Always thought about using this potentially deadly technique combining a very effective small mouth bass fishing style with our already known steelhead producer, the pink worm! Regulations aside as we all know where this could go (and quite honestly I really don't feel like reading through the nonsense) I'd love to hear any feedback you all could contribute. I think this could work well with Todd's love for the lumberyard situations. Whadya think? Floats?, Driftfished off deep shelves with heavy lead? Both? Who has success and are willing to talk?

i think it would work great! just like twitching maribou jigs for coho!

Good correllation Bantam. Experimented with rigging this today. I'm really pumped to say the least to give it a shot in a couple spots I'm thinkin' about!

Yes, it works...I've just kinda kept it to myself

Fish on...

Todd

Aaaaaaaaaalllllllrrrrrrrighty then............

I'll show you next spring...kinda have to be in a boat to make it work the best...

Fish on...

Todd

It would seem that if rigged correctly, hookups would be instant and the theory of steelhead biting "lightly" would be out the window.

Not a new concept here for steelhead either. I have seen many summer runners fish drop shot with worms, jigs, flies and bait. I don't know if it qualifies as the same drop shotting as you do for bass but they back bounce here to keep the lure/bait in the strike zone fishing around cut banks and drop offs. Mind you I have never done this, I don't fish from a boat but maybe twice year but have seen the technique work well in faster water than I could fish with a float from the bank.

As for instant hooks sets, I have also seen many a pole snapped instantly when a summer run decides to hit it and run straight under the boat before you know you had a bite.

I think the idea that steelhead bite lightly is already pretty well debunked...so long as you're paying attention to your gear

As much as I hate to admit it, my time as a competition bass fisherman has colored my worm fishing for steelhead so much that sometimes I can't tell the two styles apart...thankfully telling the fish apart is like telling night from day

Fish on...

Todd

i can't see why it wouldn't work. just keep in mind that you can't do it on rivers with the "anti snagging rule" in effect. weight below your hook is a no-no there.

When you need to get down quick and keep the wiggling pink worm in the zone longer as more of an irritant somewhat like a plug I can really visualize the effectiveness. Backbouncing would be genious!

BFD, there's a reason why I use ten bb .300 shot slinkies when fishing them from a boat...it's all about getting them down fast, and keeping them there as long as I can...the only problem with the dropshot rig is that it only works properly in a few scenarios, where the twenty inch leader, six inch worm, and big slinky works in all of 'em...

Fish on...

Todd

New term to me. What's "drop shotting" mean?

Sg

The lead is below the lure on a dropper, and the lure is on a short leader.

Salmo, the technique is virtually identical to what flyfishermen call "bounce nymphing", with a shot on the bottom of the tippet and a fly fished off a short dropper a foot or two above the weight. it is a great technique for trout, steelhead and salmon using anything from a big stonefly nymph to beadhead pheasant tails to egg patterns or beads to egg-sucking leech patterns. It also works well for reef fish and has proven deadly on humuhumunukunukuapua'a using a Knudsen spider pattern.

I've tried it in frog water full of logs for coho. Instead of a jig I used an egg sucking leech. Didn't work, they like chasing a jig better.

I've seen trout nymphing done that way. Better to lose split shot than flies is the theory I guess.

Sg

I've never actually used a dropper on the hook, just a hook straight on the mainline with a palomar/etc. By far the most productive technique for me for ditch pickles, but I've never tried it on steelies.

It works!!!!! Been fishing that way for a couple of years now.

Ever fished the Ronde? You don't need a pink worm....