Centerpin - Flies vs. Bait

[casts_by_fly]

camper,

I use both. If I'm fishing for steelhead (when I used to be closer to the water) I'd fish flies mostly because it was easier. I would carry single eggs and sometimes a few sacs. Rarely had skein because in the PA tribs, you almost never need it. If I'm fishing trout in the inland streams I'm throwing some flies and some bait in about a 50/50 mix. I always have both though.

If you go north of the border, most of the CP guys are bait guys, though some throw jigs.

Thanks,
Casts

[Cornbread]

I have thrown it all. Alot depends on what the water looks like, low and clear I like little nymphs and single egg patterns. A little high and off color I'll throw sacks or skien, depends alot on where I'm fishing and how much pressure the fish see.
CB

[Jester]

That's the beauty of the whole Centerpin thing, you can use whatever the water conditions call for.........YOU DON'T limit yourself to just BAIT or just FLIES. Outside of providing the most natural presentation, and being able to cover the most water in an effective manner (without encroaching or crowding others out). I think it's the most challenging (because of the freespooling, and palming) battle that you'll ever have. Granted, the battle of a large steelie on a light weight tippit is almost as exciting - OK, more nerve wracking - "WHAT WAS I THINKING WHEN I TIED THAT LIGHT TIPPET ON?????"

Jester's OUT!!!

[Bow Buster]

I thought this was going to be another fly vs bait debate. Over the past few seasons I've been using less and less bait. If I keep it up soon I won't have to keep anymore hens.

BB

[Leroy]

As previously stated....What you float with your pin is completely up to you. I find myself using less and less bait/spawn and drifting plastics and other aritficial presentations. There should of never been a debate of fly Vs. bait, as on the WI reports page. I often forget that some people are in a world of their own. How can one fellow steelheader label another for choosing to fish his/her own legal way? Anyway, good luck and bring on the summer run!!
Leroy

[Steelhuntr]

Speaking of plastics, what about the deadly pink worm i keep hearing about? I have never seen anyone where i'm at use them. I know they're used somewhat in Canada. If steel eats it there, i don't see why they wouldn't a little further south. I bought a bag, but haven't got the worm threader i believe i need to make the appropriate rig.

[The Pool Hog]

I pretty well use either shiners or sacs. I rarely use jigs and sometimes I'll use flies such as sucker spawn or nymph patterns. I've used those rubber worms and never caught anything.

I just find natural bait more effective.

[Cornbread]

I like flies and I do fish them on my pin, but nothing beats a big glob of skien when it comes to catching fish. Eggs and shiners have their place but I have to say that skien will out fish any of the above in clear water or muddy, don't matter.
CB

[TheSteelheadBum]

I use a lot of bait but when the water is on the clear side this winter/spring nothing did better than First Bite Jigs for me "or anyone else around me". Give the Mini Micro Hackle line of jigs a try with Pink being my first choice for Fall/Winter/Spring and Black for Summer. Sometimes I tip them with spawn, waxie, or shrimp but sometimes they work better without. Bottom line a pin makes a lot of baits more effective than you could ever imagine due to the fact of the flawless presentation you can give using them. You can also swing streamers under a float with a pin very effectively. My opinion of a Pin is in most cases it will outfish most other styles of fishing and is a much more challenging/fun way to fight a Steelhead "or King off the pier if you get brave ".....

[Metalslayer]

I can attest that the pink worm does work--at least on the Salmon River.Most guys are hooking them in the middle,but I go in the top like a Texas Rig worm for bass--just don't stick the hook back in the worm.A thin octupus Gammy does the trick for me(size 10).

[Ditchrat]

In scanning the site, it appears that most centerpinners are bait guys. Is this a fair assumption? Any one use flies for centerpinning? Hopefully over the course of the late spring and summer, I will eventually have all my centerpin questions answered.

I dont think so. Alot of us use rubber worms/egg and more and more I us jigs and streamers

[Ditchrat]

Hopefully everyone understood the gist of my thread - I have always been a fly guy but decided to invest in a moderately priced centerpin outfit. My main concern was still being able to use flies under the float. Thanks for all the insight.

Well maybe this will help. Even though most of the people I know trot bait/lures on their centerpins, you can rigg your float set up using it like a indicator setup. Still use your flies and make the move into float fishing by using a skill you already have. After you get some confidence you can start to add new metheods into your float fishing game.