Search Results

I remember the first time I witnessed a river steelhead slamming a wobbling plug. It was in early winter on the Pere Marquette, River in Northern Michigan and I was back-trolling plugs from a drift boat with local river guide Mike Gnatkowski. Watching that rod suddenly slam down and start bucking wildly made a huge impact on me. As that silver bullet cartwheeled across the surface again and again, I found myself instantly hooked on back-trolling plugs. I didn’t realize it at the time, but that first plug fishing experience set in motion a passion for steelhead fishing and wobbling plugs that would last a lifetime. Fresh run steelhead like this impressive hen can make a cold winter day into a memory that lasts a lifetime. Back in the day it was the iconic FlatFish that everyone turned to for river back-trolling. The wide wobble of the FlatFish was perfect for back-trolling and using oars to slowly inch the boat and baits across the current and downstream. When rowing a drift boat, jet sled or small skiff the plugs on one side of the boat tend to speed up as the boat slides across the current. Meanwhile the plugs on the other side of the boat slow down. This constant changing of speed, direction and action is why plug fishing is so deadly at triggering strikes from river steelhead. The FlatFish is unique in that it is one of the rare plugs that produce an aggressive wobble at slow to moderate current speeds. Most plugs simply don’t have enough action at slow speeds to generate strikes. NEW KID ON THE BLOCK The FlatFish was and still is one of the better plug choices for back-trolling steelhead in rivers. Any time anglers are tasked with fishing slow or moderate moving water, the U20 and T4 FlatFish are great steelhead baits. The Mag Lip is the new kid on the block when it comes to river steelhead plugs. Like it’s cousin the FlatFish, the Mag Lip features a wide wobble, but the Mag Lip performs flawlessly in a much wider variety of current speeds. The Mag Lip has great action in ultra slow moving water like the FlatFish, but it also fishes exceptionally well in moderate and even fast flowing rivers without blowing out. Mag Lip comes in 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5 and 5.0 sizes, but the most popular steelhead sizes are the 3.0 and 3.5 versions. All the Mag Lip baits feature an unique hunting action that Yakima describes as a “skip beat”. The Mag Lip wobbles aggressively and then suddenly darts to one side or the other momentarily before settling back down to it’s rhythmic side to side wobble. It’s this darting action that triggers explosive strikes from steelhead. “One of the things I noticed immediately when fishing the Mag Lip is fish tend to be hooked deeper than with other plugs,” says lure designer and steelhead fishing legend Buzz Ramsey. “The skip beat action of the Mag Lip is what causes steelhead to literally engulf these baits.” OTHER GREAT PLUGS FOR BACK-TROLLING The FlatFish and Mag Lip series of plugs aren’t the only baits that work great for back-trolling. The Fat Wiggler is another wide wobbling bait designed for back-trolling in a wide range of river fishing situations. Available in three sizes including a 1/4, 1/2 and one ounce versions, the smaller baits work well in shallow rivers and in clear water situations. The larger plugs fish deeper making them very useful for targeting steelhead in bigger/deeper rivers and also in stained or cloudy water. Fish like this are typical among winter steelhead anglers who use plugs and back-trolling tactics. COLOR OPTIONS ABOUND The huge assortment of fish catching colors available is another reason that the Yakima FlatFish, Mag Lip and Fat Wiggler are so popular with steelhead fishermen. Many of the popular sizes are available in 50 or more color options ideal for just about any water clarity or fishing situation. Some of the most popular steelhead plug colors for back-trolling include Metallic Gold Flame, Metallic Gold Black Bill, Metallic Silver Clown, Grinch, Deschutes Dazzler, Bleeding Fire Tiger and Metallic Gold Green Pirate. Other colors that rank an honorable mention among steelhead fishermen include NFL, Metallic Perch, Egg Florescent and Metallic Silver Blue Pirate. CUSTOMIZING PLUGS FlatFish, Mag Lip and Fat Wiggler plugs catch fish right out of the package, but a lot of anglers like to customize their favorite lures with unique splashes of color and performance hooking options. An ordinary permanent marker does a great job of adding a splash of color to a plug’s nose, tail or flank. Red and black are the two most common accent colors, but let your imagination go crazy. Round bend style treble hooks come standard on steelhead plugs. Lots of anglers remove the belly hook on their plugs to help reduce snags. Adding a slightly larger tail treble hook is another option that helps plugs catch more of the fish that strike. To prevent powerful steelhead from twisting and tearing free, consider using two split rings on the tail treble hook instead of one. The extra freedom of movement using a second split ring provides, virtually eliminates any chance the fish can twist and leverage the hook free. Wide bend, short shank style hooks including the Mustad Triple Grip, Eagle Claw Kahle and the Trokar Kahle do an exceptional job of hooking fish and keeping those fish buckled up. When replacing the factory treble hooks on steelhead plugs it pays to tread lightly. It’s usually best to stick with the same size hook or to bump up just one hook size. Using hooks that are much too large for a particular lure can destroy the bait’s action. In situations where catch and release is important, replacing the factory treble hooks with single Siwash style hooks is also a good option. A Siwash hook functions best when two split rings are used or a small barrel swivel is added between the factory supplied split ring and Siwash hook. MONOFILAMENT OR BRAID Back-trolling plugs has historically been a presentation performed using 12 to 17 pound test monofilament line. Monofilament has the advantage of being affordable, tough to see in most water conditions, it has great abrasion resistance, excellent knot strength and enough stretch to be forgiving when a big fish makes a sudden run. Despite the many advantages of monofilament line, these days a growing number of anglers are making