I have drift fished for steelhead all my life, but am interested at trying my hand at jig fishing. I have heard mixed opinion on whether to use a fixed float or a slip float and was looking for some advice. Which way do you guys think will get me more hook-ups? And I don't mean rocks. Thanks in advance

use maribou jigs,the pinks and oranges, and use fixed floats. Last year i hooked 4 in 20 mins,trust me this setup will get hookups.let me now how it go's

Anything deeper than about 6' I use a slip float. You get such versatility that I find that I am using them almost all the time now though. I use those weighted floats from Beau Mac because you can cast them pretty easily if your using a baitcaster. Floating a threaded shrimp this winter was dynamite!Thumb through some of the STS articles or grab a book on float fishing...basic stuff, but it helps.

I use both,I perfer a fixed float because it allows your jig to reach its depth faster,it really depends on how much room you hace for casting.If you don't have a lot of room a slip float works,but if you do have the room for a cast with a jig hanging done 6-8 ft.,I perfer a fixed float,I just feel it keeps your jig down on a drift esp. towards the end,where a slip bobber has the chance for the jig to start comeing shallow.Just the way ,I feel.Everyone has there own way.I do know its important to keep your line behind your bobber if it gets in front it will pull your bobber faster then the current,you want to go about the same speed as the current.GOOD LUCK

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Bob Dawson

I agree with the above posts. Either can be very effective. I use floats and jigs or bait almost all the time on the Kalama. In most situations, I never have to go more than 6 feet under the float. It seems like most of the time as little as 2 to 4 feet is where I catch the majority of the steelhead I catch. 2 to 4 feet can be handled well with a shorter rod (9 feet?), and moderate casts. I use a nine foot rod and a 9 1/2 foot rod. Longer is definitely better, but with all the foliage out, long rods and long leaders can be a pain in tight places.

In water of consistent depth, where the strike zone isn't overly deep and you have a long enough rod to handle the leader you want to cast, fixed floats are probably better.

With a fixed float, your float won't run down the line and pull your offering shallow if you get drag on your main line or at the end of a drift where you want to swing or hang your jig, etc. You can prevent this somewhat when using a slip float if you use a barrel swivel at the end of your main line, with a leader tied to that. But, of course, this restricts your minimum depth to the length of the leader. Otherwise, you can keep your offering at depth during the drift by keeping drag off your line, which is always a goal anyway.

Many times, I use a slip float just because it is so convenient. Depth can be adjusted rapidly with a combination of slipping the float and adding or subtracting split shot. When you get the depth right and see the offering gliding with the current in the strike zone and staying in the water you want to fish, you just know why this is such an effective way to fish. If the bottom is a rock garden you will spend your time fishing rather than hanging up and retieing.

You'll have good success with either and both have their uses.

Good luck!

A fixed float unless your fishing really deep water(over 8 feet). Even then I generally don't run my jig over 6 foot deep even in deeper holes, the fish will move a long way vertically to take a jig.

Thanks you guys I appreciate all the input, I will let you know how it goes!!!!

Don't neglect very shallow water when fishing jigs. On my favorite summer stream I often fish with my jig 8 - 12 inches below a fixed float and fish the shallow riffles. My largest summer run so far this year was hooked in eighteen inches of water with the jig only 10" below the float....good luck!

TFANN:

Have used both, really like the slider.....so much easier to cast....if the depth is 7+ ft.....I use 10 and 10 1/2 foot rods, not noodle, but very light lined....6-8 pound...good spinning reel is key, must have a "very good drag system"....hot fish, light lines/leaders....any "hangup" in the drag.......ugh, fish could be gone!!!!Now fish 95% of the time for fun, even use same set-up for most winter run steelheading....but I fish out of a boat most of the time....so can follow.

Best of luck...super way to fish...less snags equals more fishing time!!!

"Worse day sport fishing, still better that the best day working".....