Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum
Fishing in British Columbia => General Discussion => Topic started by: hrenya on December 22, 2015, 03:20:49 PM
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Hi , I`m a complete newbie in steelhead fishing , and I was wondering about few things :
1) what is the recommended length of leader ? I was reading a lot that no more than 12 inches
2) I really like to use snap-on/lock with terminal tackle so I wonder if I have prettied leader with swivel and a snap-on/lock below weight/float on a main line - will using this combination effect my success ? because I`m trying to look ahead and the weather is pretty cold so I want to avoid tying I can skip .
3) I read a lot about using bait in slow water and artificial stuff in quick water - is this right ?!
4) using 17mono as main and 15 as leader will do the trick ? (I usually use 10/8)
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1) I usually run a 12"-18" leader. If you are short floating roe or whatever, any leader over like 24" kind of defeats the purple ;D (In my opinion).
2) Pre-tying leaders and storing them can be quite helpful. As well, invest in a good pair of gloves to keep your hands warm and tying easier.
3) Honestly when it comes to steelhead, fish a presentation that you have faith in, and fish every type of water. Obviously roe (or natural) presentations will stay on better in a slower moving water, and fall off easier in a faster moving water.
4) I use 15/10 but everyone is different
Honestly, its all about finding a setup that you find comfortable with. Good luck and get 'em ;D
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ty will try , but bait selection is varies : I have cured shrimps , I have single eggs from 2-3 different sources (some cooked so they can be use as singles , some fresh , some from my bud with cure on them) I will tie sacks with them , I also have some salted roe with borax , cured/salted roe(I like to add salt so it doesn't freeze) , but the problem is how often I can change it :D
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Leader length depends on water clarity. The clearer the water, the longer the leader.
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Leader length depends on water clarity. The clearer the water, the longer the leader.
so as SC mentioned above no longer 2 feet though ?
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Learn how to read the water.
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so as SC mentioned above no longer 2 feet though ?
I usually go from 12-24"
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Leader length to clarity and speed of water that you are fishing. For most water I run 18 inches but if its slow and gin clear I will go as much as 24"+
17main and 15 leader is fine, just keep an eye on your main cause when you snag the chanses of breaking off everything are just a little higher.
More time on the water will give you the experience you need, all the tips and tricks you read will give you some idea but get out there and fish. :P
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i usually use a 1 foot leader when fishing roe and 14 inch when using anything artificial
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i usually use a 1 foot leader when fishing roe and 14 inch when using anything artificial
So a roe/wool combo would have to be 13 inches?
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Jigs 18" or less - Just enough to ensure the jig is seen by the fish before the weight.
Eggs 1 foot - you want your presentation in the zone set by your weight. A longer leader just means you have no idea what depth you are actually fishing based on currents. Weight should be 1 foot off the bottom, not ticking.
Blades 18-24" - with the swing I like to get some distance from the weight, and it helps with line fankling.
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Hi , I`m a complete newbie in steelhead fishing , and I was wondering about few things :
1) what is the recommended length of leader ? I was reading a lot that no more than 12 inches
2) I really like to use snap-on/lock with terminal tackle so I wonder if I have prettied leader with swivel and a snap-on/lock below weight/float on a main line - will using this combination effect my success ? because I`m trying to look ahead and the weather is pretty cold so I want to avoid tying I can skip .
3) I read a lot about using bait in slow water and artificial stuff in quick water - is this right ?!
4) using 17mono as main and 15 as leader will do the trick ? (I usually use 10/8)
1) The length of leader depends on kind of water you fish, generally 12 to 18" will work for normal condition. When you fish the pocket waters in the rapids, you want it short so the turbulent water there won't cause the leader to float up too much above where the lead is and most likely where the fish is. When you fish the low & gin clear water (especially in March & April), you may want to go to 24" with a small presentation such as a single egg, small spin & glo or small worm.
2) With varying length of leaders and varying types of presentation (egg, shrimp, worm, jig, spinner, spoon etc), it makes sense to use a snap-on swivel below the lead, as you are expected to keep changing your leader length and terminal gear based on the water in front of you. That is what I do to have a leader board pre-tied with different stuffs and different leader lengths for quick change up. For example, if I fish the lower run in the morning with roe on tea colour water, I will use 18" of 10-12lb Fluorocarbon leader, then when I move up to fish the rapids, I will use 10-12" of 15lb leader (don't have to be Flurocarbon as fish are not leader shy in highly oxygenated pocket water in the rapids). Quick change ups will be best done by snap swivel below the lead, and pre-tied leaders with swivel to snap on the main line snap swivel.
3) Slow water is better fished with bait (roe, shrimp etc), whereas faster water don't need them. The fish is more aggressive and the baits got beaten up fast in fast or turbulent rapids water. With this in mind, I recommend the pencil lead to be mounted in a tubing. This way you can also change the weight fast. Slower water will be drifted better with a smaller weight.
