steelhead flies? new guy needs advice.

[bankwalker]

so this will be my second year at winter steelhead, and i have yet to hook into a fish. i know it can take years to get your first steelhead on a fly but man it would be nice to make it sooner rather then later :) it really got me bumbed out last season not catching any steelhead on the fly.

so what are the basic flies i should have in my box? im sure i already have alot of good ones but its just nice to hear from other people who actually know what they are doing

names and pics would be really great, but names and what color would work just fine and dandy.

[obiwankanobi]

Do this: Take your steelhead box of flies that you have now and shake it upside down. Which ever fly hits the ground first is the fly you should use until it gets snagged or so tattered that it is just a bare hook. Not to sound bad, but any fly will work, it just has to get presented to a willing fish. Here lately my goto fly has been an intruder, only because I finally bought some waddington shanks and enjoy tying the pattern.

[bankwalker]

yeah good idea. im gonna do that now just cause you mentioned it.

if non of my flies seem to be working for me what the point in changing right? lol it cant hurt to use the same fly till its gone. hehe

[steve s]

Take a look in the gallery at some of the steelhead fly swaps. That should give you quite a few ideas.

Steve S

[Daryle Holmstrom]

There is an upcoming fly swap that will probably be one of the best as for fly quality, probably great flies, but I have a gut feeling not one of the swappers will tie the creation on the end of their line to catch one.

Daryle

[Ringlee]

Find a fly you have confidence in... Steelhead look for a fly that they can see, and looks alive. You can go simple or elaborate. I look in my box and usually one fly pops out and catches my eye. I fish that one.
Good advice with looking at previous swaps.

[Christian Brewer]

Hey Obi, that's great advice...

Last night I was standing there looking thru my summer run box to pick out some flies to tie when I accidentally dropped it and it landed open and facing down but nothing fell out...What does that mean? :confused:

:hmmm:
Christian

[kodiaksalmon]

I think I asked a question like this a couple of years ago, and got the same answer. It's been asked again since then, and the same answers. And I agree. I like big and dark. I like black, blue, and purple. But I always carry some bright stuff if I want to shake things up.

As to the confidence thing, I think that's spot on. If you're fishing with a fly you have confidence in, you'll fish it better, whether you know it or not. You'll be more eager, more attentive, and more positive. And I think that's a good part of fishing success.

Jeff

[obiwankanobi]

Hey Obi, that's great advice...

Last night I was standing there looking thru my summer run box to pick out some flies to tie when I accidentally dropped it and it landed open and facing down but nothing fell out...What does that mean? :confused:

:hmmm:
Christian

HaHa. All I am trying to convey is that I know those that fish one type of fly pattern all year and those that fish about 7 flies per day. I have seen both type of anglers average about the same each season. I have just as much confidence fishing a GBS spey, as I do a marabou spey, Usk grub, Orange Heron, or Intruder. The point is that a willing steelhead will take possibly about anything as long as it is presented well. If someone has seen otherwise, I would personally love to know since we can all have that "hot fly" of the season! :p

[Charles Sullivan]

Egg sucking leaches black and purple in size 2 and 4, or any other fly that you think will work. It really does not matter. The key to steelheading seems to be fishing where the fish are more than figuring out what they will hit, hence the steep learning curve.

Personally I tye 3 flies for winter fish. A simplified general practitioner, egg sucking leaches and the MR. Met, which is a black and blue simplified GP. I'll soon come up with a Wally the green monster fly :).

18,
cds

[Jerry Daschofsky]

Confidence is the key. I only use a couple of patterns, but carry a variety depending if "I" feel the fish may want something else (chances are they don't lol). I've personally seen three totally different flies being fished by 3 different guys all have hookups minutes apart. Different colors, shapes, and sizes. What does that tell you? It's getting it in front of their face, and then hoping what you have offered is what they want.

Personally, I love using leeches (rabbit hare tied with zonker strips all the way from tail to palmered to head) in pink mostly (and some in purple and some in black). Weighted a hair (lead eyes usually, I hate casting coneheads). The classics always work (green butt skunks, purple perils, and of course polar shrimp). BUT, certain rivers I like using certain flies. OP rivers I like big bushy flies (and when I say bushy, I mean BUSHY!!!!!). Usually with lots of sparkle/flash tied in as well.

In the end though, go back to the main advice. It's confidence that gets you into fish. Usually trying to hard keeps you out of the fish. My best days fishing (steelhead and salmon) have been the days I really don't care how I do (come on, admit it, we all like to catch a fish every now and then). I feel if you're doing nothing but striving to hook into fish, you overanalyze what you're doing. You're not letting nature takes its course and letting your setup work for you.

[papafsh]

Look, steelhead are caught all day long on hard multi-colored cork, or foam, balls and yarn combinations by gear fishermen. So what does that say about how important the pattern/color of a fly actually is?
My guess is that the fly you finally catch that first steelie on, will be your favorite fly for quite awhile. My first one was on a size 6 bead head, olive woolly-bugger.
As the other guy's already said confidence is key, but learning to read water and knowing where the fish are, is more important than which fly you use.
Tight lines, I hope this winter will be the one, for your success.

LB

[Marty]

I have heard way too many times that the fly does not matter. That statement is far from the truth. Yes it’s true you can catch a steelhead on almost anything but catching a steelhead on a fly is without question the most difficult and why not use a little knowledge to increase the odds in you favor. One of the true keys to success in steelheading is understanding what fly and when to use it. For someone that has been playing the game for a while this is not a problem because they have already gained the basic understanding but for a newbie it is knowledge that has to be learned and to tell them to just pick a fly and go to work is not a great help.

