Snagly,

Humpy's got it right about the hooks. Beau Macs, and some of the other brands that are tied specifically for steelheading have beefy hooks, but many of the packaged jigs have fine-wire hooks that can be straightened out on a fish, especially if you're bank fishing. The heavier Mustad and Gammy jig hooks are definitely stronger. The key with the hooks is to keep them tacky sharp at all times so that the current pulling on the bobber is enough to get that hook stuck in the top of the snout while you deal with the slack that may be in your line.

As for the floats, if you're into lighter rigs, try the Thill floats from Lindy Little Joe. They'll stand up with just the weight of the jig, for making subtle presentations. They're pricey floats, but work well especially for "boondogging" jigs from a boat, since the silicone sleeves they come with allow quick adjustments to the depth of the jig.

I'm still for a long rod. I usually use a 10 footer, which is probably more than you need from a boat, but you really miss any length you give up when you're on the bank. Keeping your line off the water is the key to avoiding the slack you mentioned that occurs in your line. It's much easier to "mend" your line and keep it off the water with the longer rod.

As for the hassles you had with a spinning reel, I'm not sure waht to say. I think you'll find that it will become easier with experience using them with floats. There are times when you'll have LOTS of slack in the line to keep it from dragging your flaot downstream. If the float goes down at that time, if your hooks are as sharp as they should be, you should still have time to reel up the slack and get a good hook-set. Keep in mind that as soon as you start reeling up the slack, the current on the bobber is going to pull on the jig and give you a chance to get that slack up before the fish spits it. The key is to get that quick snap of the rod when you get all the slack out of the line, don't just start playing the fish without setting the hook.

You might think about trying a floating braided line with your spinning reel. This means your line won't sink and start dragging your bobber downstream, since your line will flaot and move downstream at the same speed as your float. I have floating line on one of my float rods and I like the way it works, but haven't used it long enough to give you an honest evaluation.

I'm with you. A dunking float is as good as a fish chewing a bait, just different. I still get a Woodrow from either one, but I'm learning to like float/jig fishing more and more. Glad your early experience was productive and it sounds like you're on your way to becoming an accomplished jig fisherman. Just a little fine-tuning on that spinning reel technique, maybe, but I'm sure you'll get used to it.


Fish on..........