Vacation/fishing trip equipment

[smokeetr17]

Hello Everyone, I am coming up from South Carolina to visit family in NE Ohio and I want to spend some time doing some steelheading. My question is about equipment. I have a St. Croix 8'6" Mh rod that I now use to catch Redfish down here and have 14# line on it. Can I leave the 14 on it and just tie a 6-8#leader on it? I vaguely remember using spoons on the conneaut breakwall but have never used actual bait or fished a river so this is going to be interesting. Any help would be great. Thanks again.

Jason.

[jimbobber]

Jason i would go to 8 lb test for the steelhead they will see the 14 lb and in the cold water it will be stiff. How are you planing on fishing, drifting spawn,dead sticking,throwing plugs,drifting bobber and jigs? any of these techniqes would be better with lighter line. jimmy

[fisf crazy]

jimbobber is right ive had to drop down to 6lb also if the water you are fishing is clear down size your offerrig also waxiworms or nightcrawlers have really producing most of my fish lately,keep switching it up til u find what they want and that changes from day to day like michigan weather good luck

[smokeetr17]

Thanks guys, I was really just thinking about dead sticking and floating some spawn sacs. Didn't even think about night crawlers. Thanks for the help. I'll switch out to 8# before coming up on Friday. Thanks again

[Nailer]

Welcome to the site, and good luck.

[SteelEyes]

Jason,

Give Snug Harbor Bait & Tackle (in Conneaut) a call, (440) 593-3755. They have a prerecorded fishing report they do daily, or you can talk to the guys and they can tell you what they are biting on in the river and on the breakwall.

[SeaCatMich]

I would hesitate to use 8# test line on a medium heavy rod. Most MH rods are also not going to be very sensitive for detecting hits if drifting bait. I would probably go with a float system to use the float as a strike indicator or purchase a $30 rod in a lighter action for the intended purpose.