B
bubs
I posted this question in another thread but it was slightly off-topic so I'm re-posting it here:
Anybody ever have any luck casting downstream and sort of back-bouncing a spinner (or spoon) into or through a fishy looking spot, kind of like you might fish a weighted nymph? This technique is a good producer of trout for me, but I've never had any luck when I try it on steelhead.
Every now and then I find a way to position myself right upstream from a nice eddy, slot, or seam that's gotta have steelhead holding, and I think 'this is the one'....but when I bounce it back through like I do for trout, no steelhead take.
Thanks ChezJfrey, your responses and posts often make me think about my approach in a different way, and I definitely appreciate that.
Man, it's hard to break a lifetime of trout fishing instincts! I've only had big-fish success swinging spoons/spinners in the standard tumbling/drifting style that people talk about, but for some reason I still also spend a lot of time trying other techniques like the one I describe above (or, as another example, I often try swinging a spinner slowly across the surface downstream from me, like you might do with a big dry fly...I mean, it sure looks enticing). But never had luck with these and I'm starting to realize that techniques that produce a fast spinner RPM or cause the lure to be too high in water might be mostly a waste of time for steelhead.
...lots of lost spoons.
"Drifting"? No or minimal reeling unless it stalls in the current?
"Minimal slack" must mean you avoid line belly as much as possible?
Every now and then I find a way to position myself right upstream from a nice eddy, slot, or seam that's gotta have steelhead holding, and I think 'this is the one'....but when I bounce it back through like I do for trout, no steelhead take.[/COLOR]
For a spoon, I fish it almost exactly like drifting, except it doesn't dredge the bottom, but rather just above it maybe tapping at most a couple times. Most of the time, cast slightly upstream and reel up quickly until just a small bit of slack in your line. I reel quickly because sometimes you cast on a fish and they will hit it almost immediately as it flutters downward in the water, but if that doesn't happen, you still want to be ready to lift it out of the rocks. I keep that bit of slack until I tap the bottom, which I want to occur when the terminal is roughly perpendicular to me. Then lift slightly and let it drift, ideally with a tiny bit of slack still in the line that is above the water. The spoon will be wafting very slowly in the water currents this way. When I feel it start to tug in the current, and the current is strong enough, I back-pedal down where I can barely feel it wobble...if I can feel it hit the bottom as it's going, I lift it up, or slow the back-pedal just slightly. If the current is not strong enough to carry the spoon, then just follow the spoon with the rod tip and lower it as it goes downstream. If it is still too slow as it swings and you hit, lift the rod up slightly. Just try to keep it out of the rocks and you should barely feel the lure action. The bit of slack I try to maintain while drifting is for that very slow action I was talking about. Sometimes, it's just not possible (if the current is slower or the depth is shallower) and I have to maintain some tautness, but if the current is slow, a taut line will still not impart very much action anyway.
It is killer...the last 3 years have me at 55% to 70% of my steelhead on spoons.
When you get crafty, you can learn to cast almost directly upstream into pocket water and reel/thread/waft it through the rocks all the way down, then back pedal as it passes you. Tremendous fun!
Also, a spinner just under the top water is unlikely, unless small and dark in summer and the fish is feisty. Get in their zone and you have a better chance.
Oh, and one more thing. When the spoon swings all the way in, let it hang there wiggling in the water to a count of 3, reel a couple feet very slowly, then bag it and zip it back in quickly. Many fish have hit when I reach 2 in that 3 count
ETA: I suppose I should also add that if the line is slightly slack, watch it carefully. If it stops moving with the current, or you see a tug telegraphed in the line, but don't feel anything, pull it and if the rod is loading, without hesitating, finish a complete hookset...you will either have a rock, branch, log or best case, a fish will shake back
Chez,
Thanks for the post. I'm trying to master this technique with limited success so far. I read Herzog but on the water it seems I can't do some of the things he talks about. Specifically lifting and dropping the spoon with rod angle. Most success I've had is casting upstream and fishing exactly like pencil lead/corky. Some fish, lots of lost spoons.
Couple of questions.
"Drifting"? No or minimal reeling unless it stalls in the current?
"Minimal slack" must mean you avoid line belly as much as possible?
Any more pointers would be greatly appreciated.
Spinners.... Cast up stream and real down. For winter steelhead and spinners.... Focus your time on the long deeper flats with broken up water inbetween the head of a pool and the very tail end or (tail out).
Great info everyone! I've been fishing my spoons to deep. What water do you fish different spoon types in; krocodile, cleo or pear shape?
Great info everyone! I've been fishing my spoons to deep. What water do you fish different spoon types in; krocodile, cleo or pear shape?
If you pick the right shape/weight and throw it out, you can pretty much just stand there and it fishes itself
Maybe i can dig up some older posts from about 5 years ago when i was trying to teach CHEZ about spoon fishing.
Seems like im always looking for info off him now! lol