Brianna Bruce is the owner and guide behind Livin Life Adventures, based in Snohomish County, where she targets Kokanee, Steelhead, Sockeye, and a variety of other Pacific Northwest fisheries. Her path to becoming a professional guide wasn’t a straight line, it was shaped by family, passion, and a defining moment that turned a lifelong love of fishing into a meaningful career.
Featuring Mack’s Lure Pro Staffer Brianna Bruce
Steelhead fishing has always been about adaptability. While certain techniques rise and fall in popularity, the most consistent anglers are the ones who understand why fish react the way they do and how to adjust when conditions, pressure, or crowds demand something different. According to Mack’s Lure Pro Staffer Brianna Bruce, success often comes from subtle changes rather than dramatic ones.
Anglers relied on corkies and yarn, often sweetened with bait, carefully managing line and rod angle to stay connected through the drift. Over time, techniques expanded jigs under floats became the norm, followed by backtrolling and boondogging soft beads and hard beads. Today, many anglers are revisiting classic methods like drift fishing and float fishing, while others lean heavily into spinner and hardware presentations. None of these approaches is wrong but when everyone is doing the same thing, steelhead tend to wise up quickly.
In popular steelhead rivers, fish may see hundreds of identical jigs, beads, or rigs pass by in a single day. “If everyone is float fishing and you come in doing something totally different, you’re probably going to cause problems,” Brianna says. “You want to respect the flow of the hole and what everyone else is doing but there are ways to work around that.”
Those opportunities often show up in less-than-perfect water: small pockets, soft edges, or water above or below well-known holes. These are places steelhead use to rest and escape pressure. In those situations, showing fish something slightly different can make all the difference.
Many anglers assume steelhead only respond to big, bold presentations. Brianna disagrees. “There are a lot of techniques people overlook or never think to try,” she says “But those can be extremely effective especially when fish have already seen the same presentation over and over.” Hardware presentations, when fished thoughtfully and at the right speed, can trigger reaction strikes from fish that refuse more common setups. This approach is also ideal in water that doesn’t lend itself well to traditional drifting or float fishing.
Mack’s Lure offers several tools that fit perfectly into this “think different” mindset. The Rock Dancer is designed to work in moving water, delivering a unique action that stands out from standard offerings. Its profile and movement make it an excellent choice for targeting steelhead holding in pockets or transition water where subtle changes can spark aggression.
The Hum Dinger adds another dimension with vibration and sound, helping steelhead locate the lure even in stained or turbulent water. When fish are pressured and hesitant, that extra sensory trigger can be the key to getting a bite.
Another advantage of these alternative presentations is simplicity. Some steelhead techniques require constant attention to line control, timing, and rod position skills that take time to master. Hardware based approaches can be easier for beginners or younger anglers to fish effectively, keeping lines in the water and anglers engaged. “At the end of the day,” Brianna says, “you can’t catch fish if you’re not fishing.”
Steelhead Fishing 101 isn’t about abandoning proven techniques it’s about knowing when to adjust. By understanding pressure, reading water, and being willing to offer steelhead a different look, anglers can stay successful even in crowded conditions.
With versatile tools like the Rock Dancer and Hum Dinger, Mack’s Lure gives anglers options to stand out, adapt, and keep catching fish no matter how pressured the river becomes.
Description Details Tips The Rock Dancer is a highly effective jig that produces with Glo eyes, quality bucktail and premium hooks. Add som...
View full detailsDescription Details Tips The HumDinger is a favorite among trout, kokanee and salmon anglers. This spoon, available in two sizes, emits a c...
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