# High Water Tactics



## Swampbuckster (Nov 28, 2010)

Took the advice and was able to land this buck today. Shallow undercut bank. The drift was literally a foot from the bank. Thanks.:coolgleam


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## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

METTLEFISH said:


> Here's my best option... Grace Rd. to River Rd.!...


i'm envious...i prefer the next section down though,lol.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## centerpin (Jun 13, 2009)

I like to use Large spoons, spinners and plugs. 24K gold finishes are awesome but plain black works just as well if not better, its the most visible when combined with a large profile lure such as a #5 spinner or 3/4oz spoon.

Large profile, sonic attraction, scent and visibility equals success.

Floats are great for the back eddies and plugs work great for putting a bait in a spot and holding it there. This helps the fish zero in on it as its not moving with the current as much.

Advantages and disadvantages to everything though....

So many tactics so little time.


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## Speyday (Oct 1, 2004)

Thats cool. And until you catch one in different water during high-levels........ its a big mental adjustment. but they really do push up to the edges. Great job.



Swampbuckster said:


> Took the advice and was able to land this buck today. Shallow undercut bank. The drift was literally a foot from the bank. Thanks.:coolgleam


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## tannhd (Dec 3, 2010)

I always hit smaller tribs when the big rivers are really high. I find a lot more success in these smaller streams, plus I am a wader and cant get out to my favorite holes without basically swimming there. Here are two I caught in a Grand River unmentionable trib this week while the Grand was above 10,000 cfs.


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## riverman (Jan 9, 2002)

A old rule of thumb for high water, primary runs become secondary runs, secondary runs become primary.


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## METTLEFISH (Jan 31, 2009)

That's my cold water rule as well...out of the main flow.


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## mechanical head (Jan 18, 2000)

Bag Trick&#8230;.High and Muddy water, even slightly stained to clear at times do not cut your excess netting! When you tie your bags, do not trim any excess net, you&#8217;ll tie faster and the excess netting gives the bag, a larger profile, more color, and some movement! Don&#8217;t matter 4,5,6,7 egg bags, go half trimmed and the other half untrimmed&#8230;see what works&#8230; White untrimmed bags in slightly stained water can be a crusher!


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## thousandcasts (Jan 22, 2002)

riverman said:


> A old rule of thumb for high water, primary runs become secondary runs, secondary runs become primary.




That's part of the fun of steelheading--every river has money spots, high water spots, low water spots, winter spots, spring spots and spots where you hit fish and then think "what the *&^% are they doing here?"


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## diztortion (Sep 6, 2009)

Mag tots...


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## Roger That (Nov 18, 2010)

Tater Tots.


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## Frogpoopin (Sep 6, 2006)

mechanical head said:


> Bag Trick.High and Muddy water, even slightly stained to clear at times do not cut your excess netting! When you tie your bags, do not trim any excess net, youll tie faster and the excess netting gives the bag, a larger profile, more color, and some movement! Dont matter 4,5,6,7 egg bags, go half trimmed and the other half untrimmedsee what works White untrimmed bags in slightly stained water can be a crusher!


..........and thats all im going to say bout that


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## METTLEFISH (Jan 31, 2009)

diztortion said:


> Mag tots...





Roger That said:


> Tater Tots.


All due respect Gents!... I'd opt for the couch before I'd run those &^#@#%$ things, new or old style...


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## diztortion (Sep 6, 2009)

METTLEFISH said:


> All due respect Gents!... I'd opt for the couch before I'd run those &^#@#%$ things, new or old style...


Ok.


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## Roger That (Nov 18, 2010)

METTLEFISH said:


> All due respect Gents!... I'd opt for the couch before I'd run those &^#@#%$ things, new or old style...


Why the tater tot hatred? High School lunch would have not been the same.


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## METTLEFISH (Jan 31, 2009)

I'd rather see you guys use a plug that has at least SOME amount of search pattern to it. They will catch fish for sure, however there are so many plugs made by makers that want you to catch fish, not just buy their lure. Those dern things just dig straight down and have virtually no search pattern at all even after modifications. Some of the newer plugs have an 8"-9" search to them left to right , that means they're covering about a foot and a half swath, not that that is a huge area, but the animation that ads really excites the fish.


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## diztortion (Sep 6, 2009)

METTLEFISH said:


> I'd rather see you guys use a plug that has at least SOME amount of search pattern to it. They will catch fish for sure, however there are so many plugs made by makers that want you to catch fish, not just buy their lure. Those dern things just dig straight down and have virtually no search pattern at all even after modifications. Some of the newer plugs have an 8"-9" search to them left to right , that means they're covering about a foot and a half swath, not that that is a huge area, but the animation that ads really excites the fish.


Ok. Name something that does that...

(Note: I don't want to spend $10/pop for a piece of plastic.)


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

METTLEFISH said:


> All due respect Gents!... I'd opt for the couch before I'd run those things, new or old style...


I had a couple days in late fall-early winter where a plug took steelhead that refused bags. I swung 1/4oz tot's on 10lb mono standing slightly above good holes.

In high water, plunking from the bank can catch a lot of steelhead. Put a fresh nickel-quarter sized bag or crawler behind a corky. Fish inside bends, and any soft eddies. Slow swinging spoons is also good in higher flows. Using heavier line and a faster rod, you can cover water and hang on to big fish in increased flow. This time of year, running hardware will often get you larger fish.

I fished a smaller river in elevated flows with the flyrod this afternoon. I went 1-2, landing a nice skam hen on a wiggler fly under a bobber. I also landed a 3-4lb LRB on a spawnbag.


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## riverbob (Jan 11, 2011)

diztortion said:


> Mag tots...


 my only fish today came on a big red one ( 18 " buck) about 4" of clarity, in the grand as of 5pm where i was fishing. ( think water will be much cleaner in the morning :idea: go


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## steely74 (Feb 9, 2010)

Good thread...

I run skein, glow _stuff, _bright jigs and steely's secret scented bags


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