the switch to super braids for back-trolling. “I like 30 pound braid for back-trolling plugs,” say Bob Ison of Another Limit Guide Service. “Super braid lines deliver crushing hook sets and because of the near zero stretch plugs cause the rod tips to telegraph every wiggle of the bait. The instant one of my lures fouls on a leaf or other debris in the water, I know it when fishing braid.” The disadvantage of fishing with braids occurs in freezing weather. Braids readily absorb water and freeze, making them challenging to use in below freezing weather conditions. A growing number of plug fishermen are using mini-boards to position bonus plugs out away from the boat for river steelhead. The mini-board does a great job of positioning plugs up close to submerged logs, undercut banks and current seams that could not be reached with traditional back-trolling tactics. SPREADING THINGS OUT Back-trolling with plugs requires mounting saddle style rod holders at strategic spots near the back of the boat. The spacing of the rod holders is to help position rods so that baits are less likely to tangle, so that the baits are covering all the water directly downstream of the boat and also so rods can be removed quickly when a fish strikes. A typical back-trolling set up consists of four rods including a rod perpendicular to the gunwale on both the port and starboard sides of the boat and two rods positioned parallel to the hull fishing straight out the back of the boat. Collectively these plugging rods are covering a swatch behind the boat about 30 to 35 feet wide. A growing number of back-trollers are adding to the mix a pair of in-line planers that allow plugs to be positioned out further to the side of the boat. “Mini sized in-line boards do a great job of covering water I couldn’t ordinarily reach while back-trolling,” says Josh Crabtree a dedicated plug fisherman from Michigan. “I use these mini boards to steer plugs right up along submerged logs, up tight to under cut banks and current seams I could never reach without them.” River guide Bob Ison holds an excellent buck steelhead that smashed a 3.0 Mag Lip back-trolled on the Manistee River in Northern Michigan. This Metallic Gold Flame color is one of the most popular among river guides. SUMMING IT UP It only takes one steelhead to hook a fisherman into a life long passion for plugs and back-trolling. Without question back-trolling plugs is an exciting way to catch steelhead and also one of the more efficient strategies for covering water. Yakima Bait produces three plugs that excel on winter steelhead, including the iconic FlatFish, the fish crushing Mag Lip and tenacious Fat Wiggler. All three of these popular baits are available in multiple sizes and countless fish catching colors. It doesn’t get much better than that in the world of back-trolling plugs for winter steelhead.

Smoked salmon is a favorite at holiday gatherings. This technique locks in the juices and the flavor will leave your guests asking for more. 2 cups soy sauce 1 cup water 1 cup white wine (I use Rex-Goliath Pinot Grigio) 1/3 large vidalia onion 3 large cloves garlic 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/3 cup sea salt 2 tsp black pepper Mix everything in a blender EXCEPT the onion. Brine the fish for 12-24 hours. I like to leave mine in the brine 24 hours. Very important step...Fan dry on drying racks 3 hours or more! When you can touch the fish and it's not tacky it's ready. This seals in all the juices and flavors. DON'T forget to use non stick spray on the racks! Pre heat smoker till the water boils. After the water is boiling add wood chips and turn down the smoker to 185 Deg. At 185 Deg. it takes about 3 hrs. to smoke the fish. I add fresh wood be about half way through. Enjoy!

The Flatfish is a lure recognizable on sight and requires no introduction. If you have spent any time on the water, chances are you’ve seen or used this banana shaped lure at some point in your life. If not, then surely your father or your grandfather has. The Flatfish was invented in the 1930s by a talented Detroit auto worker named Charles Helin. A devoted fisherman, Helin bounced around from job to job just so that he could keep his summers free to fish. Helin also liked to tinker and create his own fishing lures. During the 1920s, Helin experimented with a variety of different lure designs, including spoons, spinners, and bass bugs among others. By the late 1920s Helin had fashioned over 100 individual lures, yet he still felt there was still one major problem to tackle. The majority commercially sold swimming plugs at the time were crudely fashioned and required a specific, precise retrieval speed to create fish-attracting, swimming action. Whenever the retrieve was altered, the action disappeared. Helin believed many strikes were missed due to the lack of flexibility and finesse in the retrieve. In many cases it allowed the fish to recognize the bait as being artificial before striking. So Helin decided to try his hand at designing a lightweight swimming plug that could be worked delicately and effectively even at the slowest retrieval speeds, while increasing the number of successful hook-sets. Helin began by whittling wooden plugs in different shapes and sizes, looking for the perfect design and action. By spring of 1933 Helin had hand carved about 1500 individual plugs. He was getting very close to his final design. In August that year he did a test trial with some of his final prototypes in Big Lake in Davisburg, Michigan. He and his fishing mates enjoyed immediate success with the resident bass in the lake. On September 12, 1933, after some final, minor tweaks, the Flatfish was finally perfected. With its trademark, flat nosed body and offset detachable hooks, the lure produced a life-like, wiggling, swimming action that appeared to be irresistible to predator fish. Helin knew at once he had found what he was looking for. He ultimately dubbed his new lure creation The Flatfish. In 1934 Helin applied for a patent and began marketing the first handmade wooden Flatfish, selling 400 the first year. From there the popularity of the Flatfish steadily increased, with 1000 sold in 1935, 2500 in ’36, and over 10,000 in 1937. By that time Helin had six employees helping him make the Flatfish. Lure sales were doing so well that he quit his full