Post by: brichards44 on January 19, 2011, 10:15:17 AM
Here is my hang up. As the river changes speeds faster slower I pull on the oars either faster or slower, but there are a lot of times that it seems like no matter what I do the plugs are just not getting down to where they need to be which makes it seem like I'm just going for a nice boat ride for a majority of the drift.
Do you have to back steelhead down to get them to strike?
Should I be anchoring at all?
Is it dumb to pull plugs through the entire drift?
Post by: h20hunter on January 19, 2011, 10:30:35 AM
Post by: hawk eyes on January 19, 2011, 10:31:37 AM
Post by: Button Nubbs on January 19, 2011, 11:35:54 AM
Post by: jackelope on January 19, 2011, 12:20:38 PM
What color plugs are you running?
Do you know what water to fish? Do you know how to read the water?
It's not dumb to fish the whole run if you're fishing the right water.
Lastly, they're steelhead. They're reallly hard to catch, especially this time of year on the Sky.
There are some real good runs in all that water.
Post by: brichards44 on January 19, 2011, 01:10:44 PM
I think I'm getting the grasp on what water to fish. I am usually finding myself fishing the seam on the outside bend of the river where the river is usually pushing the boat and I'll fish it to the tailout trying to find any obstacles in the water that fish would hide behind. Not quite sure if this is correct and not quite sure what to do when the river gets wide and deep.
Post by: jackelope on January 19, 2011, 01:18:16 PM
Seams are good, and structure is good.
Tail outs are good.
Rowing skills come first, then pulling plugs will come too....but the important thing is the rowing skills.
Post by: Houndhunter on January 19, 2011, 01:41:24 PM
good luck though, seems like plugs arent as popular now but they doe catch fish. atelast it will get your upper body in good shape right ;)
Post by: OSCAR1987 on January 19, 2011, 01:48:40 PM
I am not familiar with the water you are fishing, but I spent a decade fishing the Kenai up in Alaska with my driftboat and can give some few pointers that took me several years to figure out.
First, the guys have already given you good tips- especially the jet- divers about 6 foot up to keep the lures running near the bottom there are different divers available for different dive depths. The plug tuning is an absolute MUST DO every time. Some lures just seem to fish better as well even though they are identical so don't be shy about switching out a plug with another just like it if other guys get hits on a particular color.
The fish seemed to hold in their chosen pools and if they are pushed, they will make a defensive strike. The idea is to start at the top of the pool gently sweeping side to side rowing the boat and slowly backing down through the pool. As you near the point where the hole starts to get a little shallower at the end the fish lash out at the lure and go past back to their chosen spot. That is when I got most of my hook-ups.
Most important- keep experimenting around until you hit on something good!
Post by: klickriverchromer on January 19, 2011, 06:52:19 PM
Post by: Wanttohuntmore on January 19, 2011, 09:10:11 PM
Post by: KNOPHISH on January 20, 2011, 06:02:56 AM
Post by: Skyvalhunter on January 20, 2011, 06:10:16 AM
Post by: wildmanoutdoors on January 20, 2011, 06:20:39 AM
Head to the coast, there are no fish in the sky. ;) Tads work well in the slower water. try a little off the seam on the slow side. put all the plugs out the same distance & put a different one on each rod in 4-8 feet of water 30-40 feet back. I use smelly jelly on em too. Try to keep quiet in the boat & on the oars.
Exactly!!!!!! Fish a river with fish is key. Guided for a few years in Forks and man we knocked the poop out of em with plugs. Ran Tad's at 50' for almost everything. I marked my lines at 50 with a sharpie so clients don't have to figure it out. Tads work great even in the rocks so don't worry about being too deep. I have tads and Quickies with the bills worn to nothing and so many teeth marks its crazy!
A Tad will have a hard time getting down to the bottom in 8 feet with 30 to 40 imo. Not saying it wont catch fish but...
And IMO Hot shots suck. Too hard to find a good running one. They get too temperamental when the current picks up. Tads are all ya need.
I have never run a diver with a Tad. If your doing it right and the water ain't too deep, your golden at 50 with a Tad.
Also, anybody ever notice how hatchery brats really dont respond as good as the real fish? They'll eat divers with bait out front, but not too keen on the plugs?
Post by: jackelope on January 20, 2011, 08:19:10 AM
There's not a spot on the Sky anywhere that's 50' deep.
IMO the best thing to catch fish on the Sky is floats and jigs. It's easier on the arms too.
:dunno:
Post by: h20hunter on January 20, 2011, 08:23:34 AM
Post by: jackelope on January 20, 2011, 08:24:54 AM
I'm thinking thats 50 feet back...
yup you're prolly right...I didn't even think of that...oops.
:(
Post by: wildmanoutdoors on January 20, 2011, 09:46:47 AM
As an FYI...
Any abu 5500 or the like sheds 10 feet of line when the level wind guide goes the complete distance across its track bar. If that makes sense.
Post by: CountryslickR on January 20, 2011, 12:08:38 PM
50' ??
There's not a spot on the Sky anywhere that's 50' deep.
