Top 5 Steelhead Baits/Lures

While I'm gathering gear and buying tackle for my first steelhead trip coming up sometime in the next few weeks I'd like to see what everyone's opinions are on this.  What is your top 5 steelhead lures or live baits when using spin fishing outfit?

single egg, sucker spawn, wolley bugger, maggot, little cleo....well i dont know if those are the best but i know they all catch fish

1. skein
2. egg sacs
3. glo balls
4. alevin fry
5. woolly buggers

The top producing flys during the "One Fly" were:   Copper John, Wooly Bugger (grey), Black stone fly (Greg Senyo tie),  Pale yellow maggot type tie,  Green/sliver/white streamer.

Egg sacks
single eggs
wax worms
maggots
night crawlers
 
 

    I think water conditions dictate what is best for any given day!!   If cloudy and high Skein would be #1 and the only thing needed to fish that day!
    On a clear stream  day light line with a flourocarbon leader 3-4 feet and a float with sucker spawn in cream would be my #1,
 2 ss in pink
 3 single eggs
4 wax worm
 5 mini foo tipped with a maggot or wax worm

sucker spawn or jig & maggot

bait;

eggs
I've caught my share on egg sacs, but singles have produced the most bites for me.

minnows
I've always done better on large size flathead minnows  compared to emerald shiners or small flatheads.
and I don't think I've EVER caught a steelie on a dead minnow dead drifted thru slow pools.
Fast water or movement on a dead or salted minnow has got a few bites, but nada when dead drifted thru pods of fish in slow water.

Jigs.
one of the most versatile lures ever imHo and will catch any species  of fish that will bite.
They can be fished effectively in so many ways it ain't funny.
anything from dragging them, to swimming them, to swinging them, to jigging them, to right angle drifting under a float
Personally, I've always preferred marriboo feathered jigs.
White has produced the most bites for me (in all species of fish)


just because you're using a spinning outfit, don't be afraid to tie on a fly under a float.
When i was spin fishing, I took several different baits and box full of flies.
There were many times flies out produced the bait

yarn (either sucker spawn or glo-bugs)
in pink, white, yellow, chartreuse, cheese, cream, orange and combo colors

 nymphs
Pheasant tail
stone fly
emerges
caddis larva


g'luck


..l.T.A.

ORIGINAL: catchinfish

High water:
Skein
Brown eggs
jigs
spoons
flatfish

Low water:
sucker spawn (white)
wooley buggers
crystal meth
skein
brown eggs

 
CFish, F.Y.I
I thought we all agreed a while back to call it Crystal Spawn, due to the problem with the DRUG crystal meth causes in our society and the lives that it ruins.
 

FLATFISH NO MATTER WHAT! Just kidding but water conditions dictate anything.Try everything out for yourself and see what you like to throw and what works for you.

ORIGINAL: WetWilly

 
1. Velveeta Cheese
2. Corn
3. Marshmallows
4. Red fire balls
5. Anise scented dough ball

 
Scarey part is... ALL of these work very well... LOL

I heard a good one the other day. Someone asked a friend of mine what he was catching them on.  He answered "a little bit of luck and allot of frustration".     I think I heard that from someone else before too, but I like it.  I can't tell you how many times someone's asked me what I'm using, and when I told them they said "I've been trying that all day, not a hit".  It's not usually what your using, but how you're using it.  A rig that you consistantly bang fish on in high dirty water, isn't usually going to work well in low clear water.

Mine are:
sucker spawn
jigs
spawn sacks
wolley bugger
single eggs

I have not heard 5/0 treble with lead on the shank yet

ORIGINAL: anzomcik

I have not heard 5/0 treble with lead on the shank yet

3/4 oz cleo will outsnag it 10 to 1....make sue to use orange and silver so ya can see it.

I proved to myself this year that Erie "steelhead" will eat anything. I had a banner year with crapass unpolished flies made of craft yarn.

VIVA LA CARPET MUNCHER!