Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum

Fishing in British Columbia => General Discussion => Topic started by: PinFishin on November 16, 2014, 10:55:04 PM

Title: Questions about Roe Sacks for Steelhead
Post by: PinFishin on November 16, 2014, 10:55:04 PM
This is my first year of fishing. I have never caught or fished for a steelhead. I have some questions about the presentation I plan on using.

Setup : Centerpin with 11.3' drift rod
Rivers : Little Campbell and Vedder (and literally anywhere else I figure I can catch something. I am so addicted)

So I have fresh chum single eggs. I purchased the liquid uv cure on pink. I also purchased roe bags in pink. I am planning on 5 eggs on a bag with a dab of either red/white/pink wool depending on water conditions.

Am I on the right track here? Am I wasting my time? Had anyone floated a jig with row bags on it? Would I be better off just trying that?

What size hooks should I be using? I have fished 1/0 and 1s exclusively for springs, coho, and chums but those have all been jigs and spinners, never a roe presentation.

I look forward to your responses.
Title: Re: Questions about Roe Sacks for Steelhead
Post by: Fish Assassin on November 16, 2014, 11:36:28 PM
I tie the roe sacs with just single eggs. If I want a little additional colour  I tie a piece of yarn on the bait loop.
Title: Re: Questions about Roe Sacks for Steelhead
Post by: PinFishin on November 17, 2014, 12:00:45 AM
I guess I was not clear. The wool was to go in the bait loop. As for single eggs, do you mean 1 egg per bag? Wouldn't it be easier to use no bag for that?

If you meant loose eggs than yes that vid in fact what I am using.
Title: Re: Questions about Roe Sacks for Steelhead
Post by: Fish Assassin on November 17, 2014, 12:05:32 AM
I guess I was not clear. The wool was to go in the bait loop. As for single eggs, do you mean 1 egg per bag? Wouldn't it be easier to use no bag for that?

If you meant loose eggs than yes that vid in fact what I am using.

I didn't mean 1 egg per bag. Depending on the size of the roe bag I may use 3-6 eggs.
Title: Re: Questions about Roe Sacks for Steelhead
Post by: Noahs Arc on November 17, 2014, 06:42:05 AM
I've used bags with a jig for steelhead before. That's usually what I use during seriously cold snaps. 3 years ago we had a cold snap in the valley where it was around -12 before wind chill and it was gusting. I fished 3 days back to back and only saw 3 other guys the whole time in the lower vedder where the wind gets bad. If I remember right 2 of the days I had 2 fish each think I got skunked the 3rd day. All using small bags on a jig.
Title: Re: Questions about Roe Sacks for Steelhead
Post by: Rodney on November 17, 2014, 10:00:57 AM
Beside the information provided here, there's also this long discussion on roe that members started a few years ago, you should be able to find some really useful information in it.

http://www.fishingwithrod.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=22057.0
Title: Re: Questions about Roe Sacks for Steelhead
Post by: NexusGoo on November 17, 2014, 04:53:38 PM
For steelhead fishing don't be afraid to throw a prawn tail or shrimp meat onto the jig. They are very effective, personally I like using anywhere between 4-8 single eggs in my spawn sacks. I always have a few different colours of spawn sack on me, having variety can make a huge difference.
Title: Re: Questions about Roe Sacks for Steelhead
Post by: PinFishin on November 18, 2014, 05:35:41 AM
Anyone have an answer to my hook size for steelhead question?

I'm going to be trying out some roe I cured in salt and borax a few months back from a Serpentine river doe in a few hours. After thawing it looks good. Hopefully it will produce some Vedder coho in a few hours. ;D

Title: Re: Questions about Roe Sacks for Steelhead
Post by: Rieber on November 18, 2014, 06:20:25 AM
I like to use an eagle claw # 4 bronze for roe sacks and a # 1 Gammi for roe chunks in borax and with large cooked deli prawns.
Title: Re: Questions about Roe Sacks for Steelhead
Post by: hrenya on November 18, 2014, 06:48:56 AM
rieber do u use procure on shrimps too to give em pin/red color and krill smell ?
Title: Re: Questions about Roe Sacks for Steelhead
Post by: PinFishin on November 18, 2014, 06:58:49 AM
I like to use an eagle claw # 4 bronze for roe sacks and a # 1 Gammi for roe chunks in borax and with large cooked deli prawns.

Thanks, I have #6 in bronze but I figured that they may be a bit too small.
Title: Re: Questions about Roe Sacks for Steelhead
Post by: Noahs Arc on November 18, 2014, 07:56:25 AM
Anyone have an answer to my hook size for steelhead question?

