Steelhead and Jigs

[M_ray]

Well navyhunter it depends on where you were fishing at Blue cr. if you were where the water is shallow & slower then yes you should have been using it if you weren't just about everywhere else around Blue cr. you should be drift fishing ... again, use what the water in front of you dictates don't just use a bobber for the sake of using a bobber. Now to answer your other question yes I use additional weight in the form of a split shot or two halfway down between the Bobber and the bait. I reffer to the bait as what ever you are using be it a Jig,shrimp,eggs or worm ... lots of times I use a jig tipped with a worm.

[Shootmoore]

I hit Blue Creek on the Cowlitz this morning (already).  When using a jig and pink work (just had to try it), do you use any weight at all other than the jig itself?  I was using a Maribou Jig (purple) and a floating pink worm....lost two jigs and two worms in about 1/2 hour.  OR should I have used a bobber/jig setup?  If someone could clear this up for me, I'd sure appreciate it.
Thanks

I don't know that stretch but if its really snaggy you might need to use a float.  Using a jig on the rocks you need to make sure you run a tight line on the drift, I preffer  a 9 foot rod when bank fishing jigs, allows me to keep more line off the water.  As you feel the jig touch the bottom I prefer to use a sharp upward jig and then real down to take up the slack, its a rapid jigging motion depending on the amount of current.  But the goal is to keep the jig close to the bottom without letting it bottom bounce on its own like you would with a corky drift.  You want to keep the slack out of the line as it seems 90% of the strikes will be on the down drift of the jig.  I know many times if I am not keeping the line slack out enough I find that I don't feel the next rock bounce because a metalhead has slurped up the jig on the down flutter.

That being said fishing jigs on the rocks is a snaggy proposition which is why I tie my own, much cheaper..

Fishing pink worms I usually tie up a marabou hook with a cheater float (looks like a corky but more buoyant and rig it Carolina style and fish it like I would a corky.  Good luck and way to try new things for fishing.  Its part of the fun in book, learning new baits and techniques to bend the rod.

Shootmoore

[huntnphool]

Oh, right, yep....a cheater float....I have no idea what you're talking about. 

I will be using these.

[Navyhunter]

Thanks guys!  I'm gettin' this fishing stuff figured out slowly but surely.   

[BigGoonTuna]

the area around blue creek used to be jig central back in the early-mid 90s.  that was when the only water coming through there was from the little slough(you can see the remnant of it on the trail about 100 yards above the creek mouth), before the river cut a new channel and turned one of the most productive stretches of steelhead water in the world into a fastwater rapid.

[Navyhunter]

I know where you're talking about, BGT.  It's still not a bad piece of water (in my opinion).  I haven't hooked up with anything there except for my first steelhead 22 years ago.  I've taken my wife down there a couple times and I've been there alone once or twice.  All the action I've seen (which is very little in comparison to a lot of guys) was up at barrier.
What about Mission?  How's that?  Fished for trout there a couple times with my dad but haven't been back in 15 years or so.

[Mr Mykiss]

That's funny...I just wanted to see if anybody read my article. As for the heated discussion.
I have a sweet drift fishing set up and I usually just end up carrying it around with me when I'm out on the river. Probably because I'm a better bobber fisherman but I should try drifting more often. When I do drift I drift a rag and do pretty well.
As somebody said people are defending what they're comfortable with. It would be fun the have a competition between drift and bobber fishing. However that's hard to do because a lot will depend on the knowledge of said drift/jig fisherman, who gets first cast etc.
that being said the representative drift fisherman in this discussion said it best when he said: Fishing isn't a competition.

[Navyhunter]

Hit Blue creek again and met up with a guy from Lynnwood.  He set me up with a couple corkies, showed me how to tie an egg-loop knot and tied a rig on for me start to finish.  I'm not a complete idiot when it comes to fishing, but he showed me a couple things I didn't know.  I AM, however an complete idiot when it comes to drift fishing.  I can't feel anything!  It's probably the pole (8'6" ugly stick/medium) and it might be the line (braided, because that's what was on it when I was in Cuba).  Guy said to "get rid of that chit, it's no good." 
I, personally, got skunked this morning.  Saw two guys in different boats land steelhead and the guy in the wheelchair at the boat launch caught a hog.....   
Tried the jig a bit, water was a bit shallow for what I was trying to do...Blue creek is probably fished best with corkie/yarn, eggs, etc.     But what do I know? 
Thanks again, everyone, for your assistance.  I, at least, know another setup for fishing these closed-mouth fish. 

[Shootmoore]

Hit Blue creek again and met up with a guy from Lynnwood.  He set me up with a couple corkies, showed me how to tie an egg-loop knot and tied a rig on for me start to finish.  I'm not a complete idiot when it comes to fishing, but he showed me a couple things I didn't know.  I AM, however an complete idiot when it comes to drift fishing.  I can't feel anything!  It's probably the pole (8'6" ugly stick/medium) and it might be the line (braided, because that's what was on it when I was in Cuba).  Guy said to "get rid of that chit, it's no good." 
I, personally, got skunked this morning.  Saw two guys in different boats land steelhead and the guy in the wheelchair at the boat launch caught a hog.....   
Tried the jig a bit, water was a bit shallow for what I was trying to do...Blue creek is probably fished best with corkie/yarn, eggs, etc.     But what do I know? 
Thanks again, everyone, for your assistance.  I, at least, know another setup for fishing these closed-mouth fish. 

And that right there should be the point of this post.  Use the gear and tactics for the water your fishing.

Shootmoore

[huntnphool]

Well the jigs worked very well I must say. I did manage to land a few fish drifting too but caught the most fish on jigs. It was so hot I didnt even have time to take pics, I didn't want to miss any of the action. Here are a few pics a buddy took though.

[Alchase]

Nice fish!

When fishing jigs and using a float and weights, doesn't that make it difficult to cast?
I think I may be missing something in the description and obviously I have yet to try jigging. I will have to give it a try. Besides it gives me an excuse to buy more fishing stuff, lol

What river is that? If you do not mind my asking, I understand if you do.

[Shootmoore]

Nice fish!

When fishing jigs and using a float and weights, doesn't that make it difficult to cast?
I think I may be missing something in the description and obviously I have yet to try jigging. I will have to give it a try. Besides it gives me an excuse to buy more fishing stuff, lol

What river is that? If you do not mind my asking, I understand if you do.

sliding float, keeps from to much line being out and still allowing you to get enough depth as needed.

Ok here is a little secret going to put it out there.  I see a lot of guys just casting out and just letting the float drift along.  Keep your line tight to the float and as much as possible out of the water (longer the rod the easier).  Jig the float which in turns gives more action to the jig underwater.  It will alot of times cause that strike where a "dead jig" floating by will not.

Nice fish huntphool!

Shootmoore

[Bearhunter]

Looks like the Salmon

[Alchase]

Thanks for the tip Shootmore.

I was talking with an older gentleman the other day on the Puyallup/carbon, youwas saying he added weight between the jig and the float as needed, using approximately 6 ft leader.

[huntnphool]

I wasn't using any additional weight, just the bobber and 1/8oz jig.