Steelhead salmon are not only delicious, but fun to catch. Every year, anglers take to the rivers and streams of steelhead-rich areas to try their hand at landing a sizeable keeper. For beginning anglers, a basic guide to steelhead fishing equipment will provide a good foundation for developing your own steelhead fishing practices.
Rod & Reel
The best steelhead rods are usually 8 to 11 feet long with a weight of 12 to 20 lbs. Rods for bobber fishing are generally in the longer part of this range while plug and drifting rods are at the smaller end of the spectrum. The weight you choose depends on your experience and the sensitivity you are comfortable with. The lighter the rod, the more sensitive it will be. Often, more sensitive rods are better for drift fishing. Bait casting reels are preferred for their increased control of lures and bait, both in casting and in line action.
Tackle
There are four main types of tackle used for steelhead fishing: plastic worms, jigs, plugs and drift bobbers. Plastic worms and plugs are best for simple cast fishing, pulling the bait across possible schools of steelhead in relatively calm water. Jigs and drift bobbers, like corkies, are popular for their river fishing applications in faster moving, shallow water. The hook is attached below a bobber set at the depth of the water. The line is then cast upstream and the bobber suspends the hook in the water as it drifts downstream past waiting steelhead.
Accessories
Accessories for steelhead fishing begin with simple selections of baits including egg clusters, worms, shrimp and artificial bait. Other accessories include proper tackle boxes, nets, waders and for some fisherman, a boat. Steelhead are most often fished out of rivers, making drift boats and waders particularly useful. Also, because most steelhead is strictly regulated by weight and by origin --- native versus hatchery --- a card explaining the differences and a portable scale are highly recommended.
Considerations
If you are unfamiliar with salmon fishing and the equipment used, consider hiring a fishing guide for your first time out. Fishing guides in popular steelhead fishing areas will provide you with the equipment and expertise necessary to land some decent keepers. More importantly, going with a guide will teach about the gear and the techniques that you need to understand to fish on your own. Guides can be expensive, but are might be a bargain when compared to the possible cost of buying hundreds of dollars of the wrong equipment.
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