What colors?

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buck306
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2007/10/05 18:06:12 (permalink)

What colors?

What colors and tackle for the opening of steelhead shoiuld i use and through the season?
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    RE: What colors? 2007/10/07 16:51:43 (permalink)
    buck -
     
    you might get some more info posting this question under the fisherie discussion.
     
    i'm guessing from your question, you're new to steelhead fishing, so i'll take a shot at answering your question.  also, search for an older post called "the basics, 2007."  has a lot of good info in it. 
     
    if you're using a spinning outfit, pick up a 9 or 10 foot noodle rod at poor richards for about $30 and set up your reel with 4 pound line.  lot of guys like flurocarbon.  i like mono, though i think this past weekend i might have had more hits if i had fluro.  you can also use a heavier main line - 6 or 8 lb. - with a lighter leader.  noodle rods help you cast small baits further and more precisely and really help you in fighting the fish.
     
    go small on your hooks, split shot & strike indicators.  i use a size 18 hook year round for all live bait.  12 or 14 is probably the biggest you should go.  don't buy snelled hooks, but tie hooks directly to your line.  good baits are single eggs, emerald shiners (if you can find them this year) and wax worms.  i also do ok with mini foo jigs (white or black) tipped with maggots or a wax worm.  lots of guys use egg sacks & power bait too, though i've never had much luck with them.  in low clear water like there is now, your best bet is to fish with no weight or float and get as natural a drift as possible.  at the end of this week, if the forecast holds up, drift your bait through deeper holes with a tiny split shot about 12 - 18" above the hook and a strike indicator set at about 1 1/2 times the depth of the water you're fishing. 
     
    if you want to throw spoons 1/4 or 1/8 oz. is good.  i like little cleos in blue/silver or green/silver, though i don't use them much.  lots of people like rooster tails too. 
     
    you can use these tactics pretty much year round, with a little tweaking here and there.  if you've fished for trout before, just keep in mind that a steelhead is just a really big rainbow trout.  a lot of the same tactics and techniques work for both. 
     
    good luck.  if you have any more questions, shoot me a private message. 
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