Any good advice for steelie bait please

C
Callaway
so heres the setup,
ive been fishing the clackamas off and on for a couple years now and have only pulled a sucker fish of some sort out, i try really hard but havnt been able to get any salmon of any type.
ive tried the spin and glo with eggs or prawns and just dont really like it and it hasnt produced for me on the clack or the willy.
what ive been trying to throw out ( being stuck as a bank fisher) is usually a 3/8oz slip bobber tied onto my 8 pound main line with a 3/8oz in line weight tied off under the bobber, i then run about 3 to 3 n a half feet of clear 6lb leader with a jig head and a bubblegum steelie worm and a lil smelly jelly or ill run the same setup with one of the few marabou jigs i have under the bobber with a lil smelly jelly.
I have a lite salmon/spinning ugly stick with an abu garcia black max and i normally throw it upstream and let it drift down slowly reeling in to try and keep touch with the bobber and let it drift past me a lil ways before reeling fully and re-casting.
SO, if im doing something wrong in the technique i tried to describe please let me know id really love to finally get a salmon or steelhead or cutthroat as i have yet to catch any and the same goes for sturgeon but i know thats a whole differant setup, right? lol
any help or suggestions for a bait or a method or a location for a banker to go would be VERY, VERY much appreciated
-callaway
 
N
nativefish
well sounds like you are on the right track. first advice, your line set up will work, however i would recomend upgrading to at least 10 or 12 lb mainline, doesn't have to be anything fancy. do the same thing you were doing and run the test on your leader a little less than your mainline. that steelhead worm should work for steelhead and trout, i personally drift fish them and get a ton of fish to bite that thing. Eggs work, shrimp works and maribou jigs work. I think fishing with a bobber like you are doing is a very effective method of fishing. I think you might be fishing in a bad spot or something so I gonna have to ask where you are fishing at? The best advice someone gave me when i was learning was to go fish at McIver Park on the clackamas, although you are a little late for steelhead and chinook. Try to find places were other people are fishing, and watch them, study what they are using, where they are casting and try to deduce why they are casting where they are, why there are using what they are. Read any books you can find as these will answer pretty much all questions you have regarding tackle and rigging. Learn the runs of fish that come through the clackamas. Get some eggs, and head over to Oxbow on the sandy and try and catch a coho anytime this month or the next should be good, just watch what everyone else is doing and copy lol. Write down were you fished, when you fished, what time, weather, water conditions, water level even if you dont catch anything and refer to your notes as a what not to do if you dont catch anything (all these things make a difference between catching and not catching). Hire a guide and go out and catch a few big fish to remind yourself that its all about having fun and what you are trying to learn how to do. These are just things I figured out after a couple years of fishing.
 
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H
halibuthitman
I would cut off that whole set-up, tie on a swivel, go to fishermens and buy an all black and all copper, and all brass and chartruse/orange blue fox spinners in size 4 for steel and size 5 for kings and start catching tommorrow. let them sink and get down to the bottom, and retreave as slow as possible for both, you could buy any one of the books by jed or Hertzog and fine tune your style.
 
S
skunk
Both those last replies are right on, and here's another. This is more a tip, get out there now while the water is low and look for structure that the fish will use this winter when the water is up. Then you can pick one of the mentioned methods for that water. I've found some sweet looking places by just checking out the low water river bottom. I've seen guys get them on the float/jig/worm/eggs I just never have. I prefer drifting corkie/yarn and scent. I am for sure going to have to try out halibuthitman's idea with the spinners though.
 
C
Callaway
yea the only salmon i caught was up norht of yakima a lil ways and it was on a corkie and yarn b ut the location was also pretty ********, fished under a bridge and on both sides of the river that was about 15 yards bank to bank were masses of fisherman fishing this spot and come to behold after i was in the water with my fishing partners for a lil bit the fish truck came and dumped mass amounts of salmon down a tube and right in front of everybody fishing no restrictions or anything, i got my fish but i wasn't impressed and felt more cheated than anything else.
i gotta say i like the idea for checking structure when the water is low, i also like halibuthitmans idea but i wont go to fishermans for them they are just WAY to damn expensive, i prefer dicks even though they dont always have everything i want or feel i could use, id still rather not pay 5 bucks for a blue fox when i can get it at dicks for 3. I usually use fishermans and sportsmans for research and then go find it at dicks for less lol.
thanks for the advice guys, oh and the locations ive been hitting were oxbow park, mciver park, numerous spots along the bank that i could get my fat ass down with all my gear, clackamette, high rocks, i think ive hit up pretty much about all the popular spots on the clackamas for a banker to have access to, i havnt fished the sandy yet but i have been giving it serious thought just didn't want to fully give up on the river im closest to yet.
thanks all
-callaway
p.s. i hope this helped some of the 150 plus who looked at this and couldnt say anything, at least i know theres at least 3 nice enough guys in this section to give just a little feedback, i wasn't asking for the golden lure or the honey hole or anything
 
S
Slash
Don't feel bad!!! I'm been in the same spot for two years now...
 
I
idahojeff
I have to agree with you callaway about Dicks...I use them all the time now. Sandy will produce some fish right now...tons of pressure though. I am a stubborn Blue fox guy...been a spinner guy and will continue to be one. As for the amount of peeps looking and not talking...I think that goes with the fishing territory. People want your tips and honey spots, but don't want to give theirs up. That being said, I have found for the most part, people on this site will help if you put in your time on the forum. You will get into em...just be patient.

