Lines Tight?

I have been trying to learn how to steelhead fish and I have noticed something way different compared to bass or perch fishing. How can I keep my line tight when fishing with light tackle such as jigs missows, maggot/wax worms...etc? I try to do so and it never stays tight enough to feel a bite from the fish. Can anyone please let me know or give me a few pointers. I have tried extra weight with a bobber and still have no success...both with keeping the line tight or catching my first steelie. Please Help!!! Thanks in advance.

fishON,
    A while back one of the posters had information on rigging weights for a good drift.  It was an excellent post but right now I can't find it.  I will share this, from my experience you need to adjust you weight under the float and use the smallest float possible.  If you are really deep drifting your bait/lure/fly you may want to forget the float altogether and just use another bright fly or line indicator to show you a strike.  I used to use way too big a float and I missed quite a few fish.  Try holding your rod higher and keep the line off the water.  Use differing weight distances, or even put weight about 12-18" above the lure and let the weight bump the bottom and the lure free float.  These are all differing techniques. (your results may differ).

Unless a steelie is SLAMMING your offereing.... "most" bites you'll never feel anyway if you're using a float/indicator

Many times I've been in position on the creek to see my creek neighbors offering as it drifts thru,
but  from his position, he's unable to see it due to distance, sun, glare, etc.
 I've watched steelies mouth and spit a fly with nary a tickle to the indicator or line.
I've watched them bite and move with the current for 3 to 5ft, then spit it and never see movement of line or float/indicator.
I'm sure they couldn't "feel" it


here's a tech tip that might help;
If you're waiting for your float  to "dunk" or "feel" a bite, you're missing a bunch of bites.

Tiny subtle changes in the float/indicator is what you concentrate/key on.
Might be a little stutter to the indicator/float, might just slow down a bit, or speed up a tad.

It's the "little things" that can make a difference in the hook up ratio on the light bite days


To your question, The only way "I" know how to keep a "truly" tight line to fly/bait is;
 Swing  it
Cast and retrieve as with spoons/spinner/jigs
Or checking up (slowing) the drift down stream


..L.T.A.

ORIGINAL: fishON4Me

I am talking about keeping slack out of the line from rod tip to float. I am using a 10ft noodle and 10lb Power Pro braid with 3ft or so of Seagar Grand Max 4X. I cannot seem to keep it from slacking into the water from rod tip to float. Also I cannot seem to cast very far when using a jig/fly with 2 or 3 split shots (small Black Birds) and a slightly larger split shot under my float. All that and I cannot cast to the middle of the stream. I don't understand. It gets me quite frustrated when I see others landing fish and I am next to them with the same set-up and line distance from float. Makes me want to give it up but at the same time I keep spending money on different lures/jigs and stuff to maybe slighten my chance of catching my first steelhead. Sorry for complaining...almost sounds like I am talking to a counselor...LOL. Thank you for your replies and I will try these different techniques.

 
Try a float like a drennen, blackbird or sheffield....keep your rod tip up in the air...some slack line in the water is OK, but not too much.  The key is a natural drift....its even more important that the offering most of the time, IMO.

Most of this will just be reinforcing what others have said...
 
-  with a float/bobber you don't need to/probably won't feel the bite (I love to see that thing get pulled under - and then go sideways - you know its a fish - then that silver flash... sorry, I digress)
-  unless your close there's going to be some slack - just make sure to flip it upstream ("mend"/"tend" it) before it starts to belly and make things look unnatural to this fish
-  the lighter stuff (1/80th jigs, flies) is never real easy to cast with spinning gear (my experience is with straight 4 or 6 lb. mono and a small styrofoam float - I don't get a lot of distance until I'm using a 1/32 jig - but I don't use shot with the jigs too often
-  don't give up too soon - it took me a couple of trips to get my first, and I had knowledgeable help with me (I was stubborn, though) - the natural drift is the big thing

R,
 
10 lb. Fireline would only be a 4 lb. diameter. The only problem with braid, is the friction ( yes even "super" braids ). It casts like a dream ( better than mono ), using heavier lures with lots of initial inertia, but does not do nearly as well as mono using light lures/baits.