All things being equal, what triggers more strikes for you?

[TallFlyGuy]

All things being equal what works better for you to trigger more strikes in the winter time...Marabou or Rabbit tail? or does it matter?

[Big Tuna]

A combination...rabbit strip tail w/ a marabou collar.

[Steve Buckner]

All things being equal, I think its about being at the right time at the right place. It certainly helps to have a presentation that will help - and fly size/color certainly play a roll. That said, rabbit fur is good, marabou is good, they're both durable and relatively inexpensive. They also have excellent movement. I'm sold on articulation.

[Coach Duff]

When there's actually more than one steelhead present in the river system per 100 miles.:D Fellas, when good amounts of wild fish are present, finding "players" isn't a stretch. I like articulated stuff, but that is more for me than steelhead. Don't forget more steelhead have been caught on a piece of yarn than any other method. It isn't rocket science.:beer2:

[KerryS]

The coach said it. Fish in the river and fly in the water equals hookups. I rarely fish marabou or rabbit and I seem to catch my share.

[TallFlyGuy]

All things being equal, I think its about being at the right time at the right place. It certainly helps to have a presentation that will help - and fly size/color certainly play a roll. That said, rabbit fur is good, marabou is good, they're both durable and relatively inexpensive. They also have excellent movement. I'm sold on articulation.

Great diplomatic/political answer Steve :) :) Not sure here, you say color and size play a roll, rabbit fur is good, and so is marabou. So I guess you don't prefer one to the other. It looks like in some of your pictures you were using rhea. Do you tie flies up with rhea?

When there's actually more than one steelhead present in the river system per 100 miles.:D Fellas, when good amounts of wild fish are present, finding "players" isn't a stretch. I like articulated stuff, but that is more for me than steelhead. Don't forget more steelhead have been caught on a piece of yarn than any other method. It isn't rocket science.:beer2:

Coach I can somewhat agree, however, that piece of yarn that has caught so many steelhead, wasn't swung. It was more than likely dead drifted, or dragged close to bottom. To me that would be nymphing. I really don't like to nymph for steelhead, even if my chances are better to catching them. I've done it, and probably will in future. Just boring as hell to cast at same fish in same spot over and over and over.


A combination...rabbit strip tail w/ a marabou collar.

I like that. I had great success over the summer with rabbit strips, and a collar that wasn't marabou, but the bottom end marabou looking stuff on the schlappen feathers. The two together breath awesome in the water. I was planning on going to marabou, for winters, maybe I'll just stick to rabbit for winters as well.

Justin

[Coach Duff]

Swung or nymphed, a steelehead will hit anything from a piece of yarn on a hook to a 10 inch articulated whatever you want to call it. They hit plugs, bait divers, spoons, eggs, lures (spinners), flies both dry and wet, hellgramites, nitecrawlers, synthetic baits with or without scent (pink worms for our Canadian brethren), jigs, sandshrimp, crawdads, baitfish, mice, snakes (never seen this but this is what supposedly triggered the string leech tie, leaves (seen this) and god knows what else. Fill in the blanks. Actually swinging the fly is probably the least successful way to catch these buggers. You can dig under every rock out there trying to sell the fact that pattern selection has true merit on catching steelhead on swung flies, and I fully respect that quest, especially coming from you. I'll always tip a beer to the Tall Fly Guy, but there is no way in hell that I believe it is pattern selection. A good friend of mine used to catch buttloads of them with a piece of pink yarn tied off the back of a size 2 hook and a black whip finished head, swinging. In fact if you throw a little chenile on there you have the recipe for a Kalama Dynamite and a bunch of other off-shoot deadly patterns for swinging. Oh yea, there was fish around then too. I think one of the beautiful mysteries of this wonderful sport is that each and every one of us can believe deep in our hearts in something completely different and with that confidence catch these babies. Its is all about believing in your presentation and replicating that time and time again and tailoring that presentation to the conditions and structure and the google of other factors. It's all about believing. Believing that your fly and presentation will work, believing that the fish are there, believing that your wife won't be pissed when you are three hours late on date night and believing that she won't find that new Meiser rod you tried to slip into the pile last week! I'll tell you what, if you believe it is pattern selection, you go ahead, we can disagree and share a love for the most beautiful creature that swims. Aint steelheading great? I miss it every day. Tightlines Coach

[Steelie Mike]

I really don't like to nymph for steelhead, even if my chances are better to catching them. I've done it, and probably will in future. Just boring as hell to cast at same fish in same spot over and over and over.