4) The 17/15 main vs leader ratio is good but I prefer to use 20lb blue label Seaguard fluorocarbon as main as 17 & 15 are a bit too close. In the rapids, I will put 15lb leader just so I can still have some control for a big steelie in the fast water. In the lower, 10-12lb fluorocarbon will be better suited as you have more room to play the fish on a lighter leader. Hope this helps.
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that`s a great answer covering everything I asked :)
ty a lot Steelhawk , hope meeting up soon and fish :)
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The interesting thing I've experienced with steelhead is there is no #1 (first string/starting) bait or lure that I'll use. I've caught steelhead on roe, roe bags, jensen eggs, pink worms, wool ties, and flies. I've hooked fish on all of these baits/lures equally. Sometimes it pays to observe what others are using, then use something else. Now that I'm tying jigs, I'll be sure to try them as well!
For leader material, I'll typically use 10 lb fluorocarbon leader when fishing baits or Jenny's in slower moving water. Otherwise, I'll move up to 12 lb fluorocarbon leader in faster water with artificial baits or blades. My mainline is usually 12 to 15 lb maxima ultragreen.
If you can find the book "Westcoast Steelheader", that will be a great read for you to lean the basics. Good luck and have fun!!!
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Length should be around 18-22 inches depending on clarity. But compared to coho or summer steelhead the winter runs are really not very leader shy. I think you're better off going with heavier FC (like 12 to 15 lb) than risking breaking off that 20 pounder.
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All good advice. The only minor thing I will add is that you may also wish to consider the type of terminal tackle and the energy of the water you are fishing in. In higher energy water, you don't want too long a leader or your presentation (if light weight) may be floating above your lead and not presented toward the bottom in front of the fish. However, if you are fishing something like a jig which has a heavy bead, the leader length is not as critical, as the jig will almost always be below the lead. You could quit happily fish with a 30 inch leader, just make sure that your lead is also at least 30 inches off the bottom. I fish 20 lbs main and 15-10 leader (mono or flouro depending on clarity) and I have not caught many fish ..... er wait wat!
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Length should be around 18-22 inches depending on clarity. But compared to coho or summer steelhead the winter runs are really not very leader shy. I think you're better off going with heavier FC (like 12 to 15 lb) than risking breaking off that 20 pounder.
Good advice CS. In years past, I fished steelies just like I was fishing for those spooky little coho! In fact, the largest steelie I caught was on 6 lb leader. Lucky for me, the fish didn't do very much and when it came in, my leader broke. There was a guy standing right beside the fish who just picked it up and threw it on the beach. Turned out to be a 35 inch, 15 lb hatchery buck. That was almost 10 years ago now! Point is, I was in "coho mode" and when people asked me what leader I was using, they were surprised that it didn't break off earlier! Anyway, I still will go down to 10 lb fluorocarbon leader at times - just a confidence thing. :)
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For me... 12 or 15lb main and a 8-10lbs leader for pretty much all my fishing.
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Ty guys a lot , got all of above together by getting my body on a river today from first light till last light was from lower river - mid river - upper river - back to lower river , no luck . But now all of the info I got start making sense , and I had a chance to play with my CP and practice my cast w/o being a problem to all other guys fishing out there .
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There is more than enough good advice already given, but I'll chime in for the heck of it :) I myself am by no means a top steelheader. However, I have been lucky enough to fish many times with a very accomplished Vedder steelheader, who has won the year long derby on more than one occasion. The following is more what he has taught me than what I arrived at through a lot of trial and error.
Leader length: Generally, keep it short! S/h are for the most part not very leader shy. Also, often you will want to fish in tight to shore. I have hooked a few nice ones that were close to shore in 1 foot or so of water. It's pretty hard to fish shallow water with a long leader. For jigs (my favorite) and bait I stick to about a foot. For rubber worms and blades I feel a longer leader gives them better action, so I am probably between 18-24 inches.
Snap swivel: When I started out s/h fishing I used this method. I'd have a duo-lock swivel at the end of my mainline. then I would have a variety of pre-tied leaders on a leader board with a small barrel swivel at the end. To switch rigs no problem, just unsnap the duo-lock, feed in a new leader with swivel on the end, done. However, as I've gained a bit of experience I've learned that generally if one is around and your presentation is proper, it likely WILL smash your offering. I like fishing jigs, a LOT. So most of the time I gear fish for s/h I only fish them. I will take the jig off if I get a hit and then it will not take the jig the 2nd time around, or if I just feel like trying something else. I guess what I am trying to say is find what you like and have confidence in and more or less stick to that. If you like to switch your offering up every 20 casts then I suppouse there is no harm in that.
Leaders: In my opinion you want at least 5lb diff between your mainline and leader. 17-15 is not enough and you run a high risk of breaking off everything if your hook gets snagged. Personally if I hook a s/h I want to play it hard, get it in fast in case it's a wild, don't want to poop the poor fish right out trying to finesse it in on light gear. I run 20 mainline and 15 leader. Also, IMO, and esp for a steelheading newbie, I would NOT bother with the added expense of f/c leaders. If the stuff gives you confidence and you think it catches more fish then by all means go for it. However in my experience, esp with s/h that are not that leader shy, quality mono leader will catch you just as many fish.
