when you are fishing rags for steelhead how do the fish normally pick them up? is it like drifting bait or do they really slam it? I've only caught 1 fish on a rag, and the fish just about ripped the rod out of my hand! it was a 8-9lb brat. does anybody fish them for salmon?

I havent caught alot of fish on rags especially compared to others but my experience with rags with and without bait is that it is harder then normal hit.

I've had them slam 'em like no other bite I've experienced and I have had them take quick whacks at it but I've never had a super soft what the Hell was that bite.

I have been wondering the same thing!!Because of alot of you guys,I have done the opposite of the Zogs advice and put down my ltlcleos and have been working rags,worms and bait.My fish count has gone down but that is half the fun,LEARNING!

I don't think fish hit them any harder than normal drift gear. It may feel different because they are soft and fish hold them longer, unlike corkies, and the yarn sticks in their teeth They do work for Salmon. I hooked 2 Chinook on the Wilson river this December using rags.

On a normal drift they hit like a normal strike.But being boondocked or side drifted on the run they hammer it hard.I hardly ever lose a steelie while fishin a rag.Good luck,
STRIKE ZONE

Here's a side-bar to this thread.

Twice now, I've hooked fish on the *outside* of the face when using a rag. Once was in the nostril (ouch), and the other was under the chin.

I know what happened. The rag moved up the line on the cast. As soon as the rag hit the water and dropped in the slot I felt the classic "chew chew" of a fish chewing on the rag, not a "lining or flossing" kind of feel. I know from fishing the reds in AK what that feels like.

I set the hook hard. You can easily visualize the hook racing towards the rag and how easily it would be for one of those RAZOR SHARP VISIONS to stick on the outside of the fishes face, especially since the fish is minding it's own business and happily chewing on a Vision Rag.

Has this happened to you. I found it odd that it happened to me twice in one day while using rags.

I'm sure it was because of those vision hooks

Parker,Are you saying that rag's wonder from the hook area more than say a corkie or cheater????.
My rag's alway's stay nice and tight to my bead and hook area.Just wondering,I've never had that problem.The hook is alway's where it should be.
Good luck,
STRIKE ZONE

All I'm saying is that I've un-intentionally snagged two fish on the outside of the face with a baited rag. Both times, I felt the usual "chew" one get's while fishing shrimp tails on rags. Beats me how the hook ended up in the nostril and chin.

I fish rags a ton and mine always stay in place.the reason they stay is that I thread mine instead of using tubing inerted through them..I use needles and just thread them on after a seaquin(sp).I will thread up a bunch and have them ready to fish or carry a needle with ya and its easy to do on the spot. This way keeps them more in place instead of sliding up and down a tube..TM

Parker-
Would you mind elaborating on that 'flossing or lining feel'? What's going on when you feel that?
diana

I hear ya, TM. These were made by The Kid, and they didn't have tubing in them. I didn't have a threader on me, so I kept threading my leader in one end and out the wing! I seem to recall it took me forever to thread these stupid rags!

I think I'll just did what you did and go on a spoon kick this spring. I suck at tossing hardware, and need a lot more practice. I'm not that big of a rag person any ways.

I have seen rags move up the line exactly like Parker describes. I have not snagged a fish because of it, but I make sure the rags is on the bead before I cast. I also thread my rags on with a needle like Timberman describes, and it still happens sometimes.

when fishing with eggs it might be like corkies where if you get a little egg on the line the corkie wont slide down the line all the way.
tyler

I have a question... What do you think of this? Color, size, etc? It's an inch long and the yarn is about .5" from each side. It's my first one.



Matt

[ 01-14-2002: Message edited by: RipDatLip ]

Looks good!I like the color.. I personally dont use that long of a piece of backer rod myself and I like thin seaqiun(sp) so it keeps it closer to the hook..But yours sure looks fishy. TM

I hear ya Parker, throw a few spoons in yer pocket and fish.Sure would make it alot easier then packin a whole suitcase full of s!ht! seems like now when I go out fishin I have a tackle belt on and a backpack full of everything imaginable..time to scale down to a pocket full of hardware

[ 01-14-2002: Message edited by: Timber Man ]

i cant figure how to get the yarn through the backer rod. can anyone help
thanks
tyler

Where do you guys get the backer rod material? Do they come in just white, or different colors like orange/red pictured above? Looking forward to fishing rags for the first this spring for the Nates.

Bobber down...

I use a big darning needle to thread mine..

Don't wait for nates to use rags they work an brats too!!!!

Tyler, to get the yarn through the backer rod, take a big sewing needle and run it all the way through. You now have a hole in your backer rod. Through this hole, pass some fishing line, and then make a loop with the fishing line, and pass it back through the hole. You should now have a loop of fishing line on one side of the backer rod. Put your yarn (both colors) through the loop and pull the loop (with the yarn in it) through the backer rod. Trim the yarn. The needle is only used to make the hole.