Minnesota Steelhead techniques

Fishing techniques:

Make your own Slinky:
Slinky's, or as we call them, slinkers, are a great weight system when drift fishing chuck~n~duck style. We have provided you with detailed instructions on how we create them.

Make your slinker's more versatile by adding wire...

Slinker Rig

In-line split shot Rig

Drop shot Rig

Drift Fishing Rigs:
Drift fishing, also called bottom bouncing, or chuck~n~duck, is a very effective technique for taking Steelhead. The deep pools, fast runs and churning pocket water of the North Shore streams require anglers to get there fly down fast. Often, standard fly line with just a weighted fly just won't cut it. "Some of the best holding water I have found are pockets no more than 8 feet long. So, drifting with split shot really is the best way to get down to where the fish are holding" says Pete, a veteran Steelheader.
Here are three illustrated diagrams of the most popular drift rigs out there. Please feel free to send in your custom rig to share with others. Click the images to enlarge.

Click Images to enlage diagram

Should you use fly line or Monofilament?
The answer to this question is really about personal preference and presentation versatility. Some anglers prefer the traditional fly line presentation while others recognize that drifting with mono is a deadly technique. We find that both line types work effectively under the right situations. Fly line is easier to handle with gloves or cold fingers and is ideal in slow water or when needing a long cast. Running straight mono on a fly reel for drift fishing is a popular method that works very effectively but, it may limit you on those tricky drifts.

Strike Indicators made easy:
Strike indicators can be the difference between success and a fishless evening. Though we have mixed ideas about strike indicators, one thing is for sure, during low light
conditions an indicator
is a big plus when trying
to track your drift.
Check out our simple
recipe for creating your
own inexpensive indicators .