Fishing Forum

I was recently thinking about using a 3-way swivel to anchor a floating rapala in the middle of a steelhead hole. If I were to use a one half ounce weight with 10 inch leader and then attach a floater to maybe 20inches of leader, do you think this would give a good presentation for steelhead? trout? Maybe even use lighter weights to bounce a rapala a few inches from bottom through a hole?
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I am assuming you are talking about bank fishing? Have you thought about using a Sidewinder, so you can work a larger area of the hole? I have two sidewinders that I use at Kootenay Lake, and they work great. I have seen lots of people using them on the upper reaches of the Clearwater. A dentist from Grangeville invented a similar side planer and used it in the Salmon R. near Whitebird, and he would consistently hammer 'em when others were doing poorly. Just a thought. Mike
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it would tangle on the cast to much they make a set up that you put on your line that hooks to your rod so you can cast your weight out then hook you lure and leader to it and let it slide down your main line down to the weight. i just cant remember what the contraption is called.
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I tried doing a similar setup using big bait fish type flys to roll them through deep holes. Did it for about an hour the other day it it seems like it would tangle but it actually untangles itself after its in the water as long as you use a decent sized tri swivel.
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I looked up the sidewinder lures but not exactly sure what your talking about. Can you show a picture?
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There are several companies that make planer boards you can use from shore. Some of the smaller ones can be cast out into the current and allow your bait or lures to be fished like you were out in a boat above the hole you are trying to fish.

The bigger boards require deeper water to float them out to the objective area. Deeper water at the bank because you have to start out with what ever set back from the boards you intend to use.

The boards float and simply have a front angle that pulls away from the rod position on the shoreline sending them out almost perpendicular to the bank fisherman.

Most of these units are inline (attached to your line) and require fighting the fish with what amounts to a huge bobber on your line. I do have a model that is attached to a separate braided line and has a release that allows the fish to pull free when it hits your lure or bait.

The advantage to the separate model is you can attach your line 20' from the lure, send the planer out into the current 20 feet and simply throw your lure down stream and it swings behind the planer board. These are much easier to launch then the inlines.
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Bronco,
Just google "sidewinder planer" and it will take you to their web site, and also some youtube videos. They use these almost exclusively in Canada when you need an on-line side planer. I have used them on Coeur d'Alene for chinook trolling, and on Kootenay Lake in BC. I love 'em; they work terrifically. I can't imagine why anyone would spend a ton of money for the mounted side planers when you can buy these for $12-15 bucks. At Kootenay, when there is a chop on the water, Sidewinders pulling streamers is a sure-fire way of finding the big 6-25 pound trout....and a fun way of fishing. When you see that side planer heading in the wrong direction--hang on!! Mike
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I'm not sure the sidewinder will get out far enough for bank fishing. The reason I own a mast on my boat with electric reels and planer boards is I can get out 100' away from the boat. I can attach 5 lines per side and when they hit they are free of encumbrance that comes with an inline planer. There are planers made for bank fishing that will allow about a 75 degree angle out and down to reach holes that you wouldn't other wise reach.
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Wow! This is all new to me! I will check it out! thanks! All of the guys around me combat fishing are gonna hate this idea! Maybe they will go away> It's a good way to block a hole! ... though I won't do that on purpose! haha
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Don is right in that the Sidewinder slides down the line when a fish is caught. I have had no problems with that at Kootenay and C d'A because the chinook and Gerrards are sizeable enough. It would be a problem with small fish. It does get out there, however. We fish them by putting the terminal gear out 200' from the side planer and then 100' out from the boat. The planers go out close to 50'. They really dig in. If I fished these waters regularly I would probably invest in some of the standard planers, but my 16' Hewescraft is crowded enough with downriggers, pole holders, etc. That, plus the cost, is why I went with SideWinders. Mike
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They look like a pretty cool little device. Interesting and not too expensive either.
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You make me very jealous Kodiak!

I wish I were fishing at Kootenay and C d'A!!! [fishin]
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Don,
So do I!! Just read Thursday's fishing report in the CDA paper, and they are averaging 6-9 chinook in a day's fishing. Not bad. They did mention that they are on the smaller size. Catching them about 90 feet down. You know, Kootenay isn't that far off. Only 2 1/2 hours from Spokane. You do need to spend several days up there, however, because the fish bite in streaks. You might fish 6 hours without a strike, and then pick up 2 to 4 rainbows in the 8 to 20- pound range. One day might be cold, and the next red hot. It is about the same as heading over to the coast fishing, and the trout average much larger than the average salmon! Mike
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Mike,
I've trolled CDA for Kings. I've fished for LLK's in California as well. I'm not really keen on them even though I helped sponsor the first west coast multi-lake series tourney for them based in Cal.

Now the Gerards are the fish dreams are made of! I think I wake up at night screaming their names and seeing clips letting lines off of the planer boards while Frisky Jenny flies dance in the corners of their mouths in my dreams!

I'd like to spend the next year chasing those rainbows rather than waking up in the middle of the night hearing the imaginary scream of a Shimano 400TE drag pealing off line!

Don
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Sorry for the hijack Bronco. I got carried away!
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