I've been pinning since '99 and adapted it to catfish, smallmouth, trout, ect. Living in MI, obviously I did a lot of steelhead fishing. Now living in PA i've been using it a lot for trout. Generally speaking, the main difference between steelies and trout is trout for the most part are suspended in the water column (compared to steelhead where if you find the bottom you found the fish). Fishing under a float allows you to find that depth and be consistent, plus the obvious of the best presentation possible compared to any other fishing method. I've been tying a lot of jigs similar to ones that were effective for steelies for trout, just smaller and doing very well. I have about three jig boxes devoted to trout now from high water application to finess fishing. In SE PA, flows are very low so running the pin isn't always the best way to fish and there isn't too much good deep water anymore. For pocket water sections, fishing the fly rod is more effective. To get the proper presentations and ease with casting, you really can't fish water under a couple of feet with the pin. Well, you can but its not real fun. Also with the low flows, you really need a reel (which I have a few) with good start-up and it needs to be a true runner. Sorry, but the okumas probably won't work too well. I am fishing a 9'9" and 11' rods. Bigger rods really are necessary and won't even work on most of the creeks I fish.
www.questoutdoors.net contains a welath of experience if you are interested in learning more. search the archives for the earlier posts. most of the guys on there now are not at the level that the guys who used to post.
All in all, you're better off using a fly rod around where I live because there is too much good water you have to pass over because you are limited to what you can fish. Its not that you can't fish it, but its really not that fun. For example, frog water isn't fun to fish with a float but pulling nymphs or streamers through it can be pretty exciting. In summary, some of the rivers you can float fish and catch bigger and more fish that you thought possible and on other rivers you better off with the fly rod. As far as the tulp goes, there are a few sections that using the pin is effective like below the road to no where bridge...wow i did very well there on sunday but it was one of those days where you catch a bunch a fish in a row and then have to wait an hour or so before you'd catch a bunch of fish in a row...
If I can answer any specific questions on equipment, proper shot line configurations, presentation techiniques, casting, ect. just let me know.
One thing I want to get into is running the pin for stripers, whether in the schyulkill, delaware, or even in MA. I have a jet boat, so getting to them isn't an issue, its more of the fisheries and runs seems very inconsistent and not predictable. Maybe its just I have some homework to do?
Tightlines,
Skiltonian