Lastly, I'll say that the hardest part about steelheading is FINDING the fish! That is what I struggle with most. Which runs to hit on a given day, if I should go back to the head of the run and hit it again or keep moving down river, and so on. This is what you will slowly learn with time spent on the river. Generally I go out and expect to catch nothing and just enjoy the scenery, fresh air, solitude, talk to a few fishermen and try and learn a thing or two, have a cigar with a buddy, you get the idea. If I do catch a s/h that is a huge added bonus and does not happen very often!! ;D
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I also forgot to tell to new guys like me , it`s not that scary as it looks like , all the guys on a river at least the ones I met were pretty nice and friendly . I was expecting something like b/b on fraser for sockeye , but I was gladly surprised by the attitude . We were walking by and and stop for a bit , guy got snagged and a spot looked godly :) so my buddy asked a guy if he can make few cast at the spot while he was tying his gear , and guy said no problem ... few casts and we walking again . So don`t be afraid of explore :) take your turns , move on and always be nice .
P.S. I was afraid to fish C/V after quite a few research and reading topics about how bad it is , unless I was lucky again and avoided all the "gang show" spots
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The C/V system is actually not bad for s/h fishing. It has a lot more rooms to fish and explore than the other systems. Perhaps fishing away from the meat hole and exploring the river will give more fun to steelheading, which to me is more like stalking and hunting a fish than camp posting a spot like fishing for salmon.
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thanks a lot for that, gunna head out tomorrow to try my luck with the s/h or some bullies
There is more than enough good advice already given, but I'll chime in for the heck of it :) I myself am by no means a top steelheader. However, I have been lucky enough to fish many times with a very accomplished Vedder steelheader, who has won the year long derby on more than one occasion. The following is more what he has taught me than what I arrived at through a lot of trial and error.
Leader length: Generally, keep it short! S/h are for the most part not very leader shy. Also, often you will want to fish in tight to shore. I have hooked a few nice ones that were close to shore in 1 foot or so of water. It's pretty hard to fish shallow water with a long leader. For jigs (my favorite) and bait I stick to about a foot. For rubber worms and blades I feel a longer leader gives them better action, so I am probably between 18-24 inches.
Snap swivel: When I started out s/h fishing I used this method. I'd have a duo-lock swivel at the end of my mainline. then I would have a variety of pre-tied leaders on a leader board with a small barrel swivel at the end. To switch rigs no problem, just unsnap the duo-lock, feed in a new leader with swivel on the end, done. However, as I've gained a bit of experience I've learned that generally if one is around and your presentation is proper, it likely WILL smash your offering. I like fishing jigs, a LOT. So most of the time I gear fish for s/h I only fish them. I will take the jig off if I get a hit and then it will not take the jig the 2nd time around, or if I just feel like trying something else. I guess what I am trying to say is find what you like and have confidence in and more or less stick to that. If you like to switch your offering up every 20 casts then I suppouse there is no harm in that.
Leaders: In my opinion you want at least 5lb diff between your mainline and leader. 17-15 is not enough and you run a high risk of breaking off everything if your hook gets snagged. Personally if I hook a s/h I want to play it hard, get it in fast in case it's a wild, don't want to poop the poor fish right out trying to finesse it in on light gear. I run 20 mainline and 15 leader. Also, IMO, and esp for a steelheading newbie, I would NOT bother with the added expense of f/c leaders. If the stuff gives you confidence and you think it catches more fish then by all means go for it. However in my experience, esp with s/h that are not that leader shy, quality mono leader will catch you just as many fish.
Lastly, I'll say that the hardest part about steelheading is FINDING the fish! That is what I struggle with most. Which runs to hit on a given day, if I should go back to the head of the run and hit it again or keep moving down river, and so on. This is what you will slowly learn with time spent on the river. Generally I go out and expect to catch nothing and just enjoy the scenery, fresh air, solitude, talk to a few fishermen and try and learn a thing or two, have a cigar with a buddy, you get the idea. If I do catch a s/h that is a huge added bonus and does not happen very often!! ;D
when I fish for steel I like to go stealth small swivel, light line but that mostly just part of the mind games
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Learn how to read the water.
Are you sure there isn't something less helpful you could say?
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Are you sure there isn't something less helpful you could say?
Are you kidding. Learning how to read the water is the most basic and important thing in fishing. I am just trying to help not trying to be sarcastic.
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Are you kidding. Learning how to read the water is the most basic and important thing in fishing. I am just trying to help not trying to be sarcastic.
Good advice.
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Are you kidding. Learning how to read the water is the most basic and important thing in fishing. I am just trying to help not trying to be sarcastic.
I agree. Learning to read the water for steelheading is probably among the top of all steelhead fishing strategies. Reading and adapting to changing water condition during steelhead season is crucial to success as the river can change a lot during rainy periods.
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I prefer to just launch my gear as far as I can. Usually to the other side of the river, because that's where all the fish are because why else would that guy be fishing over there?!?!
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yeah ! keep them coming :) all of the advices are taken :))) ty all ...
I gotta get 1 pretty soon :)))))