IMO the best thing to catch fish on the Sky is floats and jigs. It's easier on the arms too.
:dunno:
Im pretty sure he's talking about 50' behind the boat or that much line out from the reel.......most of the smaller tributaries that the steelies and salmon are in do not have 50' holes...haha
Post by: jackelope on January 20, 2011, 12:23:07 PM
Thanks.
Post by: Ironhead on January 20, 2011, 06:47:10 PM
DR. Death with the black bill is key they will hit other plugs but this is the ticket for this river.
Post by: MuleySniper on January 20, 2011, 06:54:06 PM
I love pulling plugs.
MS
Post by: TheHunt on January 20, 2011, 09:19:53 PM
Post by: jnevs23 on January 20, 2011, 09:59:43 PM
Post by: brichards44 on January 21, 2011, 11:13:15 AM
Post by: Angus on January 21, 2011, 01:41:50 PM
Not much more to add other then, keep at it. When I got my 1st driftboat I thought all I had to do was throw some plugs in the water and my catch average would sky-rocket, well, it took a long time to get the 1st fish on a plug and I was always second guessing what I was doing, then 1 day it happened, the rod buried and fish on, my confidence in plugs immeadiately went way up and I started catching them pretty regular after that.
Post by: jackelope on January 21, 2011, 01:57:34 PM
Before anyone starts with the "its illegal to take a native out of the water"....this picture was taken before that law. Fish was caught about 200 yards above the Ben Howard launch..on the launch side
I could tell by the neoprene
:chuckle:
Post by: jnevs23 on January 21, 2011, 03:22:31 PM
Post by: CountryslickR on January 21, 2011, 05:00:18 PM
Great thread... I might be a new owner of a used DB in three weeks. I have never fished from a DB so this information is good info.
Good luck on pickin up the db!!! They are a great investment! let us know what you get!!!!!!
Post by: Hyde on January 22, 2011, 12:17:56 PM
Post by: Ironhead on January 22, 2011, 07:01:40 PM
Post by: Houndhunter on January 26, 2011, 03:51:17 PM
Post by: Rainstorm Hunter on January 26, 2011, 03:56:30 PM
Post by: Ironhead on January 26, 2011, 06:32:07 PM
Post by: Wanttohuntmore on January 26, 2011, 08:23:36 PM
Post by: brew on January 26, 2011, 08:35:03 PM
I am not a fan of braid on big fish, it doesn't have any stretch and will sometimes pull the hooks free or straighten the hooks. I like the stretch of mono for pulling plugs, it's alot more forgiving than the braid. You already have a ton of pressure on those hooks.....The takedown, current and back trolling along with weight and size of the fish all put a lot of pressure on those hooks. I do like braid for jig fishin because it floats and is easy to mend.:yeah:I've had braid pull the snaps apart when pulling plugs.... if you run it make sure you have a loose drag
Post by: SkookumHntr on January 26, 2011, 08:52:08 PM
Post by: Houndhunter on January 27, 2011, 05:20:29 AM
When running braid, do you run it right to the plug?
yes, with diver bait we got a mono leader
and yes the drag has to be pretty loose
Post by: wildmanoutdoors on January 27, 2011, 05:28:28 AM
I am not a fan of braid on big fish, it doesn't have any stretch and will sometimes pull the hooks free or straighten the hooks. I like the stretch of mono for pulling plugs, it's alot more forgiving than the braid. You already have a ton of pressure on those hooks.....The takedown, current and back trolling along with weight and size of the fish all put a lot of pressure on those hooks. I do like braid for jig fishin because it floats and is easy to mend.
I'm with IH on this. I only run mono on my plug rods. Mono is forgiving. And I like my plug rods almost flat, not sticking way up in the air in the holders. This uses the stretch of the mono but also sets the hook as well as makes the fish turn and run against the pull sooner for those in the corner of the mouth hook sets. Especially when using the Siwash hooks in the single hook, no bait zones.
I use a yellow Izor with a 3 foot Ultragreen mono leader blood knotted on. one duo clip at the end. No swivel.
Post by: Angus on January 27, 2011, 07:51:28 AM
-Lots of things can go wrong with braid!
Like what??? :dunno:
I've used 80lbs. Tuff plus in AK. exclusively on my bottom rods for halibut, lings and yelloweye, since 1995, I can count on 1 hand the amount of fish I've lost because of the line and have fingers left over. This is guiding, 4 rods, everyday, all summer long.
I've used 30lbs. Power-pro on my plug rods since 2000 with similar results. Including 5 years guiding from a driftboat for salmon/steelhead.