time job at the Chrysler auto plant and founded the Helin Tackle Company. Between 1935 and 1949 over 5 million Flatfish were sold, (by Helin’s own estimation, for a net profit of only $2,882.86!). Helin’s swimming plug would soon become the best selling minnow plug in the world. By 1970, over 40 million Flatfish had been sold. During the years that Helin ran the company, the evolution of the Flatfish was fairly well documented. In 1922 Helin began keeping a fishing journal, and he continued to document his fishing observations and successes throughout his life. An avid photographer, Helin published his first company brochure in 1939, which included photos, letters and testimonials from anglers who used the Flatfish. Ensuing editions included Helin’s own personal experiences, adventures, and musings, as well as fishing and rigging information, lure tweaking tips, and repair instructions. Helin continued this practice for the next 30-plus years. In that time, the Flatfish expanded into several specific models geared toward technique (surface, submerged, trolling, expert), fishing gear (fly rod, spinning), and species, (lake trout, pike, musky). The Flatfish was available in a wide variety of colors and sizes, ranging between 1 inch and 7 inches long, featuring several hook styles that included offset pairs (using spreader bars under the lure) and standard inline hook configurations. Helin used smaller, lighter hooks on the Flatfish because he felt they provided greater penetration on hook-sets than bigger, heavier hooks, which also adversely affected the action. He also discouraged the use of snap swivels with the Flatfish, believing they robbed the lure of some of its natural appearance and motion. Although early Flatfish models were made of wood, they were later changed to plastic to save on manufacturing and labor costs. Due to popular demand, Helin later reintroduced a select lineup of retro wooden models for an added cost of .50 cents extra per lure. In addition to the Flatfish, Helin patented two other lures: the Swimmerspoon (a metal swimming spoon with an interchangeable plastic insert) and the Fishcake (an oblong-shaped surface plug with nose propellers, which was actually named after a local restaurant’s dinner special). m m The Flatfish has caught countless fish over the decades and has been responsible for several record breaking catches. During the 1960s, the introduction of pacific salmon into the Great Lakes served to give the Flatfish an added boost in popularity and sales. This overwhelming success (and income) allowed the active and civic minded Helin to travel the world, meeting and fishing with anglers of all walks of life, while singing the praises of the Flatfish. “From some of the stories I’ve heard, he was very outgoing, almost flamboyant,” said Rob Phillips, marketing director for Yakima Bait Company, makers of the Flatfish. “I don’t know if you would call it egotistical, but he was very sure of himself, a bigger-than-life kind of guy, which probably led to his success actually.” This same success, however, spawned countless numbers of mass produced, commercially sold copies and knockoffs. Helin held great contempt for the “cheap imitations” of his original Flatfish, stating that they were not worth 2 cents and “could only catch a game-fish by accident.” He maintained that it took him over 10 years to learn how to make the Flatfish properly, with all the finer details that made it productive. Therefore, any swiftly devised, mass produced knockoff could not possibly approach the quality, action and effectiveness of his original design. According to Helin, the Flatfish was the only fishing lure that swam perfectly at all speeds and could be slowed down and fished subtly without losing any of its life-like swimming action. “There’s so many [knockoffs and copies] out there I couldn’t name them all,” said Phillips. “The obvious one is the Kwikfish, and it’s a good lure in its own right. But the guy that started Kwikfish essentially worked for Charlie Helin and decided he’d go own his own and basically make a knockoff of it.” By the late 1980s, it became time for the elderly Charles Helin to relinquish operation of the company. In 1988 the Helin Tackle Company was purchased by the Yakima Bait Company, makers of the Shad King and Roostertail Spinner among others. “We’d learned that he was trying to sell it,” recalled Phillips. “I guess he had some family members, but none of them were really interested in taking over the lure business, or their interests were elsewhere.” Yakima purchased all the original lure molds (some up to 40 or 50 years old) from Helin and moved the manufacturing operation from Michigan to Granger, Washington. “It really fit perfectly into our line of freshwater lures,” said Phillips. “And it had such a great name and reputation.” Today, the Flatfish is available in 14 sizes and over 100 different colors and combinations. “We’ve added a number of colors to the line, and we have made a few changes in the hardware specs,” stated Phillips. “In some of the larger sizes we added rattles.” Flatfish can be used effectively with casting or spinning gear, fly tackle, trolling, there’s almost no limit to the lure’s versatility. “Different sizes work for different fish in different parts of the country,” Phillips explained. “You know, we sell a lot of our smaller sizes to trout and bass anglers, and medium sizes to steelhead, trout, and walleye guys, and the large sizes are great for lake trout and salmon.” Accordingly, an angler’s perception of the Flatfish may just depend on what part of the country (or world) they live in. The fact that the Flatfish has seemingly been around forever further necessitates the ongoing need to reintroduce and reacquaint younger fishermen with the benefits and features of the original, no-frills Flatfish – most especially those who haven’t grown up with it. “I think sometimes people think of it as an ‘old-time lure’, but most people that fish with it continually, and [who] like to use it, will tell you that it’s one of their most productive lures.” The Flatfish was one of the first fishing plugs created primarily for consistency in swimming action. The idea was that if a lure could reproduce a life-like swimming action at a variety of retrieval speeds, not only would it be a top-notch fish attractor, but it would also prevent the fish from quickly identifying and disregarding the lure as artificial. This novel concept eventually paved the way for an entire generation of modern swimming lures and crank baits available today. “Well, I think it’s just the original,” declared Phillips. “We’ve continued and retained the original Flatfish action that is so productive. Now I’ve never fished any of those other [knockoff] lures, but if a person wants a Flatfish action, he’s going to need to buy a Flatfish. I just think it’s the design, the original design, and all the factors that go into it. Every day you hear people say, "Oh yeah! I remember that lure! That’s the one I used to fish with my dad. Man, we used to catch a lot of fish on those!” and folks continue to catch them to this day. The author: John D. Silva

