Side-drifting is an effective technique for fishing for steelhead in rivers, and it is one of the best ways to cover large amounts of water from a boat. In fact, this natural rate of movement entices fish to bite a high percentage of the time compared to other techniques.
My fishing rod of choice is a super-high modulus graphite rod that is 9-feetlong and rated for 6 to 10-pound test lines and lures weighing one-quarter to one-half ounce, with a moderate action medium-light weight. You’ll pair the rod with the appropriate line and leader to meet the fishing conditions, then focus on the terminal gear. I’ve fished a wide array of side-drifting presentations, from double-hook bait setups topped with a drift-bobber to eggs on a small single hook. Single eggs work well, and beads, Lil’ Corkies, rubber egg clusters, and yarn balls and rags are all good side-drifting baits.
I try to avoid too much weight, which results in dragging, not allowing the bait to be channeled by natural currents into food funnels. A larger bait with no weight can even be effective in very calm conditions. Thread on a bait-floater, barely exposing the tip of the hook to keep the hook’s point aimed upward, decreasing the chance of it hanging up during a drift.
Have multiple rods rigged and ready to go, pre-cut baits, and pre-tied leaders if the terminal gear is lost while drifting through a section of prime water. Often, rivers are flowing too quickly to row back upstream to fish, and you don’t want to miss that prime holding water. All anglers in the boat should simultaneously cast slightly upstream of the boat, parallel. The oarsman or motor operator takes over from there, positioning and timing the vessel’s speed downstream to that of the lines on the surface and terminal gear.
Bites when side-drifting are often slow to develop, so avoid the tendency to immediately jerk every time you see or feel something so you don’t yank the terminal gear out of the strike zone. After you try side-drifting, you’ll know why it’s ranked as one of the most effective ways to catch winter steelhead.