I have the pink and chartreuse blue fox in size #4 But never caught a steelhead on them Not sure if they are the right colors, although the slivers love them. I also put a drop of smelly jelly Craw/Anise on the hook.Has anyone caught a steelhead on the pink or chartreuse #4 blue fox? Or should I not waste my thime with those colors, and stick to the Slivers with those colors.Thanks in advance....Ross

Those will work fine for steelhead.

The big trick with spinner fishing for winter runs is getting a good presentation. Many people who fish spinners a lot in the winter consider #4 Vibraxes to be somewhat under-weighted. In slow holes they will get down, but in many spots a heavier lure is needed to get down to where the fish are at quickly or at all. You might try a heavier spinner, I'm sure the colors aren't a problem- you are talking silver plated ones, right?

Yes, sliver blades and Pink, and Chartreuse bodys.

The only way that I've had success with Vibrax spinners in the winter is by throwing them upstream and reeling them back down. When a fish climbs on there's no doubt about what happened.

I have used a split shot or two 12" above the spinner with success. Makes all the difference with fall coho.

Wolverine,
Have you ever tried Blue Fox Spinners in the salt for steelhead?

I'm to the point where I might begin experimenting, as I have nothing to loose!

Jeff

Like the guys say, color is not the problem. They are a fine spinner and they work great in the right water. The reason they work so well for silvers is not because of brand but because of the water where they work best. In general, most winter steelhead are typically found in higher flows and/or faster runs than you're typically fishing for silvers. Try using them in lower flow conditions and/or for more aggressive natives later in the season.

Mooch hit it in my opinion.Take that info and couple it with wollverines and you have way favorite way to fish for me.

You having confidence in your lure color is also important.I have caught steelhead on just about every color/size combination there is.

I too agree with mooch and ltlCLEO that in fact the color does not matter as much as the presentation does. I don't fish these much in the winter until the nates come, but I have caught fish on them. The pink one,the blue one, and the pink silver plated with the blue dots on the blades in size #3 to #5 are the favs for myself, but size #6 also works fine with a little water even though some may say its to large and for most prsentations it is. I change my hooks to Siwash most of the time.

Jeff D -- I have tried them a couple of times in the salt for silvers at Ft Casey but got impatient and went back to float and herring. If the weathers decent this Saturday I may give it a try again.
The size 4 vibrax is my 2nd favorite spinner. The size 0 Mepps is my fav for anything that swims.
Like the guys said above. Pick your water carefully so the spinner can get into the fish's vision.

Thanks Wolverine, I may give it a try.

I talked to a guy at Bush Pt. that had started using a pink worm threaded on his line for Steelhead. He wasn't encouraged by it's results though.

fish hawg check out the dec-jan issue of STS. They have several tips for throwing spinners in the Editorial and How-tips sections of the issue.
I'm working on getting my first steelhead on a spinner also. Most people recommend blue or or green bodied with crome or black blade depending on the conditions. I think its black for bright days and clear water, while crome is best for overcast or low water viz conditions. Again, I havnt caught 1 yet so i could be wrong.

waterboy

I've caught many steelhead on blue fox spinners and have found that no. 5 sees the best results. I have always hooked them in the tailout where they are always more aggressive.

I too agree that presentation is the key. I have caught them on the green ones and the pink ones with silver blades sizes 4 and 5. I fish them with almost as much lead as I do when using a corkie and yarn. I switch the hook to the seawash for less snags and fish as close to the bottom as I can get bouncing over rocks most of the time. I too seem to catch them in the tail out when the spinner just starts to make that sweeping arc back toward my side of the river. SRC's seem to love this arc as well. Hope this helps.