Which method of fishing would you say catches more steelhead?

I'd say overall drift fishing catches more fish. But a float n Jig is deadly on those hatchery fish at times.

It seems that the topic posted and the poll question ask two different question, i.e., one asks which catches more fish, and the other asks which method you'd prefer to catch fish with.

Easy enough for me, though, as drift fishing is the answer to both questions.

I prefer to catch fish on drift gear because there's nothing quite like feeling the hit of a steelhead on drift gear, followed by the steady throb of the fish. Watching a float go down is pretty cool, too, but it's not quite the same.

As far as what catches more fish, while some spots and some fishermen account for a lot of jig caught steelies, I'd say that overall they probably don't account for more than 10% of the fish caught. Drift gear, plugs, and hardware account for almost all the rest, with drift gear probably accounting for the great majority of those.

Fish on,

Todd.

I've done much better on jigs than drift gear.

I have caught a lot more fish with drift gear that floats & jigs. Because of the low flows this last winter I did well with floats & eggs.

It depends on the type of water you are fishing.

If you can drift fish it do so but not all water can be drift fished. More water can be float fished then drift fished. However drift fishing is more fun in my book.

So which method catches more steelhead would be determined by the stretch of water you are fishing on any given bank.

I have to agree with Lead Thrower on this one. It all depends on the water. For me though, I love seeing that bobber go down. My heart starts racing as soon as I set the hook and see that silver flash below my bobber. Drift fishing is a rush as well, but to me, there is something about seeing that initial roll once the bobber goes down. However, I've caught far more fish drifting than I have with a bobber/jig. It all depends on the conditions though. In clear/slightly colored water jigs can be deadly when drift fishing is useless. When the water is roaring though or colored up nothing beats a properly placed clump of milky eggs........

Although I float fish just about 100% of the time, I agree with you guys that there are certain condtions where one method will produce the majority of the fish. This may be bias, but I think you can consistantly hook more fish fishing with floats and jigs, than drift fishing. Especially in clear water conditions. I always felt that you can always get a more natural presentation with float fishing than drift fishing, plus you can control how deep you are fishing much better.

In my opinion float fishing does out produce drift fishing but it does depend on water conditon. It has improved my catch rate. Since April 25 I landed 57 spring chinook with eggs under a float and 1 drift fishing. Most were released. Float fishing is becoming more popular in the area I have been fishing. I had several people ask to buy floats and how to set them up this season. In my opinion floats give a more natural precentation. They also allow you to be in the water and in the strike zone longer. There is less down time with floats because you are hung on the bottom less. I realized this year when introducing someone to float fishing that there is alot more to it that just throwing a bobber. What seems easy to some is not always to others. I hooked 14 fish before this person hooked one. It is enough to drive ya nuts when you want someone else to get their fish. Especially when they are set up the same and using the same eggs.

Everyone has their own method they prefer to use. I say use the method that you are comfortable with and works for you. But don't be afraid to try something different.

Using a float and a jig dose have it's place,and this method of steelhead fishing has a short learning curve.
Personally if using a float I would use bait.
If it is a matter of catching dinner ,I would drift fish ,or if a sled is available I would boondogg.

Give FC a cigar! That's very true. And people don't really believe this until someone shows them the light.

I was lucky enough to get a chance to parasite fish next to Nick Amato for summer runs a few times. One time several years ago, we were fishing the Hood river in Oregon and I had already made a half-dozen casts in a really nice looking hole when Nick asked if I cared if he tried it out. I said "not at all, please do". I watched as he tossed in and immediately pulled back on his float....he waited a second or two and then let it go. It didn't go half a foot downstream when the float went under.

He smiled and said, "Don't feel bad, it took me a while to dial this hole in......but there's almost always one there if you get your jig where they live. You have to tug back a couple econds to let your jig fall just a bit before your flaot moves out of the sweet spot." That 2 second pull was the difference between a fish and passing over that fish.

In any case......I'm pretty sure more fish get caught drift fishing, but I think that's just a numbers game. More people do it, so they catch more fish. I know that since I started primarily float fishing, I've caught many more fish. More effective technique? Just more fish around recently? Maybe I just learned something after all these years? Who knows.....it doesn't matter anyway.

Everybody has their favorite technique, and "rating" techniques is a fool's game (Sorry Zog). Fish the method that you dig, fishing isn't about numbers anyway.

This is because less than ten percent of steelhead fishermen fish with floats. I prepare for both float fishing and drift fishing when ever I go steelheading.

Jay

I'll echo everyone else... water conditions like height, clarity, speed, and location make a big difference concerning what may work best. However, confidence plays a major factor on what will work for you. I've done pretty well with spinners. I may use these where others don't. This may pay off in certain situations where other methods don't.

at a hatchery zoo like reiter... you will see the jig fishermen typically outfish the drift fisherman by about three to one. other holes are the opposite. get good at both.

In my opinion jigs are better for high water. you can fish them directly above or below you to effectively work the areas next to the bank where they often move to in the high water

Floats are more effective in almost all water conditions. And the question should not be about float and jigs. Floats are deadly with eggs, sand shrimp and many other things. In B.C. where the float is king most anglers do not use jigs.

I have had the pleasure of fishing with several of the top rods in the northwest including, Nick Amato, Bill Herzog, John Koenig, Dave Vedder and Clint Derlago. They all use floats at least some of the time. And several of these guys use only floats or spoons.

Many top rods in B.C. know how to drift fish, but they use floats because they offer a more natural presentation, better line control, less hang ups and the ability to effectivly fish many areas that cannot be effectivly drift fished.

I beleive that most folks who use floats long enough to really understand them will never go back to drift fishing.