hi i'm a new member and i haven't been steelhead fishing alot what rigs should I use this spring on manistee and the bear.

Some of my most favorite baits for steelies below. If your fishing early, while the water is still very cold, I would use the jigs tipped with maggots or power bait.

your clearly from out west (Ice cube bob)

DEPENDS ON LOCATION AND HOW YOU ARE FISHING. WADING WITH FISH ON GRAVEL I LIKE STONEFLIES OR EGG PATTERNS FOR MY FLY ROD. TRY SPOONS SPINNERS OR SMALL RAPALA WITH THE SPINNING ROD. WADING  NEAR DEEP HOLES I TEND TO GO CHUCK AND DUCK WITH THE FLY ROD AND SPAWN OR STONEFLIES. AND I EITHER DRIFT SPAWN UNDER A BOBBER OR CAST SPOONS OR SPINNERS WITH THE SPINNING ROD. BEST BET IS TO FIND A NICE HOLE DOWNSTREAM FROM SOMEONE FLAILING AWAY ON THE GRAVEL. FROM THE BOAT I LOVE TO PLUG HOLES WITH HOTnTOTS AND MOST OF THE OTHER METHODS WILL WORK FINE AS WELL JUST PICK SOMETHING YOU HAVE AND BE WILLING TO WORK IT STEELHEAD ARE VERY AGGRESSIVE AND WILL OFTEN HIT A LURE JUST TO MAKE IT GO AWAY JUST HANG ON ITS A GREAT RIDE WHEN THEY DO.

TIGHT LINES

Crazy,

All the rigs mentioned are good for that river!  I grew up on the east side of michigan but as anyone in the surrounding states knows the manistee is the place to be for steelies.  I would suggest popping into a little shop called fishermans headquarters on cabrafae highway.  The guys in there grew up on the river and its family owned and operated as for how to fish it for spring steelies, go with a light bobber and jig head with o god i am giving the secret away... Wax worms.  They seem to work best.  I just recently moved away to arizona so i could not tell you the color jig head to use but believe me it means the world to your success to find out what they are on this year.  Also if it gets really slow, go up to the dam and float minnows and you might get a suprise or two.  Browns, Eyes and the occasional spring salmon.

Tight lines and screaming reels

Roger

Nice fish buckeyes745 , and an Ohio state shirt to boot. LOL. I`m up in Jefferson, NE corner, where you from?