Steelhead, an iconic fish that always has you coming back for more. Unique displays of colors, acrobatic fights and available in the river almost all year. There are a variety of different methods to target steelhead. However, the most trendy and in a lot of situations the most effective is float fishing, also known as bobber fishing. Picking the right float rig for Steelhead can be tough but it doesn’t have to be, there are two main rigs that get used to float fish for steelhead, both very effective if used properly. This article will cover both the rigs you need to know and also when and why you should be using one over the other in certain scenarios. If you are looking for information on the entire rig starting at the rod and reel visit my article (Steelhead Float Fishing 101)
We will start at the top of the rig and work our way down to the hook. The first thing going into your rig is the float, there are several different kinds but two major choices, slip float or fixed float. In my opinion the only need to run a slip float is when targeting really deep water that would be difficult to get down to with a fixed float. I don’t want to dive into this too much because in most situations you can fish a fixed float which is easier and more effective. To attach your fixed float all you need is float tubing (surgical tubing works as well) in size 1/16th and 3/32th if you only have 1/16th that's fine too. Put the tubing almost all the way over the float stem and cut it, slide those pieces over your line and attach the float. There are several sizes and this will be covered more in depth in a later article. However starting with an 11g Raven FD float is a great middle ground and safe for many situations. A key factor that can’t be missed here is that the size of your float dictates the amount of weight being used. An 11 gram float requires about 11 grams of weight, or about ⅜ of an ounce. I use grams for shot line and fractions for bulk weight, Both are interchangeable.
After your float is attached next comes your weight, this is where the two rigs become different. The two different steelhead float rigs we mentioned in the beginning are going to be referred to as “ Bulk Weight” and “Shot Line”. We will start with bulk weight, its pros and cons and when you should use it.
Bulk weight means all of your weight is stacked in one place. Either being an inline weight, flipping weight or split shot stacked above the swivel. I personally use tungsten flipping weights but any of the above work just fine. Bulk weight is my personal favorite rig to run and luckily for me it is a good fit for any of the rivers I fish here in Michigan. One of the many pros is its simplicity, there is minimal rigging involved, especially if using an inline weight or flipping weight. Also, you aren’t constantly changing your shot line as you move from spot to spot so it keeps things simple in that regard as well. The last benefit to this rig we will cover is how fast it gets your bait down. The weight being focused in one spot makes it sink faster than a shot line, getting you down in the strike faster, if you are fishing deep water or short runs this can be a huge factor in selecting your rig. There are a few cons to fishing bulk weight, if you are fishing big rocks or boulders the bulk weight will get hung up more often than a shot line and you might find you can’t keep your weight unstuck and therefore can’t get a good drift. The last con is that it is a bit more difficult to get a good presentation and requires a little more skill and attention on the rod when it comes to the drifting part of things. Next we cover the shotline and it’s list of pros and cons.
Shotline got its name from the way the rig is set-up, a line of split shot staggered down your mainline, generally starting large at the top and working your way smaller down to the bottom. This involves having a wide range of sizes for split shots and having to do some calculations to make sure you have the right amount of weight for your float size. There is no perfect formula for how many shots to use to get to the right weight. Generally, the deeper you are fishing the more shots you need and the shallower you fish the less. Some of this will also come down to preference and finding what works best for you over time. We will start with the cons of shot lines, rigging can be a pain, there are a lot more steps and things to worry about and consider, especially if you break off on the water and lose your rig. Another con is when you move and change spots your shot line likely has to change a bit to accommodate the water you are now fishing. Another con you might find is tangling, shot lines tend to get tangled up more from all the weights get casted and swung around. Some of the pros, when your shot line is set up right, it requires less touch and attention on the rod, it floats itself in a way with the staggering of the shots creating your presentation for you. Another pros is that it does better when fishing big boulders and rocks and places your weight might get stuck in more often as it “rolls” over things a bit better.
After you have rigged up your weight and attached your swivel is time to attach your leader roughly 18-24 inches of fluorocarbon. The poundage of your leader depends on the water, generally for steelhead you will be fishing 8-12lb fluorocarbon.
It is important that you try both and find what one works better for you. Neither one is right or wrong, it comes down to preference, where you are fishing and what you feel more comfortable and confident in. For more information about float fishing steelhead, check out the below articles.
Steelhead Float Fishing 101:
Steelhead Float Fishing 101 Pt. 2:
Winter Steelhead Fishing: Tips and Tricks:
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