# what am i doing wrong



## bighomied (Dec 17, 2008)

hello everyone im new to this site and ohio for athat matter but im trying to catch my first steelhead for the last 2 years and have read about everything about float fishing that i can get my hands on but still cant seem to hook my first one yet and its killing me i see people around me catching them so i know im in the right place but i have to be doing something wrong can anyone help me


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## ryosapien (Jul 5, 2008)

my advice might not be the greatest as i have been doing terrible this last month. But being in the right place (section of the river) is different from fishing the right hole which may exist in only a small part of the river. ALot of these guys study the rivers (or as in my case fall in to the holes while wading) so know where steelhead stack up and by the time they move out of the spot you want to fish they may have made the fish too weary to bite. That said these dang winter fish are just hard to catch anyhow.


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## bighomied (Dec 17, 2008)

well thanks for the advise but i wnat to sway more to the end that im doing something wrong because ive fished spots forat least an hour and then some guy comes along in the same exact place where i was and catches two fish so i was wondering if i could get someone to mentor me a little bit i live 2 min from the grand river in painesville


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## OldSteelGuy (Dec 13, 2008)

I just wrote a novel about your topic but for some reason it did not get posted. My advice is to hire a guide. I just started fishing the Erie system in November and I hired a guide to learn the ropes. The big thing is fishing in these systems is totally different from season to season. Winter fishing is really tough and reading the water is critical. Talk to other fishermen. It only takes a second to speak to them to find out if they are willing to share information. Don't ask to join in fishing their spot. Just talk. You can fish the spot some other time. Share a guide with a friend and you can get two trips out of it. It is just like college. You have to pay for your credit hours and then fish, fish, fish. Also, don't be afraid to try different things. Speak with Craig at Erie Outfitters also. He is a wealth of knowledge. Buy some stuff from his store and listen to what he tells you. Then fish, fish, fish.

Good luck to you and hope to see you on the river,

OldSteelGuy


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## bighomied (Dec 17, 2008)

thanks for your advice steelguy maybe i could hire you or someone else on this site i just need a little kickstart cuz im going crazy wondering what im doing wrong


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## bighomied (Dec 17, 2008)

what in your opinion is the best setup for float fishing


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## bighomied (Dec 17, 2008)

maybe its my setup?


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## steelheader007 (Apr 8, 2004)

Well its probly a number of things.

1. Are you getting your offering down to the fish?

2. Do you have a good presentation?

3. Do you know the difference between a strike, and rock "I dont (set the hook)"

4. Are your spawn bags the right size?

5. Do you stack your shot on your set up?

6. Is your drift drag free?

I have spent countless days winter steelhead fishing, and withthere metabolic rate slowing down to a 480/71 intersection crawl it can be hard!


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## ShutUpNFish (Apr 17, 2007)

Describing your set-up might help....how, exactly, are you set up? IMO, if you are an aspiring and persistant fishermen, you don't really need a guide to catch a few fish. Don't get me wrong, hiring a guide takes a lot of the guesswork out of many factors. However, doing it on your own, gives you much more gratification without putting a major dent in your wallet. Especially if you can't afford it. Looking forward to your response...


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## OldSteelGuy (Dec 13, 2008)

I am not a guide. This was just my opinion to shorten the learning curve. If you want to hire a guide do it with a friend so it is less cost for each fisherman. Depending on where you live and what area in Ohio you want to fish, stay on the internet and keep looking for guides. They are all over the place. Or you can call a fly shop and ask their opinion about guides. You may have other expectations than other fishermen and they may know someone who meets your needs. It all depends on how fast you want to learn and if you can afford the expense.

OldSteelGuy


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## jojopro (Oct 9, 2007)

It sounds to me like the problem lies somewhere in your presentation. As ShutUpNFish had mentioned, you could help us help you by explaining your setup as thoroughly as possible. Not knowing your setup at all I can make some guesses as to what you may be doing wrong;

1. Wrong Bait: If you're using the oil packed eggs from the shelves of the big stores, throw them out! I swear those things actually repell fish away from them.
2. Depth: You have to be ticking along that bottom or be drifting just off of it.
3. Weight: Make sure you are using enough to get down and stay down into the strike zone but not so much that you are dredging the bottom. Use only the round shot, as the ones with the ears will cause your bait to spin unnaturally in the current and twist up your line. Leave at least 12" between your last split shot and your offering.
4. Natural Drift: Ideally your float should be moving in-line with the current, not cutting across it or running diagonally through it. A long rod held high can allow you to keep more line up off the water. 
5. Fluorocarbon Leader: Nearly invisible underwater, can make all the difference in the world when trying to catch pressured line-shy fish. 

Describe your setup as best as you can and how you have been fishing and we can better stear you in the right direction towards catching some steelies.

