RiverRuns

To me, the whirlpool is the most "unorthodox" steelheading spot around. The water level fluctuates drastically, the currents spin back and forth, ice chunks swirl around, and the banks in the winter are treacherous. Also, some of the ducks in there will chase and bite your baits. Makes for challenging fishing on the best of days.
As mentioned above, fish the slow seams (they often shift) and keep your bait near bottom. You may have to adjust your float depth and the shot arrangement frequently. Don't be afraid to switch up your baits.

Define "loogan". I'm pretty sure I was on the same trib as you this morning and yes, there were a lot of guys fishing. There were spey fishers, fly fishers, float fishers, spin fishers, lure chuckers etc.. There were a lot of inexperienced guys and gals as well, but everyone I met or fished near was courteous and fished legally. In fact, this was one of the few times on this trib where I had 2 guys actually ask to fish the stretch below where I was fishing.
I agree that you see a lot of loogan activity during salmon season, and we may have seen some today if the fish were hitting, but to label people loogans just because they are crowding your favourite spots...??? If this is the case we are ALL somebody's loogan.

First Steelie on Pin!

The slip-float won't auto- adjust for you. You still need to move the stop to regulate depth. The key, I find, is to get the split shot right...the goal is to have your bait moving along the bottom ahead of the rest of your terminal tackle. This does take some trial and error; there is no set fix. Rivers move differently, and you have to adjust float depth/ shot according to conditions.
From top to bottom I usually start out as follows:
1) Float stop>>plastic bead>>float>>plastic bead>>swivel (this gear is all on the main line ...usually 10 lb.)
2) Split shots arranged in groups of 2 or 3 on a 4 ft. ( approx.)"shot line". Use bigger shot near the float, and decrease the size as you move down the line. Total grams of shot should be very close to amt. specified on float. Shot line should be rated lighter than main line , but not as light as your leader. Put a second swivel at the end of this line.
3) Approx. 2 ft. Flourocarbon leader (4-5 lb.) with hook/fly etc. on the end.
You may have to use different size floats, and shorten/lengthen shot line depending on the water you are fishing. You fine tune on the water by moving float stop up and down, and sliding shots up or down. Sometimes, in fast, deep water, I'll put several bigger shots on the main line to cock the float.
The goal, as stated, is to have your bait ticking along close to bottom, and having your float weighted so it will drop at the slightest take from a fish. You should probably hook bottom occasionally so you know you are deep enough. Most successful float fishermen I've observed hold back on their reel a bit ( pinky drag) to ensure the bait is always the first thing the fish see. The float should cock back a bit as it travels downstream.
Experience, as always, is the best teacher. Start with a float that you think best matches conditions ( 4 g for clear, shallow conditions, 6-7g for mid- size rivers, and 10+ g for fast and deep... Niagara sometimes requires a 20g), set up a shot line which compliments the float, tie on your bait go out and fish!

The SkyIsBlue is an excellent angler. Sitting at his keyboard, he puts the fly on the water, and the rest of you rise to grab it. Judging by his question, I would say he understands the forum rules...the best response is no response; ignore him and he will go away.
If he is genuinely ignorant of forum protocol, one of the mods can send him a quick reminder...too many cyber cops around here.

lol, id pay to catch a small, one i hate big ones, especially on g-bay where i like to keep one for the table and then you get this monster thats like 20 years old, lol, if you time it perfectly you will have a fish every drift, but timing it perfectly is near impossible, try coming up to the river at night shine a light into the water and you'll se Thetis steelies roaming around for food, a small hook, and a glow bead is really all you need no leader required at night, but its hard, you can't see a thing, i like fishing at night/evening more, its harder to cast and see, BUT, no people i LOVE d it when there no people lol

Intercepting the runs is critical to a big number day, if that's what you are looking for. Timing the runs, IMO, depends on three major factors:
1) you are extremely knowledgeable about a river ( read: experienced) and know when, how fast, where etc. the pods of steel move...or you have a really knowledgeable buddy
2) you are lucky and time it out perfectly
3) you are one of those enviable SOBs who can be on the river every day
A combination of the above is best!
Bowslayer, keep hyping up the night fishing ( I can't stand it myself) so the rivers are less busy during the day

Hey Guys, I noticed it is supposed to rain this Monday coming up, I have been checking the water office at different locations and learning to use that as a tool to fish with thanks to some of the members here. Very helpful I might add, so thanks for all your input. My question is, I know when it warms up and things melt and it rains that will help bring fresh runs of steel in, but how exactly do you time it? Do you want to go while it is actually raining, waiting until the rain is done but then the rivers are muddy? waiting a couple days after until the water clears up and levels go down a bit and the steel is already in the river and you go at that point? or will you miss it at that point in the tribs open sections this time of year? Im considering going monday, any opinions would be appreciated!

Many factors to consider... I
In the winter, I find conditions more difficult to predict because more factors come into play (eg. ice breaking up and floating downstream, wind in the lake etc.) Different tribs rise and drop at different rates. Overall, I find fishing on the drop to be the best, but the best conditions for the steelheader (relatively warm air temp., decent water clarity etc.) are not always the best for fish (sometimes high, fast-flowing, dirtyish water full of floating ice chunks fished in near-gale conditions produces fish).
The water office tables are a good starting point BUT...and I know you hear it over and over again - and it used to bug the hell out of me when people told me- the only way to really figure a trib out is to go and fish! Experience can be a brutal teacher, but it is effective!! Too many times I thought I had the "theoretical" prime conditions, only to have the river teach me another lesson in humility.

Bottom line...always better to be on a trib than working...or doing chores around the house...or going shopping...or...