In the sport fishing arena a handful of fishing lures reach what can only be described as legendary status for their ability to produce fish time and time again and also from coast to coast. The U20 Flatfish is one of those esteemed lures that everyone owns, uses and has faith in. While Flatfish are produced in 14 different sizes, the U20 is hands down the most popular size among river steelhead fishermen who covet this lure for it’s wide wobble, hunting action and sonic thump. What sets the U20 apart is the exceptional action it delivers at slow trolling speeds and more specifically when these lures are back-trolling in rivers. BACK-TROLLING WITH THE U20 Back-trolling in rivers with plugs is the practice of holding a boat steady in flowing water while allowing plugs like the U20 Flatfish to trail downstream of the boat. By holding the boat steady in the current and also by slowly allowing the boat to slip downstream the current brings these plugs to life and causes them to dive, wobble aggressively and also to hunt from side to side. Normally four plugging rods are fished out the back of a drift boat, jet sled or other fishing skiff and each rod is strategically positioned in a saddle style rod holder that evenly separates the rod tips and trailing lures. Baits like the Flatfish are normally fished 30 to 70 feet downstream of the boat and the boat is positioned upstream of runs, holes, river bends and other places that routinely hold steelhead. Savvy plug fishermen hold the boat steady in key places while the plugs work their magic fishing near bottom. After a spot is fished for awhile the boat is then rowed or an electric motor used to slide across the current and slightly downstream. Rowing or pulling the boat across the current, sweeps the lures into position and covers water efficiently. Once the boat passes through a stretch of water that is believed to hold fish, the boat is then either rowed or motored downstream to the next run and the whole process repeated. It’s important to note that when steelhead take other traditional lures and baits the strike is notoriously subtle and hard for some anglers to detect. The resulting strikes when a steelhead unloads on a plug are nothing short of savage. Often the rod is pinned to the water while the fish makes a screaming run complete with several jumps! Until the fish finally stops cartwheeling, it can be difficult to even get the rod from from it’s saddle style rod holder. Back-trolling is popular among river guides because this presentation puts several plugs in the water at one time and allows the guide to expertly position the boat and wobbling baits in key spots. When back-trolling the anglers are positioned near the back of the boat in comfortable swivel chairs as they wait for a rod to slam down. When a fish is hooked, the boat is quickly anchored while the fish is being fought. Anglers in the Great Lakes often use winch style electric anchors (www.anchorwizard.com) that allow the anchor to be deployed and raised in seconds. The ability to quickly anchor the boat makes it possible to pull fish off the top of a run without disturbing other fish further down the run. After a hooked fish is landed, the boat anchor is raised and the back-trolling process continues. COLORS MATTER As is often the case in steelhead fishing, certain plug colors produce better on bright days and others produce best on overcast, cloudy conditions or early and late in the day. For bright conditions a few of the best Flatfish colors include the Double Trouble, California Watermelon, Metallic Silver/Chartreuse and Metallic Silver Red Spot. Early and late in the day and on overcast days the Metallic Gold, Metallic Gold Red Tiger, Metallic Gold Green Pirate and Perch Tiger are routinely productive colors. FROG WATER Lots of different wobbling plugs are used for targeting steelhead in the late fall and throughout the winter months. The lower reaches of river systems where the current is sluggish typically hold the most fish during the cold winter months. It’s in these situations where the current is moving slowly that most plugs simply don’t have much action. The U20 Flatfish excels in sluggish water or what steelhead anglers refer to as “frog water”! The U20 can be fished much slower than other plugs, giving it a clear advantage late in the season when water temperatures are icy cold and steelhead are exceptionally lethargic. SCENT HELPS Most anglers who plug fish for winter steelhead are also big fans of “juicing” they favorite lures with fishing scents. Scent jelly and paste made from natural steelhead forage species like alewives, smelt, gizzard shad, herring and crayfish help to put fish at ease and creates an enticing scent stream in the water. It’s best to apply fishing scents directly to plugs every 20 to 30 minutes while fishing. At the end of the fishing day, use a little soap and water to clean up the plugs before storing them for the next fishing trip. Cleaning greasy fishing scents from lures helps to keep bait finishes in top shape and eliminates any rancid smells that can occur when fishing scents are exposed to the air and sunlight. SUMMING IT UP Targeting steelhead on rivers in the winter is popular up and down the west coast and also all across the Great Lakes region. At a time when most anglers have hung up their fishing gear for the season, steelhead fishermen are just hitting their stride. River steelhead and the heart pounding strikes produced by the U20 Flatfish make the winter months seem way too short.

