader will be
constantly abraded by rocks and sand. Certainly you should
put on a new leader after every fish you catch whether you
get it to the boat or chore or not. In addition, if I have
been fishing an area where my rig gets hung up on the rocks
or other snags quite a bit I will change my leader every 15-30
minutes. Even if you cant see or feel an imperfection, it
could be there. I can tell you from experience that it is
not fun to fish all day, in in climate conditions, and finally
have a fish on momentarily, only to lose it to a broken leader.
Pre-tie
your leaders - Time on the water is precious.
I always pre-tie all of my leaders and wrap them around the
foam pipe insulation for 1/2 inch pipe found at the home centers.
I usually cut the insulation to about 6 inches and wrap 6-8
leaders around it. Two or three of those tucked in your vest
is all you usually need for a day's fishing. It's far easier
to tie your leaders the night before when your fingers are
dry and warm rather than trying to do it while on the water.
The picture below shows an example of a leader caddy.
Some
fishermen use a longer length of insulation, put a wooden
dowel through the middle, and rig it to the side of their
drift boat. The leaders can then be easily rolled off the
caddy.
Finally,
some unethical fishermen use very long leaders, (5-10 feet),
and drag them with heavy weights across fish holding areas
with the intention of snagging, (flossing), the fish. Of course
this should be avoided.
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Jigs
Steelhead
fishing with jigs has become very popular over the past few
years. Fished mostly under a bobber, they can be used effectively
from both the shore and from a boat. They are quite versatile
and can be fished in multiple ways. Next to drift fishing
with natural baits, putting jigs high on your priority list
of fishing methods will help you catch more fish.
| Types
of jigs – There are hundreds of commercially
available jigs and limitless possibilities for making
your own. The most common jigs have a painted round head
made of lead, usually a size #1 or #1/0 hook, and chenille,
marabou, rabbit fur, or other dressings for color, and
come in three popular weights, 1/16, 1/8, and ¼
ounces. The Fish
Sponge jigs employ our proprietary sponge and are
an excellent choice when you want to fish with scents.
Other companies that make first rate jigs include: John’s
Jigs, First Cast Jigs, and Silent Approach Jigs. |
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Reading References – There
are three excellent references for learning how to fish with
jigs and using the float fishing technique:
Colors – as always, choice
of colors is dependent upon the water conditions, the specific
river, and your confidence. For most steelhead water, the
go-to color for many fishermen is pink, pink and white, and
cerise and black. For low, clear conditions, black, purple,
blue, and white work well, and in more colored water, chartreuse,
red, and the nightmare jig – (white head, red body,
and black tail) can be quite effective. That said, your choices
are limitless and often some colors work better than others
in specific rivers, sometimes on the same river and same conditions
steelhead will prefer a different jig on two different days.
I encourage you to experiment with different colors and seek
out “go-to” colors from local fishermen.
Jig
size - As with other baits and lures, larger
jigs, ie 1/8 and 1/4 ounce, with large profiles seems to work
in colder and colored water. Smaller jigs, ie 1/16 and 1/8
ounce, and smaller profiles seem to work better in clear water
and warmer conditions.
Jigs
with bait/lures – Jigs are effective fished
on their own but also can work well in combination with other
baits. Effective jig combos include: putting a piece of shrimp
or crawfish on the jig hook, using a small spawn sac of roe
on the hook, adding a small length of pink worm on your hook,
and adding a live nitecrawler to the hook.
Using
scents – Scents can be quite effective
on jigs with anise and sand shrimp being two of the most popular
choices. See our discussion on scents here.
Fishing
Jigs – The most popular presentation of
jigs on the water is under a bobber. See our discussion on
float fishing here. Jigs are equally effective when drifted
from shore or side drifted from a boat.
High
priority spots for jigs – Fishing jigs
under a bobber is a preferred method in slower moving water
where it may be difficult to get heavier drift setups to move
naturally. Jigs are also very effective in “rock garden”
areas that snag traditional drift fished setups.
