the Tailout May 2020 tailout_may2020finalx | Page 26

Steelhead can be fickle, which is why it’s always
a good idea to be prepared. Float fishing with
jigs fooled this steelhead. Below, cured prawns
make a good backup plan when steelhead
refuse your jigs.
Be Prepared With
Jigs And Prawns
THE BEST STEELHEAD JIG WATER IS A LOT LIKE PLUG WATER:
SLOW TO MEDIUM SPEED WATER. FIND THAT AND YOU'LL BE
A STEP AHEAD OF THE NEXT GUY. OF COURSE, IT HELPS TO
HAVE A JIG PROGRAM DIALED IN ONCE YOU FIND THE IDEAL
WATER TO FISH. BY TOBY WYATT
24
38
SALMON
& STEELHEAD JOURNAL
THE TAILOUT
I RECOMMEND FISHING JIGS THAT
match your favorite plug color. If you
don’t pull plugs for steelhead, then
use my colors as a guide. I personally
like the 1/8 or ¼ ounce Pearl Night-
mare Maxi Jig from Yakima Bait.
My second and third choices, in no
order, are Metallic Blue and Metallic
Chartreuse. But don’t make the mis-
take of getting hung up on one color.
If the Pearl Nightmare isn’t working
switch colors.
The same can be said for jigs. If for
some reason the jig is not working,
don’t be afraid to use a sand shrimp
or a coon shrimp and fish it under a
float. I brine the coon shrimp myself
using a ¼ cup of salt, a ¼ cup of
sugar and Pautzke’s Fire Brine. Place
enough shrimp into a quart jar and
fill it with your favorite colored brine.
I use red, pink, purple and chartreuse
color brines. Let it sit in a refrigerator
for a week shaking the jar regularly.
Once the shrimp is cured I fish it on a
double hook rig using two number 2
hooks or two number 4 hooks (hook
size is personal preference). To rig it,
place your first hook through the tail
and out through the head and then
secure your second hook into the
tail (see photo). Make sure the eyes
are facing down. If you want to add
some buoyancy run a Corky over
your leader.
Presentation is really important.
The main thing I see my clients do
wrong is allowing the bobber to
drag. This is usually caused from
not mending the line. Make sure you
keep your line above your bobber at
the same time keeping a tight line. I
always start shallow and slowly ad-
just until the jig contacts the bottom.
Too many fishermen don’t adjust
their depth enough.
In order to present your jig
properly you’ll need a longer rod. I
personally use a 10-foot, 2-inch rod.
I also fish a spinning reel loaded with
30-pound braid. One problem with
bobber fishing is there is always going
to be slack and we all know a tight
line is best. A long rod helps in mend-
ing your line, and the braid makes it
easier to maintain a tight line. I will
also dress my braid with Gehrke’s
Gink or fly line dressing to keep it
buoyant.
I like the convenience and effec-
tiveness of inline weights below my
bobber. I will use a ¼ or 3/8 ounce
when I’m fishing ½-ounce floats.
A good rule of thumb to use when
steelhead fishing is to use a slightly
lighter weight than your float. I like
to run a 30-inch leader in 12-pound
test. Make sure you use small beads
to bumper your knots. It keeps from
fraying the knots.
When it comes to floats I prefer a
½-ounce inline slider drift float from
Beau Mac (I also like a standard bob-
ber with enhanced rivets). If I use a
standard bobber I like to use a perma-
nent marker and color the bottom of
the bobber black if it’s a bright color.
This helps to camouflage the float.
Finally, if you’re fishing low clear
water use a smaller, lighter jig and
conversely, use a larger, heavier jig
in high water. And don’t be afraid to
add scent. It never can hurt.