2.TIE LEADERS AT HOME
Tie all you leaders before you leave home. This is a huge time-saver and will help you increase your catch rates. When on the river, keep that line in the water as much as possible. By having leaders pre-tied, change-outs are quick when a leader gets snapped off or needs to be replaced.

Be sure that your leaders, drift-bobbers and baits are all within easy reach. Some days on the river, you might go through a handful of leaders, while on other times, you might rifle through four dozen or more.

There are a number of ways to put together a homemade leader keeper. But when bank-fishing, I prefer a Pips Hook & Leader Dispenser (find out more at www.mackslure.com This round box fits in a pants or vest pocket, features a clear lid, holds multiple leaders and used properly, will keep them from tangling.

The more accessible your leaders, the quicker the change-out, and the more time your line spends in the water. When you’re on the river, it’s time to fish.

3.BE WILLING
TO MOVE
Unless you’re spending the day at a single hole waiting for fish to arrive, one of the biggest detriments a bank-angler can have is being tied down. If you’re not mobile enough to find fish, catching them can be tough.

Being mobile can be controlled by many factors, such as what gear you brought, the water levels or how long you have to fish.

Often bank-anglers hit one or two spots before going to work. They don’t have much time to devote to finding fish. Still, if you’re not catching fish, and other anglers around you aren’t either, it’s time to go and search for them. That goes not only for a section of a river, but for exploring other river systems as well. Many winter steelhead streams are small and located near one another, which makes it easier to switch locations.

Over the years, I’ve found that the majority of fish I’ve caught from the bank have come in the first 15 minutes after my initial cast. This is usually the result of the fish already being in the hole, and then being shown something they like.

Bring what gear you need, and no more. If you’ll be using various approaches, some gear or extra rods can be left in the rig, so as not to tie you down. Be ready to fish a different method, however, should the need arise. You may need to be floating jigs at one hole and drift-fishing yarn balls at another. Be willing to diversify, try various approaches and stay on the move. Equip yourself to be mobile. It can pay off in the form of more fish.

4.CHANGE OFFERINGS
Nothing can be more frustrating than knowing that fish are in front of you but not biting. If you feel that steelhead are out there but not responding, often all it takes to make something happen is a certain change in one tiny piece of gear.