WIDEN YOUR OPTIONS FOR WINTER-RUNS

Diversifying Your Approachwill Yield More Steelhead

By Scott Haugen

When it comes to late-season winter steelhead, I’d rather be good at multiple methods than specialized in one or two. You can be a great spinner angler, but if the steelhead don’t like that presentation on a given day, you’re at a loss.

I’ve been fishing winter steelhead for more than 50 years and am a firm believer in diversification. Not long ago I drifted eggs through a classic chute. After multiple casts I put the rod down and picked up my bobber rod, which was set up with eggs. On the first cast a 13-pound hen nailed it; two casts later, a buck was in the boat. Those fish were there the whole time; they just didn’t want eggs rolled along the bottom.

It’s common for steelhead anglers to first drift fish a hole, then cover the same water with beads, twitching jigs, jigs beneath a float, or spinners. If fishing from a boat, they might backtroll a diver and bait or plugs before pushing downstream. This is a great way to cover all parts of the water column from bank to bank, and from top to bottom. When fishing for steelhead, often it’s more beneficial to thoroughly cover a single hole rather than traveling in search of fish.

CATCH MY DRIFT?

Drift fishing is a very effective way to catch steelhead from shore or a boat. The goal is to cast upstream and let your terminal gear drift downstream while occasionally ticking the bottom. Using the right amount of sinker is key, as too much lead will find you getting hung up, while too light of a lead will find your setup drifting too quickly past fish.

Pencil sinkers, slinky sinkers, split