Justin

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v517/SteelieMike/10-6-060422.jpg

I remember one Fall day you could not leave a large school of fish alone until you caught one nymphing:) .

I think I agree with the school that is does not matter what fly you use, however I also think that a sluggish fish would move to a fly on the swing with a little more movement. I prefer dark big and ugly flies with movement like a stripper on friday night.

[TallFlyGuy]

Mike, Yea, I said I've done it, and look I even caught one doing it. That day I didn't really want to sit around and wait for you after swinging the lower run, so I joined you nymphing with my spey rod... It was fun to catch that one. That day didn't you hook like 4 nymphing?

I was casting that day to a couple groups of fish, and it was with my spey rod. Wahoo!!

Justin

[TallFlyGuy]

Coach,

Hehe, you crack me up. Ok, next time we go fishing I'll use those nice looking flies your buddy ties up over there at upstream adventures.. the rhea ones.... and i'll give you some black and pink yarn, and tell you to save me a few fish:rofl: :rofl: . Hell, you would probably outfish me :beathead:

[Coach Duff]

Naw, I like huge, Ostrich and Rhea articulated stuff myself. The bigger and the more it breathes the better, but I catch about the same amount of fish as I did when I thought the Purpil Peril was the greatest fly ever made and fished it year round. I still love the Peril but those big modern articulated babies are sexy as sexy can be. And I give my wife crap for wanting to spend big money on a handbag because it looks good, and I've got 250 bucks in "pre-ban" fly tying supplies on Wadding Shanks and Alec Jackson hooks in my fly wallet. Fish what makes ya feel good, I am no better than the next guy.:D :beer2: Tight lines Coach

[fredaevans]

We 'agree to disagree.'

"Coach I can somewhat agree, however, that piece of yarn that has caught so many steelhead, wasn't swung. It was more than likely dead drifted, or dragged close to bottom. To me that would be nymphing. I really don't like to nymph for steelhead, even if my chances are better to catching them. I've done it, and probably will in future. Just boring as hell to cast at same fish in same spot over and over and over."

If you actually look at what happens with 'drift gear' (float fishing excepted) the action of the "bait" is all on the swing from the moment the lead hits the water. Fishing with a float is another matter; there you do/can have a 'dead drift.'

Fred

[TallFlyGuy]

We 'agree to disagree.'

If you actually look at what happens with 'drift gear' (float fishing excepted) the action of the "bait" is all on the swing from the moment the lead hits the water. Fishing with a float is another matter; there you do/can have a 'dead drift.'

Fred

So you are saying all those guys "dead drifting" eggs and or yarn are actually swinging? From what I have seen they cast way upstream and dead drift it along the bottom untill they can't get a dead drift, then reel up and do it again. If so, then yes, lets agree to disagree.

[Coach Duff]

I agree with both of you. Drift fishing is like nymphing. The point I was making is you can put anything in front of their beautiful little noses nymphed or swung and have a chance at getting them to hit it. As much as flies have progressed in material selection and beauty and movement, you can still go out with some old chenile and one or two turns of hackle, a ratty bucktail wing and they will hit it if presented properly. I really think is comes down to confidence in yourself and your presentation. Whatever pile of feathers you feel best about will catch steelhead if you swing it correctly. Do articulated flies catch more fish? I would have to go back to my living out of my truck days and fishing 6 days a week to actually catch enough fish to run an worthwile experiment. But alas, I am stuck in this terrible place called Hawaii with the bikini being the state flag and more mai tais than I can drink. Cheers to Big Fred and the Tall Fly Guy, brothers in arms and much respect to both of ya. I have to go put some shorts on, grab my two spools of butt section and tippet, a t-shirt, and walk two blocks to the beach barefoot with my 8 weight X-i2 and reel with floating line and go cast to barracudda, travelly and bonefish. I know Freddie, its a slow death, and looking at all of those lovely gals wearing the "state flag" can be depressing, but someone has to do it.:D Love ya both, Coach Duff:beer2: :beer2: :thumb:

[fredaevans]

So you are saying all those guys "dead drifting" eggs and or yarn are actually swinging? From what I have seen they cast way upstream and dead drift it along the bottom untill they can't get a dead drift, then reel up and do it again. If so, then yes, lets agree to disagree.

