Steelhead lure tips!

[Kevinb5688]

I catch steelhead on a lot of different gear but sometimes an underlooked method is spinner/ spoon fishing. It dosent get a lot of respect but sometimes it is the best method, especially in fast or snaggy water where other methods are hard. I brought two of my friends fishing on the alsea last week. I caught 3 steelies in 1hr. (2nd one a 10 lb native) all on size 5 blue foxes. My friends rushed to put lures on and couldnt catch any fish. I finally got one of my friends to try my way of fishing the lure. He was casting across stream and reeling back slow trough a good looking hole. I got him to move down stream 20 ft, and cast directly upstream. Not really moving the lure just keeping it the speed of the water and off the bottom. He said my blades hardly spinning i smiled and said keep casting. 5 cast later he hooked into a 8 lb hen and then another 45 minutes later. So give it a try, cast upstream, just keep your line tight and rod high. When your line stops set the hook. Ohh. And the best part is you can beef up to 20Lb line on a 7 ft med light rod for a fun fight with little chance of the fish breaking off! Hope it helps. Comment if you agree/ dissagree.

 

[pbugs2009]

what about strength on these?? i tie my own trout jigs, and I am very intreged by steelhead. Can you catch them on regular crappie jigheads like with a size 1-2-4-6 hooks? Or do they need to be a bigger beefer hook?

 

[brandon4455]

what about strength on these?? i tie my own trout jigs, and I am very intreged by steelhead. Can you catch them on regular crappie jigheads like with a size 1-2-4-6 hooks? Or do they need to be a bigger beefer hook?

they can be caught on pretty small hooks. i mean. people catch them in little tiny flies im sure cappie jigheads will work. just don't horse a fish in and have your drag set right.

 

[halibuthitman]

mostly agree, definitely on the downhill retrieve stuff, but I would recommend against putting 20# line on a 7' med light rod.. rods arent like worms, if you break them in half they don't just grow new ends-

 

[brandon4455]

iwoudl also go against using #5 spinners for steelhead. #20 line and spinners that big are springer gear. thats overkill for steelhead.

 

[nwkiller]

mostly agree, definitely on the downhill retrieve stuff, but I would recommend against putting 20# line on a 7' med light rod.. rods arent like worms, if you break them in half they don't just grow new ends-

HH ur on fire with the one liners lately

 

[halibuthitman]

iwoudl also go against using #5 spinners for steelhead. #20 line and spinners that big are springer gear. thats overkill for steelhead.

well, those number fives caught 5 steelhead for him that day.. and rule number one of steelhead fishing is.... don't get hung up on the rules-

 

[Kevinb5688]

Ya works for me

Ya works for me

I had mostly bass gear when i started steelhead fishing, so i brought my rod with 20lb test. After a while i got a longer rod, went to 10lb test. But when it came to lure fishing for steelies i found that heavy line as long as good quality really made no difference. So big it is, i can power steelies in. First fish i caught i landed in 1 min. Slid it right on the bank. Finess fishing hAs its place and when i jig fish thats what i do. Size 5 blue fox works great. In muddy water i even throw a 6. And i havnt had a 2011 day without at least one fish. Good luck to you guys and try throwing a spinner if the jigs and yarn arent catchin the fish. Youd be suprized how much it pisses them of. Ive had two fish chace it down like a stupid trout would.

 

[nwkiller]

i like to start my lure days off with the cloud cover....if its sunny i love the chrome stuff any color, cloudy days i like the brass or gold any color

 

[adambomb]

iwoudl also go against using #5 spinners for steelhead. #20 line and spinners that big are springer gear. thats overkill for steelhead.

IMO #5 isn't too big for winters, and #4 is as big as I would go for summers. Although this hen INHALED a #6 in low clear water mid June '10, go figure!!:shock:

 

[JeannaJigs]

The big lures really make 'em mad! I've use 6's in crystal clear low water during the summer for chinook and caught steelhead with them. Smaller has always been the standard but big and ugly works too.

 

[brandon4455]

well, i learned somthing new today

 

[SLEDME]

This is my first post here and since i have been using spinners and spoons for steelhead and salmon for almost 25 years i feel i may have something to add here.20# line will of course work for catching steelhead but 10#or even 8# will allow your spinner or spoon to get deeper much quicker putting your offering in the zone for a longer period of time.The original posters comment about the upstream cast is the method i use probably 90% of the time with very good results.From my experience a large spinner or spoon will catch the more agressive fish regardless the time of year.I sometimes use a silver plate 1 ounce spoon for summer steelhead and springers and although it may seem too big it triggers strikes when other smaller offerings may not.The large spoon i mentioned works very well on the Mckenzie or Willamette especially in holding water when the fish are trying to rest.For the Mckenzie or Willamette my go to spinner is a #4 gold plated blade with a small piece of silver prism tape on the back of the blade,lead 3/8 ounce body,green bead and a 1/0 siwash hook.I hope this information is useful.

 

[brandon4455]

This is my first post here and since i have been using spinners and spoons for steelhead and salmon for almost 25 years i feel i may have something to add here.20# line will of course work for catching steelhead but 10#or even 8# will allow your spinner or spoon to get deeper much quicker putting your offering in the zone for a longer period of time.The original posters comment about the upstream cast is the method i use probably 90% of the time with very good results.From my experience a large spinner or spoon will catch the more agressive fish regardless the time of year.I sometimes use a silver plate 1 ounce spoon for summer steelhead and springers and although it may seem too big it triggers strikes when other smaller offerings may not.The large spoon i mentioned works very well on the Mckenzie or Willamette especially in holding water when the fish are trying to rest.For the Mckenzie or Willamette my go to spinner is a #4 gold plated blade with a small piece of silver prism tape on the back of the blade,lead 3/8 ounce body,green bead and a 1/0 siwash hook.I hope this information is useful.

very useful. thats great for a first post. thanks :clap:

 

[SantiamDrifter]

I had mostly bass gear when i started steelhead fishing, so i brought my rod with 20lb test. After a while i got a longer rod, went to 10lb test. But when it came to lure fishing for steelies i found that heavy line as long as good quality really made no difference. So big it is, i can power steelies in. First fish i caught i landed in 1 min. Slid it right on the bank. Finess fishing hAs its place and when i jig fish thats what i do. Size 5 blue fox works great. In muddy water i even throw a 6. And i havnt had a 2011 day without at least one fish. Good luck to you guys and try throwing a spinner if the jigs and yarn arent catchin the fish. Youd be suprized how much it pisses them of. Ive had two fish chace it down like a stupid trout would.

A 1 minute fight? what fun is that? The more you fish, the more your'll learn how to fight fish. 20 is over kill!!!! I never go above 10# test and have landed big fish. Its also so much more fun fighting those fish on ligther gear as well.

If you get a longer more sensitive rod, like a 9'6 6-10# rating. You can let the rod and reel drag fight the fish for you. You dont need to horse on those suckers.

 

[Kevinb5688]

I agree it is more fun on light line. I favor catching my fish on my 8'6 drift rod with 8lb line, i was merly stating you can fish UP TO 20 lb line whn lure fishing. It has its place though, when fishing a deep or wide stream id go to 10 or 12. I fish north fork alsea though. Its 3 ft deep and 20 ft wide. Lol