Hate being called a lurker, so here goes.

I fish rivers off the Columbia River from The Wind River to Priest Rapids on the Washington and Oregon side. And, I do quite well. I've had days of 20 fish or more. Of course, I don't keep them. I don't even net them if I can help it. Sometimes I just use needle nose pliers to pull the hook, or I cut my leader. But that is not my point.

I've been accused of being a lurker, and I usually am so here goes. I use small red prawns below a bobber and I love it. Some trollers say its easy. I dissagree, it's only easy if you know how.

I read a post from an old timer that said to figure out the paticular river and you will have success. Know when, where, how deep and what time and you have 80% of the battle.

Also having the right bait is important. I use bait shrimp cured in pro glow, pro cure, distilled water or river water with bait brite or grape coolaid to darken the red color. I'm starting to believe that the darker the better. All these ingredients work. Putting them together takes acquired tricks. Use small bait shrimp(rolled up the size of a quarter if you can find them. I also apply shrimp oil liberally.

Depth is also different in all rivers, although 2 feet from the bottom works well.

I hear all sorts talk about their great eggs, and, in some circumstances they do work as well or better. But most days, where I fish, I do better than most.
I fished the other day and caught 14 fish in about 3 hours and they were biting anything red. I ran out of shrimp and used year-old eggs and did almost as well.

And yes, I do share information with someone that is nice and having a rough go of catching their first steelhead.

Well, there it is, I fish differently than most I've read on this board. I love bobber fishing; in still water or drifting, with a blood-knot slip bobber.

Does anyone use this technique on the East Side rivers?

Thanks for the tips. I'll be sure to try it. Lurkers rule!

tommo41, I think you ment dose anyone use this on the westside? Well I fish both on the east and the west sides of the hill,and died shrimp under a float is mostly a eastside thing.Used in the slower water, above the dams ,at Drano lake in the cove,and in the Johnday arm. On the westside it's jigs that most people fish under a float in the rivers,and in tidewater they fish eggs and some sandshrimp under floats. And thanks for the great post!

Tommo 41,

I also fish alot of shrimp and Bobber/Shrimp/Jig and Bobber but most of this fishing that I do is on he Big White Salmon, Drano, and Ice Harbor. Had many great days in July-September with small dyed coon shrimp colored dark red.

Sambo