By Buzz Ramsey When searching for salmon in rivers, realize they prefer to hold in deeper water than do steelhead. For example, while steelhead will often hold in water less than ten feet deep, salmon will seek out water ten feet deep and deeper, if available. It’s in the deep water holes, slots, and eddies where you will find the most chinook salmon. For boat anglers, chinook will respond to all popular fishing methods, including: back-bouncing bait, bobber fishing, diver and bait, or back-trolling plugs. The trick is to develop an understanding of the types of water each method produces best in. For example, back bouncing an egg cluster combined with a shrimp behind a big sinker might be the only method that works in a deep, roily, fast-water salmon hole where water can swirl backward. In a similar looking spot, but where the water is slow moving, it might be worthwhile to suspend your bait under a float rather than back bounce it down the middle of the hole. In areas where the current is straight running, you can use a buoyant diver or plug (like a 4.0 or larger size Mag Lip with its hooks removed) rather than a sinker to hold your egg cluster near bottom. Rigging involves attaching a 4-to-5 foot leader to the belly eyelet of your plug and back-trolling it just like you would a plug without a leader and baited hook extending from it. This “diver n’ bait” set up works best when applied in areas having straight-running-current that will keep your diver/plug near bottom. To keep your trailing bait from hanging bottom, many anglers will place a buoyant Spin N Glo on the leader just above their bait. To ensure a good spin, a small plastic bead is placed on the leader between your Spin N Glo and hook. When employing this method, it’s important to hold your boat steady in the current when getting bit and wait until your rod tip is down and throbbing before setting-the-hook. Back-trolling salmon size plugs is a proven method and one you should not overlook. Depth and water flow are the main factors in determining whether you fish your plug in combination with a sinker or just on a flat line (with no additional weight added). Salmon size FlatFish (meaning size M-2 and larger) are shallow to medium diving when trolled without the aid of a sinker. What FlatFish do better than other banana-shaped plugs is produce a wide wiggle (the widest wiggle of them all) when back-trolled in areas where the current is slow moving. Because of this they are often rigged in combination with a sinker and 40-to-60 inch leader. This setup works exceedingly well when fishing deep, slow moving holes where there isn’t enough straight-running-current to push a plug, even a deep diving one, near bottom. The method here is to bounce your weight and trailing plug out down current from your boat until your line is at a 45 degree angle and then hold your rod steady, with your sinker positioned a foot or so above bottom, while allowing your boat and trailing lure(s) to slowly slip downstream through water where salmon might hold. The amount of weight needed depends on river size, water depth and flow, but a selection of 2-to-10 ounce sinkers is what most anglers plodding large rivers take along. Plugs designed to dive deep, like Mag Lip, have eliminated the need for using a sinker when trolling or back-trolling areas where the river is straight running, yet offers enough current to take your extra-deep-diving plug near bottom. It’s easy, just tie your deep-diving salmon plug on the end of your line and let it out below your boat from 40-to-70 feet and maneuver your craft such that it will slowly slip downstream, meaning your lures will cover every inch of the downstream water. Adding a fillet of sardine to your salmon-size plug can increase the number of strikes and up your hook-to-land ratio. When fishing a plug having a fillet of sardine or other bait strapped to the center of its belly, it’s important to wait until the fish (when striking) has pulled your rod tip down at least three times before you set the hook. And, it’s a good idea to have your thumb firmly planted on the reel spool when you finally set-the-hook.

By: Mark Romanack To the avid stream steelhead fisherman the term “frog water” has a special meaning. Slow moving water is often called “frog water” and unfortunately slow moving water can be challenging to fish Traditional steelhead fishing tactics such as side drifting spawn or Spin-N-Glo rigs just do not work well in slow moving water. THE LEGENDARY FLATFISH However, one iconic steelhead lure thrives in slower moving water. The legendary U-20 Flatfish by Yakima Bait is one of the few plugs that delivers an aggressive wobbling action at slow trolling speeds and yes in “frog water” river fishing conditions. “Here in the Great Lakes many of our most popular steelhead streams flow through drowned river mouth lakes,” says Josh Crabtree a Michigan based angler and Yakima Bait Pro Staffer. “Drowned river mouth lakes provide steelhead the opportunity to come and go freely from the Great Lakes to the upstream limits of these rivers.” Plug fishing specialist Josh Crabtree of Michigan likes the iconic Flatfish for targeting steelhead in slow moving water. The upstream limits of these rivers feature fast moving water, strong currents and rock filled rapids that are perfect steelhead holding water. Further downstream however in these same rivers the current is sluggish and the best water for holding steelhead tends to be the deeper pools with back eddies, undercut banks and log jams. Anchoring a boat above these spots and dropping baits back to waiting fish is one of the most popular ways of fishing slow moving and also deeper water. Most wobbling plug are all but lifeless when drop back fishing in “frog water” conditions. “The U-20 Flatfish has been my “go to” plug for fishing in slow moving water for decades,” says Crabtree. “The wide wobble and hunting action of the Flatfish is legendary, making this plug the perfect choice for fishing from an anchored position in slow to moderate currents.” THE THREE WAY RIG To target steelhead in slow moving and deeper water, rig the Flatfish on a three way swivel equipped with a 24 inch dropper line to a weight and a 50 to 60 inch leader of fluorocarbon line to the plug. A main line of 10 to 15 pound test monofilament works well. The fluorocarbon leader and dropper line should be one or two sizes smaller than the main line. When anchored and drop back fishing most anglers in the Great Lakes state prefer to fish a pair of lines positioned in rod holders off each side of the boat. On two of these lines position the rod so it is parallel with the hull and about half way between the corner of the boat and the outboard. These lines are effectively running straight out the back of the boat. On the other two lines position the rods in holders so they are perpendicular to the hull. This simple four rod spread spaces out the plugs, presents lures to more water and helps avoid tangles. Often it is necessary to move the boat and anchor several times to effectively fish a location. The iconic Flatfish is one of the best plugs for targeting steelhead in sluggish or what anglers call “frog water”. This Metallic Silver Clown is one of the most popular colors among avid river steelhead anglers. Photo: Buzz Ramsey EXPERIMENT WITH COLOR The ability to fish multiple plugs allows anglers the unique opportunity to experiment with lure color options. Some of the most popular Great Lakes steelhead colors in the U-20 Flatfish include the Metallic Silver Clown, NFL, Metallic Gold Green Pirate, Metallic Gold Red Tiger, Double Trouble and Metallic Gold. On the west coast where rivers tend to have a little more color to them, good steelhead colors include the Double Trouble Chartreuse Orange, FireTiger and Perch Tiger. ESTABLISH A SCENT STREAM The final piece of the puzzle is creating a natural scent stream in the water. Some anglers tip the Flatfish by using a maggot or small piece of a nightcrawler on the back hook. Others prefer to use a sticky gel based scent such as Pro-Cure Super Gel to create an attractive and long lasting scent stream. SUMMING IT UP The U-20 Flatfish is a dynamic plug with an aggressive side to side wobble and hunting action. On the west coast and also in the Great Lakes states, the U-20 Flatfish has for decades been the lure of choice for targeting steelhead in the frog water. Even better you’ll find these lures at literally every tackle shop coast to coast.