TFG, I see/grant your point.iagree Very few 'gear guys' fish the Rogue in that mannor. 'Straight across' (float guys will cast up stream) and current takes the lead/gear down/around in an 'arc' same as you'd get 'on the swing' with a fly line ... just deeper.

[Jerry Daschofsky]

Actually, driftfishing is like swinging, just a more effective way of swinging. We're not trying to "dead drift" the lure. We want it swinging across the slot covering area. The lure is bouyant, so it's sitting higher while the lead is sitting low. Depending on the slot being fished, dictates how much lead is used (whether you want it dragging bottom or not). Plus, you don't want the flyline that low anyways, just snag up more. LOL. Float fishing with spoons, spinners, and other misc. lures with a weight attached (and you can put jigs into this) would be same as nymphing. Ok, onto the question.

I'd have to say it's the lure you put in front of their nose. I've caught steelhead on about every style of fly out there. Have brought this up before, but have fished with buddies, and we all had fish on flies in same slot. All caught on different flies and colors. If it grabs their attention, it's at least a grab (getting the fish to the bank is dependant on you at that point). Now, the fly that a person uses the most is the one that catches the fish. Now, someone will say "Duh!?!?!", but it's true. If you only use a green butt skunk the majority of the time, chances are you'll be catching your fish on a GBS. I fish alot of leeches (mostly rabbit), and have had tons of success with pink bunny leeches. Guess what? I fish them alot (because I lose alot of flies in snags, and takes seconds to tie them).

Will admit it's nice to fish with fancy flies. Is it necessary? Nah, not at all. Have had this debate quite a bit. I caught a lot of fish when I first started flyfishing for salmon and steelhead. Guess what? They were the worst most out of proportion flies you'll ever see (and tied on octopus hooks to boot). But they caught fish, and effectively.

Will say I've had more "interest" and strikes when the fly was moving out of control. Right at the end of the swing as the fly is rising and hitting the surface. Watched many a times as a fish followed the fly and could see it nail the fly just below the surface (or nudge it with it's nose).

[Red Shed]

I think coach has nailed it. I don't really think the fish care. If you swing or dead drift whatever fly type in front of a fish predisposed to the grab you will get a hit.

The above being said "the fisherman" cares a great deal. I'm sorry if it's an old cliche but the "hot fly" is the one "YOU" have the most confidence in. If you like your fly you will fish it better, if you fish it better you'll catch more.

[Jeremy Floyd]

A good job mending.

[mike kinney]

Coach
Quit tiptoeing around here.You know what draws the most strikes!
MKS rods and Skagit minnows.MBK

[Coach Duff]

Mike, what's up brother! Get your grumpy old ass over here to Hawaii soon. Coach
PS That is the combo, MKS and Minnow, ripped through whatever seam you can find.

[Coach Duff]

Mike, there is a post above in the spey section titled Dec Hogan series on something like that in which the origins of Skagit casting and lines was debated in a spirited manner. How about dropping in there and giving us your take on the whole evolution. Great to see you here, the fellas are in for a treat if you stay around and throw a bone out once in a while. Coach:beer2:

[mike kinney]

Coach
I thought you guys aired out the subject on the Skagit evolution pretty well.The truth is there if you read between the lines.Everybody has their heros and the truth is that every one that dedicates their quality time to the pursuit of steelhead on the fly is going to be a hero to someone.A good fly fisher is one who keeps an open mind and learns from everyone he or she meets.No one could figure it all out by themselves.And anyone who thinks that they have it all figured out is already going down hill.

When it comes triggering strikes" all things considered " answers the question if we consider all the important facters,such as clarity,depth,temperture,amount of water to be covered,etc...then an informed decision can be made.Hense thinking about things first triggers more strikes for me. MBK

[Coach Duff]

Actually finding good lies that compliment the swung fly and that also hold steelhead seem to me to be what the quest actually revolves around most.;) Coach

[Sloan Craven]

What triggers the most hits for me is not paying any attention to what Im doing. Of course that means missing the hook set and loing the fish, but it still triggers the most hits.