# Steelhead Jumping



## Whaler (Nov 16, 2004)

What is your opinion on this ? I fished the Chagrin on Wednesday and caught eight nice Steelhead. Around five PM they began coming to the surface and rolling and jumping and turned off. No more hits. I've seen this before. It seems as if they just quit hitting when they start rolling and jumping. What do you think ?


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## twistertail (Apr 10, 2004)

Spawning. At least thats my guess. I have seen them like that in Michigan and that is what I always thought they were doing.


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## liquidsoap (Oct 22, 2005)

hmmmm, ive noticed when i see them jumping i usually get hooked up so its new to me


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

When I see the steelhead rolling on the surface, I usually adjust my presentation shallower and many times get bit. I don't see any reason to present my lure close to the bottom when the fish are moving through the upper portion of the water column. The last two times out I hooked up fishing 2ft under the float in 4ft of water when the fish showed on the surface. Prior to that I was getting action in the three to 3.5ft setting. 
I never settle for fishing one fixed depth if I feel fish are present but I am not getting bit. Gotta remain flexible and try other approaches but, as youknow, that does not work all the time.


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## archman (Apr 30, 2004)

I've noticed that when steelhead are rolling like crazy, the bite turns off. For anyone that night fishes, get there right after it gets dark. They're going crazy, but they usually don't bite then.


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## Steel Cranium (Aug 22, 2005)

Maybe their just "flippin you the fin" (closest thing to 'the finger'). Shortdrift's big fish last week came on a shallower presentation after seeing surface activity. My drifts between 6' and 9' below the float yielded nothing. His shallow offering yielded the fish. When rolling, I'll fish shallow. Sometimes a spinner fished faster and near the surface will trigger a strike. When they're rolling in the fast and/or shallow water, they're probably spawning, where they won't be willing to bite. Best to more below them to find feeding fish.


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## Whaler (Nov 16, 2004)

There are a lot of fin flippers out there !


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## BuzzBob (Apr 10, 2004)

Don't most of you use at least two hooks when fishing? Yesterday I waded out to a tree branch that had four hooks one one line, (yes, I'm sure) One had a hook with egg sack, one had a small blue fly, one was an empty egg hook and the last was some kind of spongy fly. Kind of illegal?


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## Steel Cranium (Aug 22, 2005)

I typically only use one hook/jig, unless searching for the productive fly (tandem rig) when fishing deeper water. I seem to have more issues with line tangling when using more than one hook. I also don't use the tandem fly rig when fishing shallower/faster water since the potential for foul hooking is greatly increased with two flies. If someone is using more than three baits, it would be illegal (ODNR regs: Anglers may use up to three hooks on each line) if questioned.


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## Whaler (Nov 16, 2004)

You aren't supposed to have more than three hooks on a line connected to a fishing rod or pole, and no more than two rods or poles..


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## liquidsoap (Oct 22, 2005)

i seen somebody using a crappie rig today....
he caught a sucker, and lost his crappie rig like 5 or 6 times


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## Whaler (Nov 16, 2004)

Liquidsoap, which river was he fishing ?


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## liquidsoap (Oct 22, 2005)

the rock.....
i dont even think he knew what he was fishing for, had like a 5 foot poll


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