I'm going to be trying out some roe I cured in salt and borax a few months back from a Serpentine river doe in a few hours. After thawing it looks good. Hopefully it will produce some Vedder coho in a few hours. ;D

If you're fishng today, I'd be using #4 because the river will be low and slow.  Maybe #2 if that's all I had tied up.  #2 is fine for coho in most situations.
Title: Re: Questions about Roe Sacks for Steelhead
Post by: jim on November 18, 2014, 08:06:05 AM
If you have chum single eggs, they are one of the best.
You don't need to dye them if fishing clear waters.
The colour of the mesh material is something I a learning about as well. I use orange, pink or (new to me) peach,beige, or white.
the worst thing about roe bags is if they shrink between tieing them and using them, cause you end up with floppy loose bags instead of tight, almost bursting bags.
Advantage of roe bags is they can be float fished or bottom bounced, (drift fished american style.) (not bouncingbetties)
I have yet to fish them on a jig as I have not fished jigs at all, yet. I do have shrimps and prawns I could put on the jigs, not sure which is easiest.
 There are special dyes for shrimp, which are not the same product as the roe cure.
 Good luck on the Little Cambell, I did not know it had any openings left.
PS. can you touch the opposite bank of the LC with your long rod?, it is so narrow!
Title: Re: Questions about Roe Sacks for Steelhead
Post by: PinFishin on November 18, 2014, 02:53:36 PM
If you have chum single eggs, they are one of the best.
You don't need to dye them if fishing clear waters.
The colour of the mesh material is something I a learning about as well. I use orange, pink or (new to me) peach,beige, or white.
the worst thing about roe bags is if they shrink between tieing them and using them, cause you end up with floppy loose bags instead of tight, almost bursting bags.
Advantage of roe bags is they can be float fished or bottom bounced, (drift fished american style.) (not bouncingbetties)
I have yet to fish them on a jig as I have not fished jigs at all, yet. I do have shrimps and prawns I could put on the jigs, not sure which is easiest.
 There are special dyes for shrimp, which are not the same product as the roe cure.
 Good luck on the Little Cambell, I did not know it had any openings left.
PS. can you touch the opposite bank of the LC with your long rod?, it is so narrow!

Yeah it's a small river. From everything I have been told it still has a run of steelhead which is governed under the regular fresh water fisheries regs. I don't plan on retaining any steelies anyways (I barely keep any of my catch as is).

I have also heard that some of the other mud bay rivers contain steelies but I have yet to do my proper research.

I plan on doing some pre scouting on my local rivers in the next few weeks to look for the runs. As I previously stated I am quite knew to fishing. I have just had luck and a lot of early success with upwards of 60 fish landed since sockeye season. It was a great way to get addicted to the sport.
Title: Re: Questions about Roe Sacks for Steelhead
Post by: hrenya on November 18, 2014, 04:01:35 PM
pinfish I did some reseach in that area . nikomecl rivier has steelhead .... and another closest one is capilano ... but cap is pretty tricky to fish in winter cuz of dangerous conditions like ice  ))))
Title: Re: Questions about Roe Sacks for Steelhead
Post by: dobrolub on November 18, 2014, 04:51:59 PM
no retention on cap for steelies
Title: Re: Questions about Roe Sacks for Steelhead
Post by: hrenya on November 19, 2014, 04:27:27 PM
yeah I know not even hatchery
Title: Re: Questions about Roe Sacks for Steelhead
Post by: hrenya on November 19, 2014, 04:29:45 PM
I actually doubt if in the right river in a right I could catch a steelhead - will be able to kill it ... 99% sure I wont .... I saw those nice fishes .. they amazingly looking ....
Title: Re: Questions about Roe Sacks for Steelhead
Post by: PinFishin on November 19, 2014, 06:02:42 PM
I do not plan on retaining any steelhead. As far as I am concerned they are a sport fish exclusively. Even hatchery. Finding them is the hard part.
Title: Re: Questions about Roe Sacks for Steelhead
Post by: Kenwee on November 19, 2014, 06:15:59 PM
You are supposed to keep the hatchery as they should not spawn with the wild fish.
Title: Re: Questions about Roe Sacks for Steelhead
Post by: PinFishin on November 19, 2014, 07:18:41 PM
You are supposed to keep the hatchery as they should not spawn with the wild fish.

I don't understand that, although I have read it in other places. How is a hatch any different physically or genetically different than a wild? If they spawn, they will produce wild fish (literally no different).

If fisheries was so concerned about this they would instill no limit on hatch fish. Fish populations would continue to dwindle without hatch fish spawning.

Can someone explain to me why my logic is wrong?
Title: Re: Questions about Roe Sacks for Steelhead
Post by: firstlight on November 20, 2014, 08:57:58 PM
You are supposed to keep the hatchery as they should not spawn with the wild fish.
What wild fish?
Title: Re: Questions about Roe Sacks for Steelhead
Post by: Flytech on November 20, 2014, 09:00:40 PM
You are supposed to keep the hatchery as they should not spawn with the wild fish.


This is not true. They do this in a couple Wahington/Oregon flows, but it sounds like a waste if you ask me.