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Pink
Worms
Using pink plastic worms to catch steelhead started in British
Columbia. Over the past 2-3 years they have been getting more
and more use throughout the PNW. Pinks worms have spread like
wildfire probably because they work so well.
I use Yamamoto brand pink worms in either 3 or 4 inch size.
Others use Berkley brand worms, some have embedded scent,
and there are lots of other brands with different tail configurations,
etc. I havent done enough testing to determine that one brand
works better than another.
I thread
a #2 hook thru about 2/3 of the length of the worm so as to
leave a "tail". I always put a float in front of
the worm and most often use a little scent on the float --
anise, shrimp, egg, etc. See the picture below. Some fishermen
rig a pink worm on a jig by cutting a 1-2 inch length of worm
and working it over the hook point and bend and leaving a
tail. Try using a small amount of crazy glue under the front
end of the worm to hold it in place. This jig setup is best
fished under a bobber. An adaptation from the original guys
to fish plastic worms, the Bass fishermen, is to place a small
rubber band around the worm and attach your hook to it. When
floated under a bobber, both ends wiggle/bounce erratically
and attract the fish. Because the fish tend to take the whole
worm into their mouth, short/missed hookups seem rare. See
picture below
In addition
to pink, steelhead will also be attracted to black,
white, brown, green, and other color worms.
The darker colors seem to work better in warmer and clearer
water conditions.
Pink worms can be drifted just as you would drift fish with
roe and they can also be effectively fished under a bobber.
See the tips for fishing both methods here.
Finally,
pink worms are successfully fished while trolling them behind
a downrigger or diver. Tie a barrel swivel right behind your
downrigger and then 3-5 feet of leader to your pink worm.
The action of the diver/downrigger causes good movement of
the worm through the water. As a variation you might place
a spin-n-glo or a colorado spinner blade in front of the worm.
Pink
Plastic Worm Rigging Options
Top Left - 4" worm rigged with a Sponge
Float and a #2 Gamakatsu Hook
Top Right, a small rubber band is used to
attach the hook, often called Wacky Style
Bottom Left - Rigged on a 1/8 oz lead-head
jig with yarn and
Bottom Right, Weedless style with a #2 hook,
small bead to prevent tearing, and a Sponge
Float
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Plugs, Spinners, and Spoons
This section is coming soon
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Corkies, Sponge Floats, Spin-n-glos and More
Most fishermen use some kind of attractor or float with their
terminal tackle and bait for several reasons:
- They
provide some buoyancy to keep the hook just off the bottom
and avoid snags
- Their
color attracts fish
- They
can hold scent
- Some
attractors actually cause a vibration in the water by spinning
which is believed to attract fish on occasion.
There
are many sizes, types, and colors to choose from. Examples
of several common floats are shown in the picture below. Through
years of experimentation, we developed the Sponge
Float, and find it effective in almost all fishing conditions.
It helps keep your bait off the bottom to reduce snags, it
readily holds your scent, uses a custom color formulation,
and it feels natural in a fish's mouth. That said, all of
the other floats shown below are also effective. Generally,
floats are rigged on your leader above the hook. Some fishermen
use a toothpick to keep the float in a fixed position above
the hook.
Colors
- There are literally hundreds of different colors to choose
from. See our discussion on color here.
In general, when fishing in clear water conditions, blue,
yellow, black, white, and purple work quite well. In most
other conditions, pink, orange, red, , pearl, and peach work
quite well. An excellent book on the use of color when fishing
in different conditions is What Fish See, by Colin Kageyama
We suggest that you experiment with different colors every
time out fishing.
Miscellaneous
tips. For more buoyancy you can use two floats rigged above
your hook on the leader.
Examples
of Floats
Shown below are:
Top row - Corkie and Puff Ball
Middle Row - Spin-n-glo and Sponge
Float
Bottom Row - Yarn
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