Went to Lake Michigan...

[jooleyen]

I went to Lake Michigan to try and catch some Steelhead. (Bass season opens tomorrow!) I hooked into two, both about 7 pounds, and lost them. I tried to get better hooks, I slightly swept my rod to the right, and I had the loosest drag on earth! I still lost them. I really think it's my rod. I think I had one hooked really well on my huge jerbkait, but the fish are sooooo athletic and fast that my spinning reel couldn't even keep up with it.

I can only seem to catch them on jerkbaits and crankbaits. The crankbait I always use is Firetiger. What other bait could I use with a big hook that would imitate whatever they are feeding on? There are tons of small (10-11 inch) salmon jumping around everywhere. I don't know if they're feeding on this? There are also lots of big Yellow Perch.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

[jwallbassin]

im not 100% but im pretty sure a loose drag on the hook set is not good

[Rebbasser]

Originally Posted by jwallbassin

im not 100% but im pretty sure a loose drag on the hook set is not good

I am 100%, and it is not a good thing

jw, is that you over on the TFF?

Joolz, sounds like you need a rod with moere backbone for those steelhead.

[JB]

don't blame yourself joolz, those steelhead have some broad shoulders and fight hard..next time take a bigger spinning outfit and heavier line.
They are hard to keep on a hook for sure!

[jooleyen]

I've tried absolutely everything with the drag. I've tightened it and loosened it. Maybe I should try to set the hook hard? I've landed one before, but he was hooked pretty well. I know it's not my hooks, because I land every fish I catch on a crankbait... except for Steelhead. I've tried heavier rods, softer rods, loose drag, tight drag, hard hookset, soft hookset, no hookset.
Last night I got a little impatient and I tightened my drag by one click because the fish was fighting for like 50 seconds and I couldn't get any line in.

[jwallbassin]

hey rebbasser...yeap thats me!

[Rebbasser]

I thought so!

[texasbasser]

Originally Posted by jooleyen

I've tried absolutely everything with the drag. I've tightened it and loosened it. Maybe I should try to set the hook hard? I've landed one before, but he was hooked pretty well. I know it's not my hooks, because I land every fish I catch on a crankbait... except for Steelhead. I've tried heavier rods, softer rods, loose drag, tight drag, hard hookset, soft hookset, no hookset.
Last night I got a little impatient and I tightened my drag by one click because the fish was fighting for like 50 seconds and I couldn't get any line in.

try having your drag loose when he hits, but hold the spool with your thumb to set the hook, then release and he runs.. I do that with grass carp and catfish and it works great.

[jooleyen]

I even did that! I'll figure this out sometime.

[thebus71h]

A lot of it is patience too. We wrestle 35 to 40 pound catfish on 10 and 12 pound line. Not uncommon to wrestle them for 5 or 10 minutes. Let the fish run where it needs to with keeping the line pressure there.

[Patrick Krueger, Jr.]

Originally Posted by thebus71h

A lot of it is patience too. We wrestle 35 to 40 pound catfish on 10 and 12 pound line. Not uncommon to wrestle them for 5 or 10 minutes. Let the fish run where it needs to with keeping the line pressure there.

I've landed two four pound salmon with six pound line on an ultra light on Lake Michigan in Kenosha. It took about twenty minutes. I don't know that you did anything wrong, they're not easy to get in. I bet if you hooked one or two more you would have gotten one in.

[keithdog]

Are you talking about the summer run Skamania Steelhead Jools? Living close to Michigan City here in NW Indiana, I've had the pleasure to fish for these fish for many years. And I've caught pleanty including a 21 pounder which just missed the state record at the time. But my tackle is quite different from what your using. Those skamania are awsome fighters and like catching a brama bull on speed. I use casting equipment with a 7 foot medium action rod with 14 pound line. I set my drag to allow the fish to run with resistance. Not loose at all, but also not too tight since there is nothing but open water on the big lake. I just want to keep him from stripping off all my line which they can do!!! I've seen plenty of rods broken in half out there tootrying to land one of these brutes. As for my choice of lure, I end up using the same lure 95% of the time. A 3/4 oz KO Wobbler which I spraypaint both sides a hot orange color. Kind of like a bright orange red color. Both sides, that seems to be important. Those skamanias are crazy for that hot orange color. I used to use the Rapala jointed sinking minnow in a size 11 with great results, but the sinking model is no longer availablein jointed and the floating model won't cast very far. But that 3/4 oz spoon will cast a mile and catch a heck of a lot of steelhead!!! I replace the standard hook with a stronger treble about one size larger than what the spoon comes with. I don't have anything special to say about hookset, other than to give him a good hard set when you feel him hit. If the steelhead are running, you can go to the pier in Michigan City and see 50 guys, and most are casting this spoon. Some are using bait on long noodle rods with lighter line, another technique which works great. Hope this helps ya.

[jooleyen]

I don't know what these fish are. All I know is that they fight like crazy, and they're steelhead. I see everyone casting spoons, but when I cast a crank, I always catch them when no one else does.