Bait fishing is best done in rivers where the fish are more likely to react to salmon roe. Since steelhead will be spawning in rivers, they're more likely to attack another species of egg. A fly rod and lure will work in shallow waters but will be suboptimal if you're fishing for steelhead in the colder months where the fish are more likely to be lower to the floor of the river or sea. A center pin rod and spinning rod will work in any environment. If you're using a spinning rod, it should be 812 feet (2.43.7m). If you're using a center pin rod, it should be 1213 feet (3.74.0m). Since fly fishing tends to send a line deeper into a body of water, choose to fly fish if you're looking for steelhead in deep lakes or rivers. Fly fishing is also a better idea if you're fishing for steelhead in colder water where the fish are likely to be closer to the bottom of the sea or river. Use a fly rod with a sink tip fly line to entice steelhead to bite. If you're using a fly rod, it should have a weight of 6-8. Steelhead are strong and will rip and turn when they attack bait. To keep your line from snapping, opt for a fishing line that can handle 810 pounds (3.64.5kg) of pressure. Use fluorocarbon lines. Monofilament or braid lines will work in a pinch, but they'll be prone to breaking if you hook a bigger fish. A side planer is a small rubber rudder that you attach near a bob or hook to redirect a line in moving water. They're typically used to keep multiple lines from twisting when you're trolling from the back of a boat. However, you can use a side planer to keep your line from travelling off of a seam when you find one in the river. To attach a side planer, thread it through your fishing line and tie it 1218 inches (3046cm) away from your lure or bait. Twist the rudder around the body of the planer so that it points at an angle away from your rod. Trolling refers to the practice of hanging multiple fishing rods off the back of a boat. If your line continues to drift away from a seam when you're using your side planer, adjust the rudder by twisting it in a different direction. It may take multiple adjustments before you can sit your line directly on top of a seam. A church stern planer is a simple planer that is used to keep a lure from sinking or floating while a boat moves. Use a church stern planer if you're fishing from a boat to keep the lure at eye-level with the steelhead and prevent your line from catching on seaweed or rocks. To attach a church stern planer, run your fishing line through the hoop at the top and tie it 1218 inches (3046cm) away from your lure or bait. Church stern planers are really simple to attach and don't require any adjustments. Simply run your fishing line through the loop on the planer before tying your lure. Steelhead are attracted to rapid movement, so use a high-action spoon, minnow, jig, or floater. Floaters are best if you're in a low river that isn't flowing particularly fast. Minnows are best in shallow lakes and streams. Spoons are solid for any situation, while jigs will catch a fish's attention in rough waters. Steelhead tend to be very territorial, and will try to eat salmon eggs if they come across them. To use real eggs, or roe, you'll have to either buy it cured or cure it yourself. To cure roe, you can sprinkle salt liberally on top of the roe and let it sit in an airtight bag overnight in your fringe. You can also use artificial eggs soaked in krill if you don't feel like handling the real thing or don't have any fresh roe around.
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One-sentence summary -- Go bait fishing with a spinning or center pin rod in rivers. Use a fly rod to catch steelhead in deeper or colder waters. Use an 810lb (3.64.5kg) main line to secure catches. Choose a side planer to cheat the current if you're bank fishing. Opt for a church stern planer if you need to keep a boat line from catching. Use a high-action lure to provoke the fish. Rely on fake or real salmon eggs as bait.

Fleshing the hide is the process of scraping off the flesh and fat, which prevents the hide from rotting. Place the hide on a fleshing beam (a beam designed to hold the hide in place as you work) or on a tarp on the ground. Use a fleshing blade to scrape off all visible traces of flesh and fat using quick, strong strokes. Flesh the hide immediately after cutting the hide from the animal's body. If you wait more than a few hours, the hide will begin to decompose, and it will fall apart during the tanning process. Be careful not to damage the hide as you scrape. Don't use a knife not intended to be used for fleshing, since it might puncture or scratch the hide. After fleshing, immediately lay the hide in the shade on a tarp and cover it with three to five pounds of salt. Make sure it is completely coated. Over the course of a couple of weeks, continue salting the hide until it has become crispy. If you see a pool of liquid emerge from an area of the hide, cover it with more salt. Tanning solution is made from a combination of household ingredients and chemicals you'll need to source elsewhere. Gather the following ingredients: 2 gallons (7.6L) water 1 1/2 gallons (7.6L) bran flake water (Make this by boiling 1 1/2 gallons of water and pouring it over a pound of bran flakes. Let the mixture sit for one hour, then strain and reserve the water.) 8 cups salt (not iodized) 1 1/4 cups battery acid 1 box baking soda 2 large trash cans 1 large stick, for stirring and moving hides Begin by soaking the hide in clean water until it is soft and pliable, so it will absorb the tanning chemicals more easily. When the hide is ready to tan, peel off its dried inner skin. Then take the following steps to tan the hide: Put the salt in a trash can and pour 2 gallons (7.6L) of boiling water inside. Add the bran flake water and stir until the salt has completely dissolved. Add the battery acid. Make sure you wear gloves and take other precautions to prevent getting burned. Put the hide in the trash can, punching it down with the stick to make sure it is completely covered in liquid. Let it soak for 40 minutes. Fill the second trash can with clean water while the hide is soaking in the tanning solution. After 40 minutes have passed, use the stick to move the hide from the tanning solution to the clean water. Swish it around to wash off the solution. When the water looks dirty, pour it out, refill it with clean water, and wash the hide for another 5 minutes. If you plan to use the hide to make clothing, add a box of baking soda to the rinse to neutralize the remaining acid. This will prevent the acid from harming people's skin. If you don't plan to use the hide to make clothing, you can forgo the box of baking soda, since in neutralizing the acid it lessens the acid's effectiveness in preserving the hide. Remove the hide from the rinse and hang over a beam to drain. Swab it with neat foot oil to condition the skin. Hang the hide on a stretcher or hide dryer to finish the process. Place it in a place out of the sun to dry. After a few days the hide should feel dry and flexible. Take it down from the rack and go over the skin side with a wire brush until it has a suede-like appearance. Let the hide finish drying until it is fully dry, which should take a few more days.
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One-sentence summary --
Flesh the hide. Salt the hide. Gather tanning equipment. Tan the hide. Wash the hide. Drain and oil the hide. Stretch the hide.