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[Animal Chin]

So I've been going out quite regularly, and I'm pretty sure I'm covering lots of water. Maybe not the right water but I'll figure that one out. Just trying to narrow down the variables.

I've hooked into one with a jig, and tried a single mad river egg with wool for the first time yesterday, and managed to hook into one but lost it. However, I'm wondering if my there's a problem with my technique.

With jigs (weighted) I'm assuming one just short floats it, and lets it free spool (no hold back so feathers/fur pulsates).

What do you do with something like a jensen egg/wool, or worm, where there is no weight on the hook? Do you make the float to weight length much longer? Do you hold back?

I see dudes on the river all the time with like 3-4 ft float to weight and then a 1.5 ft leader when I'm pretty sure the river bottom is around 4-5 ft. Also they all look to be holding back their drifts. The float inches along and is parallel.. ish to the water vs straight up and down (especially in the slower moving water, like a seam).

I'm also assuming flow rate factors in. Let's say the water is fairly fast (flowing faster than walking speed), and the bottom is 3-4 ft, what would be your set-up and MO?

It isn't cheap getting out to the river, and I know it ain't called catching... but I'd just like to see my float dive a little more often before the season is over.

Thanks in advance.

[chris gadsden]

Check Rodney's videos on short floating.

[HOOK]

i do the holding back technique depending on what presentation im using.

hold back - blades, pink worms, any bait, etc....

drag free drift - wool, jigs, single eggs (real or synthetic scented), etc....

just my two cents worth. When im doing the hold back technique i like to set my float to the same depth as the river so that when i hold back im about 1-2feet off bottom.

[hue-nut]

there are a lotta ways to skin a cat. I personally like my float riding straight up and down but always get a feel for the depth of the run by seeing a few ticks from boulders. I do think that a lot of "short" floaters out there miss quite a few fish due to not being deep enough though. What I mean by this is the guys that cruise through an entire run at 12" deep without adjusting. Sure you will pick up the most aggressive fish that is willing to shoot outta their lie and hammer your offering but a lot of winter run fish are not going to do that, they can be quite lazy. 

I am not advocating dredging by any means.    Put it this way most runs I fish, my weight to float is between 8"-36", which is still considered quite short but relative to bottom depth and structure

[Geff_t]

I fiind if you over think things to much you are just going to miss the most important thing and that is to enjoy yourself. 
The best advice that was ever given to me was to keep it simple and dont over-think fishing.

[bigblue]

One thing I kind of keep in mind is the water temperature.
In cold January or February, slower and deeper presentation would likely increase your chance of a hit.
At this time, you will see some guys aggresively holding back and almost probing the water with their baits.
Whereas, when water temp starts to rise up in April, natural drifts would do just fine as fish are more active and willing to chase a bait.
Experiment and see what works best for you.

[ALBA CHIEFISH]

in terms of holding back, as far as i understand, the top of the river almost always flows faster than the bottom. so to drift something along the bottom you should hold back. In saying this i think my float dips less than yours so take what you like from this. 

[joshhowat]

Here is the big secrete to catching alot of steelhead. Fish a system for multipule seasons in a row. If your not knocking them dead after that then you have something to worry about.

Till then just have fun and watch your fellow good anglers. If your fishing the chedder there are alot of becks but also so real good ones. When I was in my teens I pretty much worshiped a few anglers I saw on the vedder all the time.

Josh