Many of you must be wondering if these techniques would work as well for trout and salmon. The answer is an emphatic yes. In British Columbia, where the float is used by almost every river anglers thousands of salmon and tens of thousands of trout are taken each year. The line control and natural presentation offered by floats should work well for any riparian species. It has proven deadly for salmon steelhead and trout and the potential is still unknown for other species.
Float fishing isn’t the answer to all the steelheader’s dreams. The weather will still be miserable, the fish will still be scarce, and as often as not they will ignore everything you offer them. But if you give floats a serious try, you will find some of your dreams coming true. You will be able to effectively fish water you had to pass up with other methods. You will fish your bait or lure with a very natural presentation. You will miss very few bites and you will spend a lot less time retying gear. Isn’t that a lot like what you have been dreaming of?