Ingredients Salmon filet (preferably chinook, coho or sockeye) Half cube of butter One whole lemon Seasoning salt (Johnny’s, Mrs. Dash etc.) Wash the salmon filet in cold water and let dry. Put the half cube of butter in a dish. Squeeze the lemon juices in with the butter. Place the dish in the microwave and heat for 30-45 seconds, until the butter melts. Shake a couple table spoons of the seasoning salt into the mix and stir well. Place the fillet on a grill, heated to medium high heat, and then baste the fillet with the butter/lemon mix. Do that again after a few minutes. Cook for 10 minutes and then turn the fillet over. NOW HERE IS THE TRICKY PART. You want to turn the fillet over but leave the skin on the grill as it acts as a shield between any flames and meat, and helps hold the juices and butter with the fish. To turn the fillet, slide your spatula gradually between the skin and meat. It should slide easily. Once you have the meat separated from the skin, just flip it over and place it right back down on the skin. (If it there is a lot of the brown fatty tissue along the center line, you will see it now. I like to scrape it off because I don’t like the flavor. Some people do but now is the time to remove it if there is any there.) Baste again and let cook until done. That could be another 5-10 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillet. Do not overcook. No one except my mother likes dried out fish. No mayonnaise, no aluminum foil, no brown sugar, no soy sauce. Just three simple ingredients. If you have a good spring chinook, coho or sockeye fillet this will beat any fancy seafood restaurant all to pieces. Serve with potato salad, fresh corn on the cob, maybe a Caesar salad, some fruit and your favorite glass of wine. It’s the perfect summer grilling meal…any time of the year!

The salinity of Pyramid Lake (approximately 1/6th that of sea water) is what Lahontan Cutthroat Trout evolved to thrive in and the water that can produce trophy-size fish exceeding 20 pounds. It’s the size and number of fish produced by one of the west’s largest lakes that draws anglers from across the nation to the deserts of Nevada. According to pro angler Denis Isbister of Wild Fish Wild Places TV fame, a regular at Pyramid Lake, what’s producing fish this season is a little different than in years past due to the record snow pack and turbid water entering the lake via the Truckee River. “Not only has the lake level risen 10 feet, with more water on the way, but the clarity has shrunk from the lake’s normal 16-to-18 foot of visibility to 3 or 4 feet. The more turbid water has caused us to change things up a bit when trolling. To help draw fish into our gear we’ve added lake trolls inline ahead of our plugs and switched from the normal frog and pearl FlatFish colors to chartreuse and fire tiger paint patterns. Adding the flash and vibration of a Rooster Troll 48 inches ahead of more visible plug colors is what turned slow fishing into hot fishing for us on recent trips,” Denis said. Based on my interview with Denis, where most of the spring trolling action occurs this time of year is along the north side of the lake. “These post-spawn fish have now moved away from the shoreline and are foraging near or above submerged rock ledges in water depths ranging from 8-to-40 foot of water. That is where we are finding the most consistent action. For example, during our latest adventure we found fish 12 feet from the surface over 35 foot of water. We just troll parallel to the shoreline trying to jig-zag over the underwater ledge structure while keeping our troll speed at a 1.5 mile an hour,” Denis shared. And while the above troll strategy is what’s now working for anglers like Isbister what produces best will likely change as the water temperature climbs to 67 degrees and above. As the waters warm the fish show a preference toward lures trolled at faster speeds of 2.5 to 2.8 MPH, which is when Denis will switch from plugs like the U-20 FlatFish (standard and jointed models) that produce fast action at slow troll speed to those like Mag Lip capable of handling more throttle. Given the largest snow pack in 100 years melting into the lake it’s hard to say when the water will warm, but Denis believes the more aggressive trolling approach will begin to happen before the lake closes to sport fishing at the end of June. And while the sport angling will be off limits during the heat of summer, the fast fish-catching-action will resume with the fall opener scheduled to begin on Pyramid Lake the first day of October.

