Fall Steelhead on Soft Eggs: How to Fish the 8mm Single Egg

When the leaves drop and the first good fall rains raise the rivers, steelhead and trout push in from the Great Lakes and start looking for eggs. It's one of the best times of year to be on a tributary, and you don't need a lot of gear. You need a natural drift, the right depth, and an egg that looks right to the fish.

That's where the Angler's Choice 8mm Single Egg comes in. They are a soft plastic egg with a natural finish that drifts with the current just like the real thing. It doesn't wash out or fall off the hook like spawn can, so you can fish it all day. At 40 eggs a pack, you won't be stingy with it either.

Where to Look

Fall fish move upstream in pulses, usually with rain and rising water, then settle into spots where they can rest out of the heaviest current. Focus on:

• Pools and deeper runs. Look for the slower, deeper water below riffles and rapids.
• Tailouts. This is where a pool shallows up before the next riffle. Fish often stack here, especially early and late in the day.
• Seams. These are the line where fast water meets slow. Fish hold just on the slow side and pick off whatever drifts past.
• Cover. Look for boulders, logs and undercut banks that break the current.

Good water after a rain is great, but as rivers drop and clear, fish get spookier. Lighten up, stay back from the water and keep your drifts long.

Float Fishing: The Go-To

A float rig is the easiest way to get a long, natural drift and see every bite.

1. Set your float so the egg rides just off the bottom. Start at about the depth of the run and adjust until you tick bottom now and then.
2. Spread your split shot down the line, with smaller shot closest to the hook, so the egg leads the drift instead of trailing behind.
3. Use a light fluorocarbon leader (4 to 8 lb, depending on water clarity and the size of the fish) to a small egg hook.
4. Mend your line so the float drifts at the speed of the current without being dragged sideways.

Any time the float dips, pauses or moves funny, set the hook. A lot of steelhead bites look like the float catching bottom.

Drop Shot: Deep, Slow Holes

When fish are sitting in a deep, slow pool where a float struggles to get down, try a drop shot. Tie a small hook a foot or two above a drop shot weight and nose-hook a single egg. Cast slightly upstream, let it settle, and let the current walk it slowly through the hole while you keep light contact. This is also a good option in cold water, when fish aren't moving far to eat.

Hook and Drift

In faster or broken water, drift the egg along the bottom without a float. Use just enough split shot to tick bottom every few seconds, keep your rod tip up and follow the line through the drift. When the ticking stops or the line hesitates, set the hook. Expect to lose some terminal tackle. That's part of fishing where the fish are.

Picking a Colour

The 8mm Single Egg comes in 11 colours. We think of them in three groups and change based on water clarity and light:

• Clear water and bright days. Go subtle. 138 Clear Chartreuse and 240 Wonderbread show up without being loud.
• Stained water. Go brighter. 140 Tangerine, 141 Hot Pink, 142 Cerise, 144 Ruby Red and 139 Solid Chartreuse give fish something to find.
• Dirty water and low light. Early mornings, late evenings and muddy water after a rain call for glow. Try 114 Glow, 143 Glow Blue or 170 Chartreuse Pearl Glow.

And don't overlook 038 Black. When fish have seen a lot of bright eggs, a dark profile is a different look.

If a run has fish but no bites, change colours before you change spots. Sometimes that's all it takes.

A Few More Tips

• Thread the egg on carefully so the hook point sits clean and the egg stays centred on the hook.
• Two is fine too. Fishing a pair of eggs on one hook gives a bigger profile in coloured water.
• Check your leader often. Rocks scuff fluorocarbon fast, and a frayed leader is how big fish get away.
• Know the rules. Seasons, sanctuaries and limits vary from river to river. Check the Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary for the water you're fishing before you go.
• Handle fish with care. Keep fish in the water as much as you can, wet your hands, and support them until they swim off on their own.

Gear Up for the Run

Fall steelhead fishing rewards anglers who put in the time and keep their drifts clean. Pack a few colours of 8mm Single Eggs, a box of small hooks and some split shot, and get out there while the run is on.

Got a fall steelhead on our eggs? Tag us or send us a photo. We'd love to see it.