Skip to main content

Steel Yourself: The Run's On

Steel Yourself: The Run's On

Steelhead Chronicles

My good friend Stan Blood e-mailed me today. He was on Michigan's Big Manistee River yesterday and popped  "nine incredibly bright silver steelhead."  (Lucky son of a...)

They're starting early, boys. All this rain in the north country has river levels up for a change. Silver bullets are making their way upstream already. Time to repair waders, put new line on the reels, sharpen some hooks, and paint some jigs. Being a float fisherman, I rely on premium hooks or small jigs a lot. Jigs keep plastics, wax worms, or spawn bags down in the flow. They work in all conditions, but especially when the water gets cold and steelhead stop moving to intercept baits.

The box shown here is a Plano model #3582. It's a fly box with a clear top that lets me glance inside without having to open it. That way I can see if the color I want is in there. Steelhead are the most color-conscious creatures I know of. Martha Stewart has nothing on these guys. Every jig in the box is custom made to my specs by TC Tackle (406/683-5485). I use 1/64- and 1/32-ounce ball-head versions with size #8 to size #6 hooks for the most part.

Every jig in the box is painted with nail polish. That's one thing I do to get ready this time of year — put nail polish on jigs. Easy stuff. Paint on a coat, let it dry, paint on a second coat, let it dry overnight, and put on a clear coat like Sally Hanson's Hard-As-Nails. Nowhere can you find more shades to color jigs with than in the nail-polish section of your local department store. Caution: You will never know when to quit trying new colors. Even skin tones with goofy names like Taupe Drawer can become the hottest colors in your box. Shades of mauve that steelhead cannot possibly find in nature will score double-digit catches when those primary colors you buy at the tackle shop are sucking tailpipes.


And have fun at the store, boys. (The help will be curious, believe me. Just have fun with it. If you're not married, it's better than a dating service. If you're married, enjoy the fact that a beautiful young woman wants to talk to you. If you're gay, you're probably more familiar with that isle than the help anyway.)

GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Recommended Articles

Recent Videos

Why Mark Courts LOVES the NEW Minn Kota QUEST Trolling Motors
Gear

Old Town Sportsman AutoPilot 120 UNBOXING

Why Mark Courts LOVES the NEW Minn Kota QUEST Trolling Motors
Learn

GENIUS Planer Board Modification Tip with Ross Robertson

Why Mark Courts LOVES the NEW Minn Kota QUEST Trolling Motors
Gear

In-Fisherman's Old Town Sportsman PDL 120 Walk-Through with Thomas Allen

Why Mark Courts LOVES the NEW Minn Kota QUEST Trolling Motors
Learn

Old Town Salty PDL 120 Kayak Walk-Through

Why Mark Courts LOVES the NEW Minn Kota QUEST Trolling Motors
Learn

NEW In-Fisherman TV River Jet Boat: Yamaha Powered SmokerCraft Pro Sportsman 1866

Why Mark Courts LOVES the NEW Minn Kota QUEST Trolling Motors
Learn

DECKED OUT 2023 Starcraft STX 2050: New In-Fisherman TV Boat

In-Fisherman Magazine Covers Print and Tablet Versions

GET THE MAGAZINE Subscribe & Save

Digital Now Included!

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Give a Gift   |   Subscriber Services

PREVIEW THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

Buy Digital Single Issues

Magazine App Logo

Don't miss an issue.
Buy single digital issue for your phone or tablet.

Buy Single Digital Issue on the In-Fisherman App

Other Magazines

See All Other Magazines

Special Interest Magazines

See All Special Interest Magazines

GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Get the top In-Fisherman stories delivered right to your inbox.

Phone Icon

Get Digital Access.

All In-Fisherman subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets.

To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine.

Get Digital Access

Not a Subscriber?
Subscribe Now

Enjoying What You're Reading?

Get a Full Year
of Guns & Ammo
& Digital Access.

Offer only for new subscribers.

Subscribe Now