Yakima Bait Pro-Staffer Randy Wells, his son DJ and Capt. Kyle Miller of Fish Seward Alaska Inc. just returned from four days fishing the Situk out of Yakutat Alaska. Randy says the water was low and clear and the weather was nothing short of wet, windy, and cold. Randy took a plug box full of MagLip 2.5, 3.0 and 3.5's; He says the plug bite was on fire and they landed over 30 steelhead that were over 30in and two over 40in. Randy says that the water was only 4ft most of the time and clear. He was sending the plugs out 60-80ft and just crushed the fish. The darker plugs worked best and the take downs in that low water was beyond exciting. Randy stated that the Situk is a "do it yourself" type of river with plenty of bank access. However, he rented a drift boat from Glacier Bear Lodge and recommended doing that for the best results . Most anglers were fishing beads and jigs with a few fish a day, but with plugs Randy had double digits almost everyday. Fish Seward Alaska Inc. www.fishsewardalaska.com Seward Vacation Rentals www.sewardvacationrentals.com Alaska Shuttle Service www.alaskashuttleservice.com Oregon Fishing Adventure www.oregonfishingadventure.com Lunker Junkies TV

"Still-Fishing" (also known as dead-sticking or plunking) dough bait for trout is a popular and productive method for catching trout from lakes, reservoirs and rivers – especially those stocked by states having hatchery trout programs. And although this technique can be used from a boat, its popularity by those fishing from shore cannot be overstated. It’s during this month when anglers hit mostly close-to-home lakes in search of fat trout. Catching trout requires a little know how with quick limits likely for those having an understanding of their chosen fishing method – in this case the still-fishing of PowerBait. It’s so Easy: Cast out, allow your outfit to sink to the bottom, wait for a bite, and set-the-hook when your rod tip dips toward the water. It’s important to leave some slack in your line, so trout can swim off with your bait and swallow it without feeling line resistance before you yank back on your rod tip to set the hook. Important! When using PowerBait you can greatly increase your success by using the right amount of dough trout bait in combination with a Lil’ Corky single-egg-imitation such that your bait will float above bottom so cruising trout can quickly see/find it. This is fundamental to success and often results in quick limits! The buoyancy of your Lil Corky single-egg-imitation will take the guess work out of how much dough bait is the right amount to float your bait. When rigging a Lil’ Corky/PowerBait combination, use a ball of PowerBait slightly larger than your Lil’ Corky. We can tell you, based on extensive testing and observation of underwater video footage, that you will catch far more fish if your Lil’ Corky and PowerBait combination floats side-by-side in the water column. Selecting the Right Leader Length: Leader length is important because, after all, you want your bait floating at the depth the fish are cruising, which might be close to the bottom during times when the water is clear and sun bright, higher in the water column during the spring - when water temperatures begin to warm - early and/or late in the day, or on overcast days. And while the average leader length should be 18-to-24 inches, a leader long enough to extend above bottom-growing vegetation might be the ticket to success when trout are swimming just above the weed tops. Rigging is Easy: Simply thread your main line (extending from your rod tip) through the hole in your oval egg sinker, add a small plastic bead, and tie your line end to a size ten (10) barrel swivel. Then attach your leader (18-to-24 inches), complete with Lil’ Corky threaded on leader above hook, to the free end of your swivel end, then mold a ball of PowerBait around your hook. Note: A size 12 treble hook should be used in combination with a size 12 Lil Corky, and size 14 treble with size 14 Lil Corky bait floater. Terminal Tackle You Will Need: 1) Selection of size 12 and 14 Lil’ Corky floating egg imitation/bait-floaters; the most popular colors being pink pearl, red, orange, pink, sherbet, clown, and (for night fishing - where legal) luminous flame. 2) Selection of size 12 and 14 treble hooks. 3) Selection of ¼, 3/8 and 1/2 ounce “Oval Egg” free-sliding sinkers. 4) Size 10 barrel swivels. 5) Size 4 and/or 6mm plastic beads 6) Spool of four (4) or six (6) pound test monofilament or fluorocarbon leader material. Fluorocarbon leader material is less visible to fish. Prepared Bait The most popular and productive dough Trout Bait is Berkley PowerBait with the garlic flavors being top producers. The most popular dough bait colors include Rainbow, Sherbet, Chartreuse, Peach, and Flame Orange.

