steelhead fishing at night

[lawdog]

so i was reading some reports on washingtonlakes.com and ive read several posts of individuals fishing for metalheads at night. is there a special technique to use? what kind of bait or presentation should someone use. any help would be appreciated

[h20hunter]

Heavy line and big treble hooks. Oh, wait, that's how most do it. I would go heavy on scent where allowed and stick with more natural baits. Prawn under a float. Also, on clear nights you can run spinners, big ones, in darker than normal colors. The contrast can pay off.

[YoterHunter]

use glow in the dark corkys with drift fishing or on divers.

[Button Nubbs]

Glo balls! (Aka glow in the dark corkies) charge them with a camera flash. I don't think I've caught a steelhead when the corkie is at full charge, they seem to like it once it dims a bit. Fish tailouts and tight to the bank. It can be a riot having a fish taking like and jumping when you have no idea where it is. You can also beef your gear up a little more

[D-Rock425]

I've seen guys do well down at blue creek with the glow balls.

[lawdog]

i appreciate the info everyone it helps alot. i dont want to drive down to the cow from tacoma and not be preped

[huntergreg]

I fish for them in Aug. and sep. every night I can. I use sand shrimp or bait shrimp and cast out and real in really slow. Last year at Drano me and my buddy caught 47 steel head in 2 nights 

[lawdog]

holy crap 47 steelhead now that is alot of fish

[carpsniperg2]

You can also bobber fish. Just take a small glo stick and tape it to the bobber stem. Don't really need anything to glo down there. They also make jigs that glo that I plan on trying this year.

[huntergreg]

You can also bobber fish. Just take a small glo stick and tape it to the bobber stem. Don't really need anything to glo down there. They also make jigs that glo that I plan on trying this year.

Lots of people bobber fish down at Drano but I cant sit there and look at a bobber all night. way more fun to cast out and feel the hit. I was thinking about the fireflies jigs also. Might work good with a bait shrimp on them. 

[carpsniperg2]

Yep, I have some of them that I picked up this year to try out. I have bought about 50 jigs to try this year. Never used them before but I am going to mess with them this year and see how it turns out. I am use to staring at a bobber for 8-12hrs strait

[spookgus]

This is how I do it. Others will have techniques that work for them. The technique you trust will work the best because you will pay more attention and fish it longer. If I am drift fishing I will use a glow in the dark corkey charged with a camera flash and bait of choice. If I am plunking or bobber fishing I will use live sand shrimp or darkly dyed coon shrimp. If I am backing plugs I will run a dark colored plug that will show a nice silhouette against the sky.

[blacktail luv]

We pull flatfish at night down here.  It is amazing. It's very peaceful and quiet til your rod about flys out of the boat when they hit it. 

[spookgus]

Blacktail luv
It can be peaceful fishing that little piece of frog water unless the wind is wrong or we are all trying to get in the same slot. Remember when the launch was open to non-tribal members. I loved fishing there for about 15 years. As I got older I ran out of partners willing to drive 4 hours and fish all night, then sleep in the 90 degree daytime, and then fish another night before heading home in the morning.

[PolarBear]

Plunking glow in the dark spin n glows with a small gob of eggs is the way we use to do it.  Charge them up with a camera flash.

[boneaddict]

Black and white are good colors for flies.  Black leeches and they key into the profile.  Green Butt skunks work well.  Black with a white wing.  I've caught a ton in the dark.  Different experience for sure.

[huntnnw]

we have done well super early in the am on glow corkies

[wog]

Glo ball,but you have to fish in FISHABLE water.you do;nt want to be tying leaders all nite,or casting in to snags

[lawdog]

hey thanks everyone for your help in my quest for steelhead, i plan on going down to the cow again this fri and sat. hopefully i walk home with my limit

[BigGoonTuna]

fish see in UV spectrum, i think glowballing is more for the fisherman's benefit(you can see your gear coming in when reeling it up, etc).  biggest reason i think night fishing for steelhead is more effective is that they'll come in closer to shore where you can get at them easier.

[FISHBOY]

If your in a boat try trolling lighted Brad's Wigglers at night, run them off of planer boards even better.