Steelhead Float Fishing Technique

Set Your Depth

A float is simply a bobber. There is nothing special about it other than it can be made from a variety of materials and purchased in just about any outdoors supply store. The key to float fishing for steelhead, according to Fine Fishing's website, is to set the depth of the bait beneath the float to just about a foot off the bottom of the river you are fishing. This depth is key because it keeps the lure you are using off the bottom of the river, where so many steelhead lures have been lost over the years, but at eye level for the fish that you are trying to catch.

You can either set your depth using a set-style bobber, which doesn't move and is sometimes difficult to cast, or you can use a slip bobber, which is suggested by Piscatorial Pursuit's website. These will allow for easier casting and a quick change in depth when you want to make adjustments.

Choose Your Lure

Jigs, according to Piscatorial Pursuits and FineFishing.com, are the lure of choice when it comes to float fishing for steelhead. These jigs, which often come feathered and painted in bright colors, are easy to bait and easy to cast. They have been known to attract steelhead much in the same manner that fly fishing flies work. Once the steelhead has taken the jig, the slack in the line should be reeled in and then the hook set.

Another lure, according to Piscatorial Pursuits, is the pink wax worm, which is a popular lure used in Canadian waters. The typical set-up is a six-inch pink wax worm threaded onto the line and the leader and left with the hook outside of the worm about an inch and a half up from the tail end. This is fished at the same depth as a jig, and the hook is set in the same manner.

To Bait or Not?

There is often debate as to the need of bait when it comes to float fishing for steelhead. According to Piscatorial Pursuits, the best method is to use a cluster of four steelhead eggs and fish them if you're intending to bait. The steelhead will instinctively grab the eggs, intend on returning them to the spawning grounds. The Steelhead Notebook website suggests using sand shrimp or, in the summer months, a nightcrawler to lure in a strike.

Fine Fishing's website suggests doing what you, as an angler, are most confident in and then trying alternatives when certain strategies don't work.