Many spinners like this classic Rooster Tail feature pulsating hackles as added attraction. Before storing these lures it’s a good idea to hang up the spinner until the hackle is completely dry. This simple step insures the hooks won’t rust and the bait will be water ready the next time on the water. When it comes to producing in-line spinners that catch fish, the Yakima Bait Company leads the charge. The iconic Rooster Tail line of spinners catches just about everything that swims. For generations of anglers the Rooster Tail is as much standard equipment as a fishing pole and fishing line. Rooster Tail spinners spinners work great right out of the package, but there are some refinements anglers can embrace that make these baits even more deadly. ELIMINATING LINE TWIST Because spinners feature blades that are constantly rotating, line twist can become a problem when casting and trolling spinners. Most anglers attack this problem by adding a ball bearing swivel to the end of their line and attaching the swivel to the spinner. An even better option is to add a small barrel swivel in-line about 18 inches in front of the spinner. Start by tying the barrel swivel to the main line using a Palomar knot. Then cut a 24 inch leader of fluorocarbon line and attach the leader to the barrel swivel and also to the spinner. The finished rig yields a leader about 18 inches long that is invisible to fish. Eliminating hardware right at the spinner and adding an in-line swivel helps these lures perform at their best and virtually eliminates line twist issues. ADDING A SCENT STREAM Adding natural scent is another way to enhance in-line spinners. Anyone who has fished a spinner has undoubtedly witnessed as a fish follows the spinner, but doesn’t strike. Creating a scent trail in the water is a simple way of converting those “follows” into “strikes”. Because lots of spinners are dressed with hackle avoid gel based scent products that tend to matt the feathers and reduce the natural pulsating action. A better option is to use water soluble fish oils like those produced by Pro Cure. Dipping spinners in water soluble fish oil sets up a natural scent stream in the water and allows the hackle to pulsate naturally. Because these products are water soluble, it’s necessary to re-apply these fish oils every 15 to 30 minutes. Buzz Ramsey caught this beautiful brook trout by adding a small chunk of a Power Bait Worm to the treble hook of a Rooster Tail spinner. This simple trick creates a “scent trail” in the water that helps turn those follows into savage strikes. Legendary angler Buzz Ramsey takes a different approach to scent fishing when using spinners. “I like to pinch off a small piece of a Berkley Power Worm and pierce that chunk of worm with one of the treble hooks,” explains Ramsey. “The tiny piece of Power Worm doesn’t hamper the spinner action, but does a great job of creating a scent trail in the water.” HOOKING OPTIONS Most spinners are factory equipped with a treble hook. Yakima offers most of their spinners with either a treble hook or a single hook option. Using a single hook is a good idea when practicing catch and release. Also many fisheries mandate using single hooks to reduce hooking mortality. Pinching down the hook barbs using a pair of pliers is an easy step that dramatically reduces the amount of time required to handle and release fish. Bryan Darland the store manager at Jay’s Sporting Goods in Clare, Michigan is a big fan of Rooster Tail spinners. This amazing brook trout was caught on a Rooster Tail and released on Lake Nipigon in Northwestern Ontario for others to enjoy. DRY BEFORE STORING Spinners that feature hackle dressings should be hung and allowed to dry completely before storing them in tackle boxes. This simple step only takes a few minutes and insures the hooks will not rust and the baits will be water ready the next time they are needed.

Spinners are a category of lures that covers a lot of ground. If you’re a bass fisherman the word “spinner” usually refers to a spinnerbait. The walleye enthusiast’s idea of a “spinner” is actually a nightcrawler harness. Talk to a musky guy about “spinners” and he’s going to be thinking bucktails! Among trout fishermen the term “spinner” focuses squarely on in-line spinners like the famous Rooster Tail from Yakima. These weighted spinners are designed for casting and nationwide they produce more trout than just about every other lure group combined! No one denies that in-line spinners are deadly when casted for all species of trout and salmon. But wait a minute.... What about trolling spinners for trout and salmon? TROLLING WITH SPINNERS If in-line spinners work so well for casting applications, it stands to reason they would also be good trolling lures. The truth is in-line spinners are good trolling lures, but not one fisherman in 50 has even thought of giving these baits a try in their trolling arsenal. Recently while fishing brown trout near Milwaukee, Wisconsin with legendary angler Buzz Ramsey we were enjoying exceptional action trolling the Yakima Mag Lip crankbait in combination with planer boards. Mag Lip is a deep diving bait and it works wonders for targeting trout and salmon suspended well below the surface. GOOD SPINNER TROLLING RIGS While trolling I notice Buzz was busy rigging up another line. Those who haven’t had the pleasure of fishing with Buzz Ramsey need to understand that part of what makes Buzz such a great angler is he is always changing things up. Never satisfied, Buzz is working the gear from daylight till dark. Buzz rigged up a simple three way swivel set up with a 12 inch dropper line to a two ounce sinker and a five foot leader terminated with a small round nosed snap. About 12 inches up the leader Buzz also tied in a small ball bearing swivel. After completing the rig, Buzz looked at me and asked, “got any Rooster Tail Spinners?” Normally I don’t carry my supply of in-line spinners when trolling, but on this particular day I did have a small box on board with a handful of Rooster Tails I normally use to cast for trout. Buzz picked out a 1/4 ounce version with a brown body and gold hammered blade. He attached the Rooster Tail to the round nosed snap on his three way rig, lowered it to the bottom and placed the rod in a saddle rod holder near the back of the boat. Before Buzz could even explain his logic, the rod bucked, doubled over and moments later Buzz stood holding a beautiful brown trout smiling from ear to ear. It was one of those “I told you so” moments but in this case the bait hadn’t been fishing long enough for Buzz to even explain his methodology. The long story shortened for the purposes of this blog, that single three-way rig with a small brown Rooster Tail ended up catching several more browns before the day was over. The experience opened my eyes and made it abundantly clear that spinners can be trolled in the right situations. KEY POINTS TO CONSIDER Trolling in-line spinners is a good presentation especially when trolling slowly for early season fish. It’s also a good idea to add a ball bearing swivel into the leader to eliminate line twist issues. Because the in-line spinners sink on it’s own, smaller 1/8, 1/4 and 3/8 ounce sizes are ideal for trolling applications. Three way rigs like the one described in this blog are best fished as flat lines straight out the back of the boat. One of these three-way rigs on either side of the boat can and often does produce bonus fish trolling with traditional lures and planer boards would not have yielded. Because spinners have their own natural flash and vibration, they work well in combination with attractors like the popular Big Al Fish Flash. When using a flasher in front of a spinner a six to seven foot leader is best in clear water. For murky water conditions the flasher can be rigged four or five feet ahead of the spinner. THAT BAG OF TRICKS Trolling with in-line spinners is another presentation to keep in your fishing “bag of tricks”. Not many anglers have tried it, but trolling with Rooster Tails has me convinced.