The basic concept of successful winter and spring steelhead fishing is simple: get your bait in front of as many fish as possible. The more steelhead you encounter, the better your chances. To that end, covering a lot of water in an efficient manner is the biggest key to success – and side drifting is one of the best ways to do just that.

Side drifting, in its most basic form, is easy. From a jet or drift boat, baits – usually roe, shrimp or nightcrawlers – are cast out with enough lead to get the offering down, but not anchored to, the bottom. As the boat drifts along with the current, so too does the lead –the sinkers tap-tap-tapping along the bottom the entire way and keeping the baits in the strike zone. Long stretches of holding water can be quickly and effectively covered this way, giving the side drifter a huge advantage over shore casters.

The term “side drifting” refers to many related but unique forms of fishing and is more of a family name than an actual technique. Within the side drifting family, there are three specific methods that we’ll cover here:

1. Freedrifting

2. Side Gliding

3. Boondogging

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Freedrifting

Freedrifting is mainly done from jet boats in which the lines are fished at a 30- to 45-degree angle upstream and away from the boat. It is well-suited for larger streams with smooth cobble beds, and because the sinkers constantly tap the bottom with this technique, baits can be fished at a controlled rate, which makes freedrifting a particularly attractive method in high, off-colored water. It will also produce in low and clear conditions, as long as there’s enough room to keep the boat off the fish.

Here’s how to do it. First of all, get the boat into a position that’s slightly off to the side of a likely-looking piece of steelhead holding water. In clear water, stay a good 50 to 70 feet off the spot, but in colored water it’s okay to get closer. The bow of the boat needs to be pointing upstream at this point and the boat should be holding against the current. 

Next, all anglers in the boat need to line up single file down the centerline and be ready to cast. When everybody’s ready, the driver backs off the throttle slightly and allows the boat to start slipping (stern first) downstream at about one-half of the current’s speed. With the boat moving slowly downriver, make casts that are at about a 45-degree angle upstream and away from the vessel.

Casting needs to be a synchronized affair in which the angler in the stern of the boat goes first and then is quickly followed, one by one, by each successive angler – the bow caster is always the last one in. To avoid crossed lines, everyone should try to duplicate the angle of the previous caster’s throw and each sinker needs to land upstream of the one before it. 

Ideally, all the lines will be evenly-spaced and parallel to one another as the drift begins. The boat’s pilot is now in control of the drift and subtle bumps of the throttle (both forward and reverse) will keep everything working properly. If the boat’s slipping too quickly downstream, the lines will start creeping back towards the boat and will eventually end up dragging directly upstream of the bow. Go too slowly and they will swing downriver of the boat’s position and out of the zone. Generally, the lines should angle slightly upstream of the boat.

With the lines in the water, the sinkers should be in regular contact with the bottom all the way through the drift. Under normal conditions, the right amount of weight will keep the sinkers on, but not pounding, the bottom. In stained or off-colored water, however, it’s a good idea to add extra weight to slow the presentation down so that the fish have a longer look at it. 

The hardest part of freedrifting for beginners is learning how to distinguish a bite from the tap of the bottom. No two bites are exactly alike, but generally speaking, when a steelhead stops the bait, the sinker will stop ticking the bottom and the rod tip will load up with a “squishy” feeling. Time to set the hook!

For freedrifting, most anglers prefer spinning gear. Nine and a half foot rods with soft tips rated for 4- to 8-pound test are ideal in most conditions. Spinning reels should feature quality drags and be able to hold 300 yards of 10- to 12-pound line. Rig up with a snap swivel attached to the main line and a piece of 3/16 pencil lead clipped to the snap. Run a 5- to 7-foot section of fluorocarbon leader off the other eye of the swivel and finish off the rig with either a No. 1 to 4 octopus hook (for roe and shrimp) or a No. 2 baitholder when using nightcrawlers. 

Side Gliding

On super snaggy streams that are too small and rocky for jet boats, side gliding from a drifter is a great way to go. Side gliding allows baits to be presented to steelhead quickly and naturally with minimal bottom contact by keeping the lines slightly downstream of the boat. Because the baits move so quickly down river, gliding best shines rivers with good clarity.

The first step to successful gliding is to get the boat into position upstream and off to one side of a fishy-looking spot. With the boat moving at the speed of the current and the bow pointed downstream, it’s time to cast. The first caster needs to make a toss that lands straight out (perpendicular to) the boat. As soon as the first sinker hits the water, the second angler should throw slightly upstream of angler number one’s line. 

With the lines now in the water, the rower will want to pitch the bow of the boat slightly towards the drift – which allows the anglers to face their lines. The rower’s job is to keep the lines in the optimum position, which is slightly ahead of the boat – just a bit less than 45 degrees. Sometimes the lines will get too far ahead of the boat, which means the oarsman will have to push downstream to catch up. Other times, he’ll need to pull on the oars to slow the boat down to keep the lines working downstream. 

With the right amount of weight on, the sinkers will run anywhere from just in front of where the oar hits the water to a bit behind (there will be somewhat of a bow in the line between the point it where enters the water and the sinker). The current pushing on the line bow helps to lift and glide the weights over the rocks. If everything’s going right, the sinkers should tap the rocks every two or three seconds. 

Bites are often fairly subtle – in most castes, the sinker stops bouncing and a slight fluttering sensation can be felt in the rod tip. A steelhead can mouth and spit a bait in a nanosecond, so it’s important to set the hook hard – and fast.

The best setup for side gliding is a 7- to 9-foot rod with a plenty of backbone and a sensitive tip. Spinning or casting gear is suitable and Slinky-style weights or round Mad River Drifrer sinkers are the best choices. Pencil lead is a little to “grabby” to be used on snaggy rivers that are best suited for gliding. Three to 5-foot leaders that test 2 to 4 pounds lighter than the main line are great for gliding and a No. 4 octopus hook for holding small clusters of roe finishes off the rig. A No. 2 baitholder hook can be substituted when using nightcrawlers or pink plastic worms. 

Boondogging

Boondogging is the easiest form of side drifting to master because it’s so simple: Basically, you just turn the boat broadside to the current, cast directly upstream and then drag the baits downriver at the speed of the current. But just because it’s easy doesn’t mean it’s any less effective. This technique works best on big water but it also will produce on smaller rivers that have some color. It allows steelheaders to cover lots of ground in a short amount of time and is suitable for both jet sleds and driftboats.

To properly boondogg, set up well upstream of a piece of good looking water and pitch the boat sideways. As it starts to drift with the current, casts of 30 to 60 feet should be made upstream. The biggest key here is to use enough lead to get to the bottom quickly. With the proper amount of lead, the sinkers will lightly tap but not drag on the bottom. 

It’s the driver’s responsibility to keep the boat drifting over the best water with the lines running as straight (perpendicular) off the upstream side of the boat as possible. A small kicker motor is the best way to make subtle course corrections. 

When a steelhead hits a boondogged bait, there’s usually nothing subtle about it. Typically, the bait is moving rapidly downstream and the fish is headed upriver. This collision of forces often causes the rod to double over wildly. Usually, the fish will hook itself, but setting the hook anyway isn’t a bad idea. 

The same basic rods and tackle used for freedrifting will work for boondogging. Roe is the most common bait used here, though nightcrawlers are another favorite. 

Since all the side drifting methods are performed on moving water, often with the boat drifting backwards or broadside to the current, safety is of the utmost concern. The boat’s operator should always pay attention to what lies downstream and make early positioning adjustments to avoid any obstructions. Slamming into a partially-submerged log, boulder or gravel bar can knock people out of boats in a hurry – or worse.