Stocking Up For Steel

[DannyL]

Ok so I purchased a bunch of gear last night and just wanted to share what I got and if I made the right choices. THIS IS NOT A TOPIC TO BASH ABOUT. With that said I got the following. Please let me know if I should get anything else.


ClearDrift Floats 3/4oz
In Line weights 3/4oz
Maxima 10lb Leader
Pink head with red & pink fur Jig 1/8oz
Pink head with purple & pink fur Jig 1/8oz
Woolly Bugger Jig with red head & black fur 1/8oz
Woolly Bugger Jig with red head & black & red fur 1/8oz
Woolly Bugger Jig with pink head & pink fur 1/8oz
Woolly Bugger Jig with pink head & purple fur 1/8oz
Hevi Beads Alaska Roe 10mm
Hevi Beads Marble Roe Yellow 10mm
Hevi Beads "Glow" Roe Pink 10mm
Hevi Beads Pink Creamed Roe "Actually Blue and White" 10mm
Hevi Beads Red Hot Roe 10mm
Hevi Beads Neon Fireball 10mm
AeroJig Pink Worm Jigs 1/4oz
Mad River Pink Worms
Mad River Nightmare Worms
Worm Rigging Tool
Pot O Gold Lil Devil Spoons Red & White
Bead Pegs
Pen Tac Spoon Copper 1/4oz
Pen Tac Spoon Black Oxcide 1/4oz
Pen Tac Spoon Brass 1/4oz



This doesn't include gear I already have.

[goodtimesfishing]

Love cleardrift floats! However I like to use the smallest float possible so that when the fish grabs hold and the float goes under, the resistance is minimal. This gives you just a tad more time to set the hook, and the fish will hang onto jig or bait longer. 1/8 oz jig 20 gram cleardrift float and 3/8 inline weight is perfect.....water line is right at the color line of float. Always remember that the more of your float that is ABOVE water line the more resistance on the fish when it grabs your jig.

[DannyL]

Thanks! I switched out for 20g floats and 3\8oz weights

[spoonman]

Matte silver bc steel 2/5 oz. My hands down, number one, go to spoon for winter steel. Sounds like youre on the right track. Oh and also extra siwash hooks and a hook sharpener for your spoons and jigs.

[Brat Bonker]

you forgot dupont spinners haha oh and nightmare and beaded jigs can't leave home with out em

[AJFishdude]

I definitely agree with Brat Bonker on beaded jigs. I always like to have some with me, and I have noticed a pattern in my usage of beaded jigs in that they tend to attract bigger fish. I don't know why this is, but when I think back to the bigger Salmon and Steelhead I have taken while floating jigs, almost all came on bead head marabou jigs, whereas my smaller fish have come on other jigs, such as the Aerojig Hackle series or the rabbit fur jigs. They all work, but I really like beaded jigs. Variety is definitely good though, I would carry all three styles if I were you.

Also another personal preference, I think color combos jigs work a lot better than solid color jigs. For example, I am very fond of pink/orange jigs, but have also caught fish on Nightmare patterns (white/red/black) as well as orange/white and orange/pink/white.

Sounds like you have a great start on the gear though, now the most important thing is putting in your river time!

[DannyL]

Thanks for the info guys!

[goodtimesfishing]

Another nice item to use are "bait buttons". If you tip your jigs with prawn piece, try using bait buttons to hold the piece up the shank of the hook. Gives a cleaner looking jig and the prawn piece lasts longer.

[SkyRiverMan]

......and a hook sharpener for your spoons and jigs.

That's all good stuff.... everything there catches fish.......

[DannyL]

I also got one of EVERY 1/8oz jig we had. Just a bunch of patterns and colors. Can never have too many jigs right!?

[4steelhead]

Sounds like you're set. I buy every jig color too. I'm afraid that I might not have the one color that fish are biting that day. Its better to have all of them.

[SkyRiverMan]

I also got one of EVERY 1/8oz jig we had. Just a bunch of patterns and colors. Can never have too many jigs right!?

unless you fall when wading......then the answer can be "yes, yes you could"

you will find, after years of fishing, that you will gravitate to 2 or three patterns/styles/flavors. those are the ones that work best for you -they would work for me too, but not as well- just like my favs probably would work for you, but not as well as they do for me.... and it's really not the jig, or the pattern, or any of that, but a confidence thing.
I have tied thousands of jigs over the years - and carry far too many with me.... in practice though i have a pattern that i tend to start my sessions with, usually end them with, use in unfamiliar places, is my goto pattern when nothing else works, and has caught thousands of fish from bullheads to Kings etc.... in other-words it's the pattern I have total confidence in. There have been stretches (extremely productive ones) where that's the only jig that I have used for 10-15 outings (ok, not the same jig, they do get trashed, bent, lost, traded for a beer, etc., but the same color/pattern-- if something is working and you are reliably hooking up when other are not, why change it?)
I guess what I am saying is, huge pile of jigs - way cool (I bet all fluffy and sparkly - how fun), will you ever use all those styles, colors sizes...? probably not. It does sound like you've got a killer collection to start with though to find that perfect jig that works for you...(don't forget what pattern it was!)... and then a bunch you can retie to your favorite pattern once you figure out what it is.

Sky

[spoonman]

Hah!here I thought i was the only one that trades jigs for beer!