# steelhead live bait question



## plsplns (Aug 21, 2009)

I know eggs rank first, and minnows are there, then theres jig and maggot. But, I was trying a marribou 1/16 ouce jig tipped with a piece of shrimp last Sunday and I thought I got my first real hook up. 

Then I was just checking out Erie Outfitters pink trout worms on the site and they are supposed to be injected with shrimp scent. 

So here's the question, Was I on to something there or was it just dumb luck. I was reading in Matt Supinskis book "steelhead Dreams" on scents and he said that it was good to use. Does anyone else tip with shrimp and have you gotton any fish on it?? Thanks <><:G


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## archman (Apr 30, 2004)

I know of guys that use shrimp. Some put it right behind eggs. I think the only drawback is unless you put it in a sack it falls off the hook easily. Plus, it's expensive.


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## FISHIN216 (Mar 18, 2009)

i may have to try that. archman if you want cheap raw shrimp go to ALDI. it is way cheaper than giant eagles and works just as good. I dont think the fish can tell its generic


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## steelheadBob (Jul 6, 2004)

heres alittle trick i use concering shrimp. Go to gander and pick up a bottle of crave shrimp flavor. spray ur egg pat with them, your wooly buggers and jigs, and to tell ya the truth, b 4 i started saving my brown egg curing juice, i sprayed down my steelhead eggs with it b 4 i sacked them up!!!! try it, it works.
And you'll be amazed on how u can catch steel in the fall on freeze dried grasshoppers, just a thought for next year...........start collecting.


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## plsplns (Aug 21, 2009)

theguy said:


> i may have to try that. archman if you want cheap raw shrimp go to ALDI. it is way cheaper than giant eagles and works just as good. I dont think the fish can tell its generic


Yeah, Like the $5. a bag kind. I suppose you could use spider thread to zip it on. But mine stays on pretty long. If just 2 shrimp help me get a steelhead it's worth it I figure.


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## plsplns (Aug 21, 2009)

Thanks bob that's cool, all those ideas sound good too. Freez dried grasshoppers huh?.


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## THUNDERBUG (Apr 28, 2008)

If you are running, eggs, minnows and jigs, it is NOT WHAT you are putting on your baits that will catch you the fish... Its WHERE you are putting those baits that matters... Knowing how to read water and the where and when to, will put far more fish on your hook then any attractant. These fish are pretty stupid and basically are eating machines until they are beat on and or far along in their spawning cycle. IMO, i would forget about scents and start concentrating on understanding location, presentation and whether or not there is even any fish where you are offering your bait. Time on the water is the way this is achieved.

T*BUG


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## KSUFLASH (Apr 14, 2004)

Mike Durkalec an Aquatic Biologist for the Cleveland Metroparks wrote an article about Scents and Additives. If there is anyone that knows a thing or two about this topic it would be him. He goes into plenty of detail.

Below is the link to where a copy of the article is at.

Scents and Additives

-KSU


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## KSUFLASH (Apr 14, 2004)

Of coarse learning the water is important. Throwing a bare hook into water that has no fish isn't going to catch you fish, and throwing a spawn sac into a pool that has no fish isn't going to catch you either.

But,

When you see fish in a hole rolling, or you know there are fish, then scent can be important with those fish that are being picky.

I have seen it way to many times, where a guy catches fish on a jig/maggot, everyone around the hole changes to that presentation, same depth, just different smell, and bam fish on. Even though they drifted the hole for an hour with spawn sacs.

If I am fishing a hole with alot of fish in it, I may not notice anything in the way of scent that changes much. I can throw the same thing and there is enough willing fish in the hole to bite, but when I am fishing a hole with 6 or less fish in it, I have to switch up to something that works. That could be scent, size, etc...

I am thinking that a piece of raw beef on a hook probably wouldn't produce as much as a spawn sac inside red netting...It is my belief that scent plays a part in catching fish in certain cercumstances.

The fly guys don't use scent, as they are trying to imitate a fly pattern, so color and size are that much more important to them.

-KSU


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## MuskieJim (Apr 11, 2007)

THUNDERBUG said:


> If you are running, eggs, minnows and jigs, it is NOT WHAT you are putting on your baits that will catch you the fish... Its WHERE you are putting those baits that matters... Knowing how to read water and the where and when to, will put far more fish on your hook then any attractant. These fish are pretty stupid and basically are eating machines until they are beat on and or far along in their spawning cycle. IMO, i would forget about scents and start concentrating on understanding location, presentation and whether or not there is even any fish where you are offering your bait. Time on the water is the way this is achieved.
> 
> T*BUG


couldnt have said it better myself. Also, as the thread started, a 1/16 ounce jighead is your first problem! That's way too big. Steelhead are stupid, and will hit anything, but that doesnt mean its the best option. 1/32 in faster current, 1/64 in slow.


