This is an educational article written by Pacific Angler staff, Dimitri Roussanidis, on fishing roe bags for steelhead. You have been warned!
Roe bags “Steelhead Candy” always have a place in my vest. They are the best all around steelhead bait; durable, negatively buoyant, colourful, and they have scent. Yes, a roe bag is a very versatile bait.
In combination with wool, Jensen eggs, roe or spin’n glows, a roe bag will shine.
Depending on water conditions the size of the bag will vary. There are 4 main colours that I tend to tie my bags with. The most common for me is bright pink, followed by salmon/BC orange. These two colours work great in almost all conditions, and will get the job done 90% of the time. Occasionally to show the fish something different I will toss on a chartreuse bag. If the water is extremely clear a small 3 egg bag wrapped in white mesh is as stealthy as it gets.
Roe bags consist of water hardened single eggs taken from a mature fish. Whether they be chinook, chum, coho or the best…steelhead! The little things are what always seem to get the job done. For example, I’m a firm believer in tying my bags with a piece of prawn, or soaking them in Mike’s UV Glow Shrimp Oil. A water hardened egg doesn’t milk out much scent, so the added little bit of meat and oil help.
Once you have tied your roe bags, they must be kept REFRIGERATED and not stored in the FREEZER. If put in the freezer, ice crystals will form on the membranes of the eggs, causing minuscule punctures which will indefinitely ruin the eggs. Another thing to try and avoid, is allowing rain water to get on the bags, this will cause the eggs to go a cloudy white colour.
Water hardened roe
Mesh bag material…you also need some thread.
The finished product.
Check out the video below to see how I tie up my roe bags. That’s the basics to bags, get out and slip one on your hook.
Don’t be a stranger too…if you have any questions please do not hesitate to drop by the store or give our friendly staff a call at 604-872-2204.
All the best,
Dimitri
Remember, Pacific Angler has the best selection of fishing courses in British Columbia, ranging from “Float Fishing for Steelhead” to “Mastering Local Saltwater Salmon Fishing”.
We’ve also got the fishiest Facebook page on the net.