How to read the river? Current breaks, water levels/flow etc

[chill79]

I am trying to get back into drift fishing Steelhead. It's been about 3 years. I am trying to learn to read a river better. I am wondering if anyone could give me some pointers or point me at some books or online articles.

I am trying to figure out how all these different factors effect the Steelhead. under what conditions are the fish holding? moving? How to read the current break? when to fish what parts of the seam?

Thanks in advance for any help

 

[Troutski]

The best advice is to realize that Steelhead, Salmon along with Trout are basically lazy.. this being said tail-outs and the seems along eddies are prime holding spots for these fish. The vee pattern following a riffle along its sides is another prime holding area for fish. The key is depth and speed of your drift, trying to match the flow of the water; be patient and remember the difference between the bottom/snags is a Fish .

Chuck

 

[chill79]

...The key is depth and speed of your drift, trying to match the flow of the water;
Chuck

Thanks Chuck. Could you clarify Depth for me? normally I am just letting my offering drift right along the bottom.

Is this why i see some people using floats? to adjust the depth of their offering? If so what things determine the depth that i should be fishing at?

Thanks for all the Info guys I'm hoping to get out this weekend to try some of this stuff.

Casey

 

[ChezJfrey]

Could you clarify Depth for me? normally I am just letting my offering drift right along the bottom.

Right along the bottom is sometimes OK, but it's much better to be a foot or so up from the bottom; steelhead hug the bottom and I think they typically look up, not down.

 

[Troutski]

Thanks Todd. this is good stuff.



Thanks Chuck. Could you clarify Depth for me? normally I am just letting my offering drift right along the bottom.

Is this why i see some people using floats? to adjust the depth of their offering? If so what things determine the depth that i should be fishing at?

Thanks for all the Info guys I'm hoping to get out this weekend to try some of this stuff.

Casey

A slip bobber is the key, you want your presentation just above the bottom with out hanging up. The slip bobber gives you that function, it takes some trial and error to get it right but when you do it works great.
Fish tend to look up for food, so you want your lure, bait to be about a foot from the bottom. Try to let the bobber run smoothly through the drift, working the entire run. If you have never use a slip bobber set up it works like this: from your main line add a stopper, then a bead, then your bobber, and last a swivel. Then a leader of your choice about 18 to 24 inches half way between your hook and the swivel add a split shot weight, enough weight to allow the bobber to float just deep enough to see the tip, not the body. This gives the fish the feeling of no drag and your take down will be fast and hard, jigs, lures and bait all work great with this set up. To determine the depth of water where you are, start with vision, then start with a few feet and continue adding line by moving the stopper until you feel the bottom. From there you can raise the Length to the desired depth.
If you have any question at all on the set up shoot me a reply and we can set it up together. This set up works well in moving and still water.....
Tight lines and fish on!!

Chuck

 

[hawgcaller]

I have been doing some drift fishing with a float and I run my float 2-3 feet deeper than the water I am fishing. It kind of drags the weight behind the float and you don't want your float to be sitting straight. It looks awkward and takes some getting use to but you want the top of your float pointing straight down river, dragging your lead through the seam on the bottom. 2-3 foot leader and a corkie and yarn or bait has been effective for me. You definitely want your lead on the bottome either way with drift fishing from my experience. You just want to use enough lead to where you can feel it "tick" the bottom every few feet. You want to be feeling the bottom though, and yes fish do look up, but that is why you use a corkie. Just because your lead is on the bottom does not mean that your bait is.

 

[gbombs]

One thing a wise guide always use to tell me is look for water that is about walking speed.

 

[todd_brooks]

Hawgcaller thats what a lot of guys call a cheeter set up like drift fishing with a lot less hang ups. I've yet to really get into it but I know some sware by in and I know of a guide who uses it for his clints because they spend more time fishing that way rather than retying.
As for fish vison, from what I understand they can't see down at all only up and out in a cone like area. So if your presintaion is below them your wasting your time. But as HC said thats why you use a bait float such as a corky.