My catch rates increased considerably when I made the switch from mono to braid for these types of fishing and I'll never go back. For everything else, side drifting, bobber & jig, spoons, spinners, as well as mooching or trolling for salmon I'll always use Maxima UG. :twocents:
Post by: PolarBear on January 27, 2011, 08:04:14 AM
I am not a fan of braid on big fish, it doesn't have any stretch and will sometimes pull the hooks free or straighten the hooks. I like the stretch of mono for pulling plugs, it's alot more forgiving than the braid. You already have a ton of pressure on those hooks.....The takedown, current and back trolling along with weight and size of the fish all put a lot of pressure on those hooks.:yeah:
Post by: SkookumHntr on January 27, 2011, 01:47:41 PM
-Ive had multiple leaders snapped. Ive had where the line is coming off the spool dig into the line on the spool and snap a fish off that way. Ive had the drag on the reel not work becouse the line was so slick it wouldnt hold on the spool and just spin! Multiple knots not holding! I seen a 1141 drift rod explode on a hook set. Alot of the instinces were of other guys on my boat with braid on there outfits. For getting down with lighter weight you cant beat it but I use mono for salmon\steelhead :twocents:-Lots of things can go wrong with braid!
Like what??? :dunno:
I've used 80lbs. Tuff plus in AK. exclusively on my bottom rods for halibut, lings and yelloweye, since 1995, I can count on 1 hand the amount of fish I've lost because of the line and have fingers left over. This is guiding, 4 rods, everyday, all summer long.
I've used 30lbs. Power-pro on my plug rods since 2000 with similar results. Including 5 years guiding from a driftboat for salmon/steelhead.
My catch rates increased considerably when I made the switch from mono to braid for these types of fishing and I'll never go back. For everything else, side drifting, bobber & jig, spoons, spinners, as well as mooching or trolling for salmon I'll always use Maxima UG. :twocents:
Post by: wildmanoutdoors on January 27, 2011, 02:46:07 PM
-Ive had multiple leaders snapped.-Lots of things can go wrong with braid!
Like what??? :dunno:
I've used 80lbs. Tuff plus in AK. exclusively on my bottom rods for halibut, lings and yelloweye, since 1995, I can count on 1 hand the amount of fish I've lost because of the line and have fingers left over. This is guiding, 4 rods, everyday, all summer long.
I've used 30lbs. Power-pro on my plug rods since 2000 with similar results. Including 5 years guiding from a driftboat for salmon/steelhead.
My catch rates increased considerably when I made the switch from mono to braid for these types of fishing and I'll never go back. For everything else, side drifting, bobber & jig, spoons, spinners, as well as mooching or trolling for salmon I'll always use Maxima UG. :twocents:
Doubt braid is the cuprit. Leaders should break before main line.
Ive had where the line is coming off the spool dig into the line on the spool and snap a fish off that way.
You did not spool it tight enough. It needs to be on tight from the get go.
Ive had the drag on the reel not work becouse the line was so slick it wouldnt hold on the spool and just spin!
You either have to use super glue or use a mono backing, bloodknotted to the braid.
Multiple knots not holding!
Use Polymer knot and it will never fail. Easy to tie too!
I seen a 1141 drift rod explode on a hook set.
Ill agree here, too many people over power there rods design with braid. Just cause its as thin as 10 pound mono, dosent mean the rod can handle it.
Alot of the instinces were of other guys on my boat with braid on there outfits. For getting down with lighter weight you cant beat it but I use mono for salmon\steelhead :twocents:
I use Fireline for all my drift, and bobber fishing, never trolling or pluggin.
Post by: Houndhunter on January 27, 2011, 04:38:41 PM
Post by: Angus on January 27, 2011, 05:28:43 PM
Seems like alot of operator error, :twocents:-Ive had multiple leaders snapped. Use better leader line, loosen the drag.-Lots of things can go wrong with braid!
Like what??? :dunno:
Ive had where the line is coming off the spool dig into the line on the spool and snap a fish off that way. I've heard of it, never had it happen.
Ive had the drag on the reel not work becouse the line was so slick it wouldnt hold on the spool and just spin! A little mono backing solves that problem, 20-30' problem solved.
Multiple knots not holding! Tie the right not!
I seen a 1141 drift rod explode on a hook set. So have I, by guys using 30-50lbs braid on steelhead rods rated for 6 to 15 lb. line.
Alot of the instinces were of other guys on my boat with braid on there outfits. For getting down with lighter weight you cant beat it but I use mono for salmon\steelhead :twocents:
Post by: SkookumHntr on January 27, 2011, 05:54:24 PM
For the guys that like it thats great, And I do use it on sturgeon and other times when I need to get down with lighter leads but in the smaller rivers it dont work for me :twocents:Seems like alot of operator error, :twocents:-Ive had multiple leaders snapped. Use better leader line, loosen the drag.-Lots of things can go wrong with braid!
Like what??? :dunno:
Ive had where the line is coming off the spool dig into the line on the spool and snap a fish off that way. I've heard of it, never had it happen.
Ive had the drag on the reel not work becouse the line was so slick it wouldnt hold on the spool and just spin! A little mono backing solves that problem, 20-30' problem solved.
Multiple knots not holding! Tie the right not!
I seen a 1141 drift rod explode on a hook set. So have I, by guys using 30-50lbs braid on steelhead rods rated for 6 to 15 lb. line.
Alot of the instinces were of other guys on my boat with braid on there outfits. For getting down with lighter weight you cant beat it but I use mono for salmon\steelhead :twocents: