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[Darko]

I was watching a video from Addicted fishing on steelhead presentations and they had a bead setup that was very different from what I see typically used on the river. They had maybe a meter long leader , with a splitshot midway that way it bounces a bit in the bottom. I thought about it and it seems like a pretty natural presentation as to the fish it looks like a normal egg bouncing along the bottom. I know they are in the states but how would something like that fair here. Is it too snaggy? Is it only for steelhead because during salmon season it would result in too many snagged fish? Interested to see what you guys have to say.

[Phronesis]

I was watching a video from Addicted fishing on steelhead presentations and they had a bead setup that was very different from what I see typically used on the river. They had maybe a meter long leader , with a splitshot midway that way it bounces a bit in the bottom. I thought about it and it seems like a pretty natural presentation as to the fish it looks like a normal egg bouncing along the bottom. I know they are in the states but how would something like that fair here. Is it too snaggy? Is it only for steelhead because during salmon season it would result in too many snagged fish? Interested to see what you guys have to say.

I think that would result in more flossing of the fish, just like people using wool with long leader.

For natural presentation, you can still put the weight just above the bottom with a short leader and the float should be titled a bit towards you, so that the bead is presented first to the fish and not the weight.

[vancook]

I was watching a video from Addicted fishing on steelhead presentations and they had a bead setup that was very different from what I see typically used on the river. They had maybe a meter long leader , with a splitshot midway that way it bounces a bit in the bottom. I thought about it and it seems like a pretty natural presentation as to the fish it looks like a normal egg bouncing along the bottom. I know they are in the states but how would something like that fair here. Is it too snaggy? Is it only for steelhead because during salmon season it would result in too many snagged fish? Interested to see what you guys have to say.

its flossing. There are a lot of guys out there who fish like that and don't see it as flossing. The magic VOOL presentation. You can short float with your lead almost at the bottom and your presentation, ie a bead which is light. Short floating the fish are actively biting your presentation.

[RalphH]

this is a typical presentation used by fly anglers ; an indicator about 1 to 1.5 times the water depth above the egg imitation with weight about a foot to a foot and a half above the the egg or bead. I mostly used this for cutthroat but caught some coho, chum and even a steelhead or 2. I can't remember a single fish that looked like it was flossed.

Another presentation is the egg imitation is weighted with a tungesten bead, a indicator (bobber) may be used or not. Bobbers are not allowed in competitive angling.

In both these presentations most of the line hangs down through the water column rather than being horizontal to the current flow by the weight. Chances of flossing a fish are greatly reduced. For trout, fish numbers are much lower than with most salmon and flossing is a much lower % game.

without experience of using such a presentation people shouldn't rush to say it is flossing.

[CohoJake]

I have fished this way for coho on the Skagit river, and it can be very effective, and if you do it right, you don't foul hook fish at all. The key is to have your main weight still well above the bottom, but the leader long enough that the bead bounces along the bottom. Where allowed, I have had great success with a tandem bead setup like this, with about a 4 foot leader, with 18 inches between the top and bottom beads/hooks, and a couple of BB sized split shot on the leader above the top bead.

I have hooked dozens (probably hundreds) of fish this way, and I have seen no evidence they are flossed - many of them still end up with the hook well down the throat even though my bead is pegged well above the hook.

Where only single beads are allowed, done just like you indicate, I still get aggressive strikes with a 3 foot leader and a couple of BB split shot. Why the split shot? Soft beads are neutrally buoyant, so you want to get them down to the strike zone. The point is, if you have your float set short enough, you shouldn't be flossing fish, because your leader won't be laying out sideways.

[Darko]

Thank you guys for sharing your experience, Jake were you fishing for coho in the skagit below Ross lake? Because I didnt think there were any runs in the upper skagit or maybe a couple small ones. For those who think it may be flossing. Addicted fishing is against flossing and have mentioned so in videos past. I would not think they would make a video about something they don't believe in. From what I have seen, below us in the states they use many different techniques to catch salmon, ethically.. Although they definitely have their more controversial ways. In BC river fishing 50% of it seems to be short floating and the rest either spincasting or bar fishing (yes some troll in frog waters but I think thats very few of us). For me I find it interesting to learn other methods used as it keeps you always trying something new having fun and brings a sense of novelty.

[Cyanescens]

There is a Skagit River in the states.

[Darko]

There is a Skagit River in the states.

yes that's what I assumed, that he fished below Ross Lake. That's why I asked if it was in the upper.

[RalphH]

same river. Flows out of Manning Park south to Ross Lake which was formed by the Ross Dam. Below Ross Dam are also the Diablo and Gorge dams. I am pretty salmon etc cannot ascend past the lower of these 2 dams.

From what I have seen, below us in the states they use many different techniques to catch salmon, ethically.. Although they definitely have their more controversial ways. In BC river fishing 50% of it seems to be short floating and the rest either spincasting or bar fishing (yes some troll in frog waters but I think thats very few of us).

Bottom bouncing with pencil lead used to be very common on the rivers of the  south east coast of Vancouver island, the Cowichan in particular. Some of the old hands there called "short floating' kids tackle.  It seems to have disappeared.

[Wiseguy]

I used to bottom bounce on the Gold river for steelhead back in the day. The Gold has some very deep pools. No float with some pencil lead and a short leader. Caught some nice steelhead there.

[CohoJake]

same river. Flows out of Manning Park south to Ross Lake which was formed by the Ross Dam. Below Ross Dam are also the Diablo and Gorge dams. I am pretty salmon etc cannot ascend past the lower of these 2 dams.

The official position of the hydro company was that salmon and steelhead could never ascend the rapids below these dams, but now nobody really believes that and they are studying and negotiating whether it is feasible and desirable to add fish passage over these dams. I personally would like to see them produce more Baker lake sockeye in these reservoirs - it seems like a good use of the altered habitat.

Yes - it is one and the same Skagit river - with the same voracious char that you seem in the upper Skagit, sometimes to 10 lbs or more (but my biggest was maybe 3 lbs). In a non-drought year, the coho are very 'bitey' and the action is incredible.