The first step in selecting the proper fly is to target the fish you are fishing for, summer or winter. Then you need to understand the different types of flies that work better in different water conditions. Starting with winter flies. During the winter you can run into all kinds of different water conditions, from high and off color to low and crystal clear. I have had days on the Sauk when you could not see you feet in a foot of water and days when the water was so clear I felt like I could drink it. You could use the same fly for both situations but buy adjusting your fly selection to match the different water conditions you will enhance your effectiveness. Here is how I break it down.

High and off color (3” or less visibility) I use a big fly normally measured by inches not hook size. I use marabou and rhea with a trailing hook for my big flies. When the river is in shape I will fish a size 1 to 3/0 depending on the river. The style of fly varies, but most the time I will use a classic strip wing. When the water is low and gin clear I will fish a fly that is tied sparse on a 1 to 2/0 hook. For a sparse fly all I do is tie a size 4 fly on a size 2 hook. You could tie the same fly to match the three different water condition, for example you could tie a marabou that is 4” long for high and off color, a standard marabou on a 1/0 for normal water condition and a sparse marabou on a size 2 for low and clear water condition, just as long as you are making the adjustments.

For summer fish the fly I use is determined again by water conditions and the river I am fishing. A basic example would be the Deschutes. When the White blows I will fish a larger fly that pushes more water. When I get tired of fishing the dirty water and move upstream, I will change my fly to something smaller. As for size, that depends on the river I am fishing. I use much bigger flies in BC than I do in OR. WA. and ID. With that said key number 1 would be “size matters”.

After size comes color. The basic rule has always been black, purple and orange being the best colors for steelhead. That’s a good starting point but I have found color only becomes a factor in high and off color and very low and clear conditions. I was once told that you could not catch a fish on the Deschutes using a red fly. I took it as a challenge and now red is one of my go to colors for that river. Color is more a personal thing but I do think that fish in different river systems key off on different colors. Rogue Red, Bulkley Blue, Babine Green, Deschutes Purple, and Salmon Orange are just some of the ones I use. Ask anyone you meet on the water and they will have a favorite color for that river. One rule I have always used is bright sky bright fly dark sky dark fly. First and last light I will always use a darker fly, same on cloudy days.

After color comes style. This is where I will agree with the statement fly does not matter. Take a size 4 hook and tie a marabou, skunk, strip wing, intruder, woolly bugger, boss, muddler or any of the different styles of steelhead flies and I am sure you will see pretty much the same results. Style even more so than color is a personal thing. When it comes to steelhead flies I am an extremist. 95% of the time I will only fish a fly that is tied out of natural materials. Seal dubbing, polar bear, silk floss, peacock wing, turkey tail, speckle bustard and king fisher are just some of the materials I use. For me tying the fly is as much part of the steelhead experience as fishing it.

So if you are new to steelheading and trying to figure out what fly to use, do a little research on the river you intend to fish, Build a selection of flies in different sizes, colors and styles, match the fly to the conditions and then get to swinging. Remember if you can’t cast it don’t fish it and the fly is only as good as the presentation. Then when it all comes together and you catch a fish or two you will gain some confidence in your fly selection and there ya go. Because in the end having confidence in the fly is the most important key to success and gaining the confidence can only be gain by proper fly selection.

Just my .02.

[papafsh]

Because in the end having confidence in the fly is the most important key to success and gaining the confidence can only be gain by proper fly selection. Just my .02.

Marty, is right on in all he said, and he has taken the time to really give you a detailed explanation, on flys and how to use and select them. :thumb:

However, I can't say I agree with his closing statement, not that anyone should care what I agree with.

I think the MOST important factor to success in catching steelhead is be able to read water, under varying conditions, and knowing where these fish are MOST likely to be found. After all, you can swing, skate, or dead-drift the best flys in the world, all day long in the wrong water and you'll never catch anything.

LB

[Marty]

papafsh - I agree with you 100%, the thread was on selecting flies that’s why I ended it that way. Reading the water and presentation are far more important than having the right fly. It’s all about matching conditions and making the proper adjustment in the fly, system and presentation that will increase the odds in your favor. Living so far from steelhead country I have to take what I get. After driving all day just to find unfavorable water condition it tuff to say ‘that suck I guess I’ll go home and wait for the water to come down. If you are a fair weather (conditions) kind of steelheader that only fishing during optimum fishing conditions I guess the fly really wouldn’t matter. But then for me it’s the whole package that makes steelheading so great and the more you learn the more consistent you will be. For me its not all about the tug but it’s the tug that keeps me going.

[ak_powder_monkey]

got $400 somewhere, go to the situk, I caught two in my first 20 minutes there.

[papafsh]

Marty is right again, you can never really know what flys you may want untill you are actually on the river. I never leave home with out the selection seen below. I don't intend to get caught short on flys...lol! There are seven full boxes that fit in the case behind them.
But knowing where and when to fish any one of them is key.

I never was a boy scout but I do believe in being prepared. :eek:

LB

[bankwalker]

well i thank you all for your tips and insight. and marty thank you for taking the time to type up so much.

im a very superb gear/bait fisherman and can read water very good. catch fish every time i go out.

BUT the biggest thing i have learned from watching fly fisherman and reading what everyone on here over the last year, it has taught me that what water is good for gear and bait is not always good for flies.

im gonna spend the last week of november and the first two weeks of december strickly fly fishing, i would say till i actually catch my first steelheadon a fly but man thats just to long :)