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## Phish_4_Bass (Sep 18, 2008)

Anyone ever use crayfish?


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## THUNDERBUG (Apr 28, 2008)

KSUFLASH said:


> Mike Durkalec an Aquatic Biologist for the Cleveland Metroparks wrote an article about Scents and Additives. If there is anyone that knows a thing or two about this topic it would be him. He goes into plenty of detail.
> 
> Below is the link to where a copy of the article is at.
> 
> ...


Mr Flash

Im not debating that scents have an impact, but dude has been trying to get his first steel for awhile now and scents are not gonna make him a better steelheader...

Shrimp is not the answer... nor is powerbait... nor is anything that smells...

Plastic beads can catch you loads of fish if you KNOW what to do with them, when and where! 

The last 2 times i switched presentation from eggs after the bite had slowed, i used a plain jig and the other a bead, none which had any type of scent and it was enough to pick up a few fish... Finicky/educated fish dont require scent to be enticed to strike.

T*BUG


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## plsplns (Aug 21, 2009)

Alright alright already, Spanking well takin, my ass is red. Ok I'll get back to basics and learn these conditons, lures, times, temps, etc. I'm sure I'm getting closer. For whatever it's worth I realy do appreciate the imput. 

I'm pretty sure I lost a fish last Sunday, it was in a popular hole and the weekend before it I was fishing it with a guy taking turns at the hole and saw him get 2-3 hook ups and take 2 femails home. 

One things for sure I ain't givin up on it. I've finaly seen these fish up close and held them in my hands that day he caught his. I want some of that action.

So far down to the rocky river 10 times and posibly 1 hook up. try try again<>< Thanks again everyone, My first fish will be dedicated to you all.


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## ShutUpNFish (Apr 17, 2007)

I know guys who use straight shrimp pieces for bait....they catch 'em! I couldn't believe my eyes...


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## archman (Apr 30, 2004)

As a beginner, I would use either a jig and maggot combo or a minnow. You can't really go wrong with either one. Don't get me wrong, spawn sacks work very well, but if you're not using the right kind of eggs you may be wasting time.


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## Streamhawk (Apr 25, 2008)

It is very common to use shrimp out on the west coast fishing for steelhead. I have read many articles about using shrimp to catch steel on the west coast.


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## KSUFLASH (Apr 14, 2004)

Thunderbug makes a good point. You shouldn't worry too much about scent when you are first starting out. Learning how and where to catch fish is a much better place to focus.

When you are able to dial it in, then on those days when you know fish are there, then you can start worrying about that scent stuff.

As Thunderbug said, using beads can smack the fish as well, of which don't have a scent. 

-KSU


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## ShutUpNFish (Apr 17, 2007)

THUNDERBUG said:


> Mr Flash
> 
> Im not debating that scents have an impact, but dude has been trying to get his first steel for awhile now and scents are not gonna make him a better steelheader...
> 
> ...


Can't argue with that...


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## KSUFLASH (Apr 14, 2004)

LMAO, Chrominator that was a good one...haha..

-KSU


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## FISHIN216 (Mar 18, 2009)

when I got my first hook-up a couple weeks ago I sprayed my jig/minnow with shad scented YUM.....coincidence????????????????


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## archman (Apr 30, 2004)

> when I got my first hook-up a couple weeks ago I sprayed my jig/minnow with shad scented YUM.....coincidence????????????????


IMO, you would have still gotten the fish. Scents definitely don't hurt, though. The only scent I normally use is wd-40.


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## steelheadBob (Jul 6, 2004)

sorry, but im a scent guy, i always have my bottle of brown egg cure juice to dip all my baits in!!!!!


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## archman (Apr 30, 2004)

Chrominator said:


> If you use it archman, it must work. Any idea of how much fish oil is in that stuff?


I'm not exactly sure. But one fall before I really knew what I was doing, I was out at the Headlands long wall and catching a fish here and there. This one guy out there was using WD-40 and probably catching 5 to my 1. He probably had over 25 hookups. I went over and talked to him. The only difference was that he was using it. I've always been out with guides who spray it on their spoons so I know it does help.


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