Finally. My dry spell for doggies (pretty sad huh?) is finally over. And boy did I make up for it.
I hit the green this morning and went 2hrs with only 2 hits. I had been avoiding a hole that was crawling with fisherman because I knew that there had to be fish in other holes too - right?
Well, I headed back to my truck with no luck and feeling bummed (what kind of moron can't catch a chum??). The crowded pool was not so crowded anymore, so I stopped by to see what all the hooplah was about. I tried a few things with no success and decided to try one last thing before I had to race off to work. Bingo. I caught fish after fish until I finally broke off (on purpose) my magic lure/bait that was stuck in a doggy's tail. While others were catching fish as well, no-one was catching them at the rate I was. They kept inching closer and closer to see what I was using and trying to cast into my spot. In about 1/2 hr I hooked 6, landed 5 of which 2 were foul hooked. All were released.
Well, it was nice to get that out of my system so now I can give steelhead my full attention for the rest of the winter.

So are ya gonna share the name of your magic lure?

I only hesitate because it is easy to abuse and turn a sportsman into a snagger...

This works well in deep pools with sandy bottoms (not full of snags).

If the pool is pretty deep with some current involved, get a large marabou type jig in your favorite chum color(s). Tie it to your mainline (I like 8 or 10lb line so it can get down fast).
Then add a small chunk of prawn meat. Don't be afraid to use the tail section w/shell. This gives the jig some added movement. Now here's the catch, cast into the holding water, let it sink to the bottom and GENTLY lift the rod tip about a foot and quickly drop it back down. If the current is pulling away from you, you can jig in place for a few minutes. Slowly work the jig back to you with gentle rises and quick falls. Think bass fishing. Don't be a snagger. If the pool has too many fish, and you snag more than you mouth hook, then use a float. The fish I caught loved this presentation and inhaled it. I plan to try this for steelhead this winter in some deep pools I know of...

Good luck!