Spinning gear for steelhead

[Balladeer]

Hey y'all,

I was thinking of trying some winter steelhead fishing and was wondering if a person can use spinning gear or do I need to have fly fishing stuff?

Thanks,
B

[tomy salami]

Spinning gear, and the techniques employed with said reel will stomp the fecal matter outa most fly fishing presentations bar a few places/conditions.

10x easier for a beginner to hang one with spinnin setup than a somewhat seasoned fly guy on 90% of the water in this state.

You could become awfully effective in hours, if the right chap showed you how.

[turbociv922001]

spinning tackle for sure. very productive,

use techniques like, bobber n jig. very easy and works well. specially when tip the jig with a salad shrimp

also a 6inch pink worm on a jig head under a bobber is one of my favorites.

bobber and eggs also is great

[1bowhunter1]

BallaDeer Sent PM

[Thefisherman83]

It also depends on the river you are fishing.  Spinnin gear works well on the smaller rivers, but bait casting setups are much easier on bigger faster moving water. 

[Balladeer]

Well thanks gentlemen (and I use that term loosely). I'm gonna give it a try and see what I come up with. I'll be sure and let you know how I do.

B

[Hangfire]

Spinning gear is best for a beginner, Bait casting best with experience  with that type of reel.   Fly fishing for winters for the expert with lots of experience and still not as productive.

[tomy salami]

Fly fishing for winter runs, especially in any river with any glacial till at all, is an exercise in futility.
...........unless you feel like swingin winged bobbers scented up with Smelly Jelly and a well affixed sandshrimp tail.

Just aint gonna keep up with the gear drivin gents, if all you use are eggsucking leeches and those fruity lookin purple rabbit fur "flies".

Bait, Mr. Steely......its what is for dinner. Steelhead do not care what type of reel is on the end of the rod. The business end is what is doin the heavy liftin.

[MtnMuley]

I strictly use spinning outfits for winter steelhead.  I bobber fish.  Damn hard to beat a 7'6" Loomis mediumlight rod with a Shimano Stradic reel.  Treating the line correctly is the ticket.

[Balladeer]

I strictly use spinning outfits for winter steelhead.  I bobber fish.  Damn hard to beat a 7'6" Loomis mediumlight rod with a Shimano Stradic reel.  Treating the line correctly is the ticket.

Treating the line? I am brand new and not sure what that means.

[Bofire]

2 years ago I had a 12 foot bobber rod built, a slip bobber and jig is a butt kicker, with the long rod I use 8#test and a small shimano spinning reel. With that long rod I can present a bobber at about 50-70 feet.(fishing a bobber I hate to let the line lay on the surface I like it in the air all the way to the bobber.)
Carl
oh yeah, spinning gear works great.

[kbyers]

Treating the line?

I think he is talking about waxing mono so that it floats.  It is a lot easier to set the hook when the line is floating on top instead of trying to pull the line through the water

[Alchase]

Balladeer, all the recommendations above will work well.
Keep in mind you do not have to have a ton of high priced rods and reels to effectively steelhead fish. Yes, I spend allot of money on steelhead gear every year, but I caught a ton of fish using just a basic 6 1/2 ft medium action eagle claw rod with a Mitchel 300A (inexpensive) spinning real, using colored yarn and oakie drifters and a few spoons thrown in.
Time on the rivers watching others technique and presentation is tons more important then a $200.00 rod or waders, LOL
Good waders are great, but I caught a lot more fish with basic rubber waders and longjohns on the with 150.00 neoprene, Why? I spent more time in the water when I was using those.
Do not expect to catch allot of steelhead without spending allot of time in the water.
Keep it simple on gear and learn to read the river for holdup spots, pass through rips and what works in those areas.

[fishseeker]

Caught my first Ironhead in 74 with a Wright-Migill rod and a Mitchel 300(early60s) and many more before I went hitec with graphite. Still have my lami fiberglass rod I built in 75. LOL

[huntnphool]

If you check out the guides on the Cowlitz closely, you will notice that the majority have their clients using spinning gear, and thats a whole lot of people over a season.

[MtnMuley]

Sorry for the delay Balladeer.  kbyers explained exactly what I was referring to.  By waxing the mono line, you have a lot more control of setting the hook with a bobber.  Very little water drag on your line.  However, there are times when waxed (floating) line is a disadvantage.  There is one specific hole I fish where you get a lot more bobber drops if you can swim your jig by letting the current and sunken line sweep across the river.  I would try and word it better, but it's just one of those things you have to be there to understand it.