John


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## bighomied (Dec 17, 2008)

ok guys thanks for all the responses i just got back from the grand and i fell in a hole but im still alive thank god! Well as for my setup im using a 9 foot medium action rod, spinning reel with 8 pound spider wire mono and a floro leader about 18 inches long i am using a blackbird phantom #4 float and two shot round shot with wings and as for bait just eggs sacks from grand river tackle anything else you would like to know just let me know im happy to answer


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## corndawg (Oct 24, 2007)

Heres a good site about shotting set up that mepps3 posted awhile back. hope this helps 


http://www.anglersinternational.com/Shotting%20Patterns.pdf


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## OldSteelGuy (Dec 13, 2008)

You are half way there. I don't know any good fisherman that hasn't fallen in the river at one time or another. So congrats. It is a ritual of sorts to get wet on occasion. It proves that you are out there trying. I hope you are all right though. I was just making lite of the circumstances.

OldSteelGuy


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## bighomied (Dec 17, 2008)

oh yeah im fine i was trying to break through some thin ice and to get to thet river which was only about 4 inches deep and then it dropped of to about 5 feet so i guess i found a hole although it was extreamly cold i have to really get a pair of chest waders lol


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## bighomied (Dec 17, 2008)

so does anyone have some free time to come out fishing this weekend


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## ShutUpNFish (Apr 17, 2007)

I always set up my shot according to the flow of the water and the overall weight of my presentation. Some guys swear not to put any shot below the mainline, but I do it and it works for me. However, once I shot the leader, I NEVER slide my shot around and I rarely ever put any shot closer than 12" from my presentation (my leader is usually a minimum of 2' or depending on the depth I'm fishing). I used to use the winged shot and caught fish, but I noticed a lot more line twist using them. I switched to the round Blackbirds with improved results. I also tend to think that the round shot flows nicer under water. I generally start with about 3 or 4 BB size shot directly under a 4 gram float "stacked" just to stand the float up.....then according to the flow I start a BB size shot pattern that is approx. 3" apart...the most I have had to use this year, is 8 BB size including the 4 under the float and tapering with 4 more micro sized shot extending on to my leader (keep in mind, you may have to upsize your float in these situations). The reason for the taper, is to ensure that the line gets lighter as it gets closer to your presentation so that your presentation drifts ahead of everything else....this is the key. The least shot I've had, in low/clear conditions, this year has been 3 under the float, two BB size and one micro on the leader. So my overall presentation goes something like this....Float on mainline, some shot, an inline swivel, leader material (usually 6 lb flouro), some shot on it (as minimal as possible) 12" minimum of flouro to my presentation at all times. This works for me.... I drew up a makeshift diagram of the way my set-up looks below....Of course, the mainline is above the swivel and flourocarbon below....Also another thing to really consider while float fishing is to try to keep the line above your float off the water as much as possible. If your cast is too far out for that, at least mend the line so that it stays behind your float as much as possible as to NOT drag your float downstream. Hope all this helps. I believe that it is as crucial to understand what is going on beneath the surface of the water as it is whats going on above.


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## bighomied (Dec 17, 2008)

well u guys are the best ive asked a question and recieved alot of info from everyone on here thanks alot i also have a centerpin in the mail should be receiveing that soon but i would like to at least catch a fish before i try using that but keep the info coming i love it


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## MuskieJim (Apr 11, 2007)

ShutUp and I use basically the same exact approach. I've seen guys who use BB's, then B's to a taper, but it's really just not needed. The only two size shots I use are 3/0 (to load my float) and then BBs. As Paul said, I never have a shot within 12" of my bait, and most of the time I am about 20" above the hook. I will stack 3-4 shot about 3" apart right above my swivel to give my presentation a nice drape in the current.


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## ShutUpNFish (Apr 17, 2007)

Here is another great article on float fishing....even though it is geared toward centerpinning, these tactics can also easily be applied to spin fishing equally as well....I would actually recommend using these techniques first with a spinning outfit and longer noodle rod before ever trying it all with a pin...It will certainly give you a much better understanding of the float aspect of centerpinning which will essentially help you focus more on your casting as a beginning pinner....believe me, when you first get started, you'll need to focus most of your time on casting....Good Luck!

http://www.flyandfloatfishing.com/centerpin/small_stream_centerpinning.htm


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## TRIPLE-J (Sep 18, 2006)

bighomied,
another question for you. you don't shower and shave before you go do ya?
cause the scent from the soaps and shaving cream on your hands will sometimes have an effect. Seen guys out there for hours on a hot bite not getting anything complaining they are not getting any hits and all you can smell is the old spice for a mile around. Just another though. I make sure to wash my hands in the water i'm fishing as soon as I get there even if there's ice. scent has a dramatic effect on these fish.
Also adjust your float till you just see it hang up every once in a while and not dragging on the bottom. The fish will be hugging bottom, so thats were you want your bait to be. Yes this means you will loose some gear so take extra. Try to keep as much line out of the water as you can to allow for a more natural drift. Make sure you cover the entire hole with your drifts. I usually start with the edge closer to me and work my way towards the outer edge as I cast, might have to adjust your float as holes do have different depths at different areas. if you use shot to get your bait down use just enough to get it down and not so much that it makes your bait drag behind the float. Hope this helps.
Triple-J


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