Tight lines!
 
C
Callaway
hey all, so i went made a trip out to barton park today for a few hours, no action or even bites but i did manage to be looking at the right spot to see a few surfacing so at least i know i wasn't in a bad spot for the time.
been out there before but it was during the late winter when there was lots of people.
tried my go to set up ive been using first with the worm and bobber, then tried the bobber and a pink jig then a red jig, and then i tried doing the swivel and blue fox and lettin bounce the bottom but i KNOW i was doing that wrong haha
after a few dozen casts like that i just tied the blue fox straight to my main and tried to fish it like a bass lure, being thats all i really know how to catch almost anywhere, and letting it bounce the bottom with the current.
just couldnt seem to be able to get anything goin for myself today but i really appreciate all the tips so far guys.
a question about the sandy, my moms boyfriends co-worker i guess fishes the sandy a lot and says its just blown out right now with soot and shoot from the glacier or something like that but im figuring this happens every year?
will that affect the fishing enough to make it not worth my time goin out there for a lil while and just keep hitting the clack? just curious but if its just dirty water and still good enough fishing like yall say then bring on the dirty water lol.
oh, and im not too discouraged by the peepers who wont share tips or just try to mooch tips, im just a smartass is all, character flaw to some but i find it funny in my own ways and i like to laugh.
thanks all
-callaway
 
H
halibuthitman
glacier and snow fed rivers almost always fish decent even when colored up heavy, more scent, more color, more size... but I would not let low visibility stop me from fishing.
 
R
RunWithSasquatch
halibuthitman said:
glacier and snow fed rivers almost always fish decent even when colored up heavy, more scent, more color, more size... but I would not let low visibility stop me from fishing.

My best days fishing for winters have been on high off colored water. Lots of fish moving.
 
W
waco
Like Halibuthitman said you just need to adjust your set up for the water you are fishing OFF color water: bigger baits more scent brighter colors, Clear water: Fish small dark colors of bait or spinners. I would suggest if you dont know how to read water fish clear low water like the Clack so you can see where the fish are use natural colors on clothing but if you already can read water try the sandy and dont worry about spooking the fish!!! Be pattient and try to learn one river first then when you know where the fish hold you can catch fish on any river!!!
 
C
Callaway
good advice waco thanks i like that idea with the clothing although i usually always wear darker and natural colors im not one of these pretty boys or anything just a young dumb knuckle dragger know what i mean
thanks for telling me about the colors for water no one has ever said it like that always just said what is good but thats what i get for asking salesman everything haha
might explain my problem on the clack cause everytime ive gone ive been able to see right through the water with and without my polarized sunglasses on and ive been constantly thinking to throw bright stuff
just got one question for today for everybody
these blue fox spinners, how do i fish them in a river where the current has got a good pace.
do i cast upstream and try to keep contact while it bounces bottom or try to keep off bottom, should i cast it across and reel against the current without letting it drift downstream too much, can i cast it and leave it in one spot while the current makes the action work, can i set them up like i would for bottom fishing with a heavy enough weight to keep it there and the current floating it up.
OR, am i just over thinking the whole damn thing lol
thanks all im gonna try hitting the clack a little more today for a little while, try just down river of the highrocks but up river of the green oregon city bridge theres a clear smooth water spot there in between two "rapids"
 
S
starion87le
I think I know the spot your are talking about Callaway. I've been trying to fish there for a couple years and have had no luck. I've fished spinners, bobber and jig, drifted it with corkies and yarn...etc... It looks like a great fishy spot but I've never had it produce. That doesn't mean I'm not gonna stop trying it lol. Maybe I'll run into you down there sometime.

When fishing in a current with spinners I basically toss it out a little downstream of my position or straight out. I let it sink then I'll set the bail on my reel and let the current work the spinner down stream and back towards me. Again, I've not had this work, but with a decent current I'm not sure how else to fish them.

I've been fishing the clack for about 3 years now with no steel or salmon, so I'm right there with ya!
 
C
Callaway
yea that spot right there sure does LOOK fishy lol,
if you ever go down and see a post college age kid with a way too big tackle box, thats me haha
im sure it prbly doesn't help too much i smoke and then try to cover that smell with smelly jelly lol
 
D
dozer365
i have always used a black scale corky and worm with 3 foot leader and light piece of pencil lead. this is mostly on the upper clack but should work anywhere
after all a stealy is just a more mistrusting and finicky trout right lol.
and be silent as poss. cuz stealhead spook really easy. ive had a lot of luck fishing cover like logs and submerged rocks. cast just upstream an let the worm whip in the current as natural as possible . 3 or 4 cast and move alnog . makes for a lot of walking . but increases my chances. good luck
 
V
vanbrunt
This has been a good thread. As far as winging the blue fox spinners in heavier current I have one little piece to add. This takes some practice and loosing some lures but it's helped me get my spinners down where the fish are. If the water is moving fast cast upstream just far enough that it contacts the bottom where you want to start the drift. Avoid reeling in as much as possible. You can make 3-4 casts starting close to you and working farther with each cast. This will cover a section nicely. Move up/down river from there at about where your second cast swung into the bank, rinse and repeat. This will help you cover the section and not miss fish. The technique works for anything that's drifted on/near the bottom.
 

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