Some water isn't appropriate for the technique. Sometimes its a water clarity thing. It pays to be versatile with different techniques. For a new steelheader, I try and pick a place that has a couple of different types of water so they can get used to looking at what the books describe as slots, seams, tailouts, runs, riffles, etc.
I think at the end of the day, you pick the technique that will put the bait in the strikezone the longest. Often, bobber/jig accomplishes that without the hangups and hazards of the other methods. Part of steelheading is the elusiveness of the fish. Some guys who really got their act together still don't catch fish every day they are on the water.
