Babine River Steelhead Flies

[Jeff Fowler]

Hello,

I have the good fortune of being able to fish for steelhead in the Babine River, BC during the end of Sept. Any suggestion on flies?

Tx Jeff Fowler

[steve]

I don't know anything about the babine, but I'm fishing the Vedder river in early sept. have you ever fished it? any info would be helpful.
Thanks,
Steve

[Jeff Fowler]

Steve,

i think most of the BC tributaries are probably similar. Large wet flies, shrimp patterns, spey flies and sometimes large dries such as a waker.

JMF

[Duckman]

To Jeff-

The end of September is a great time to be on the Babine. The water will still be warmish (45 degrees) and the steelhead will still be extremely aggressive to flies. After mid-October, the water gets quite cold and getting thewm on swung flies is tough. I've fished the river for 20 years, and the best patterns are: for dries, a Bubblehead or any large deer hair waker works well, the fish are quite surface oriented still at the end of September. For swung wets, think black, black and more black. These fish are 300 miles from salt, and they are turning "trouty" like eastern Washington summer steelhead. Black 2/0 bunny leeches, large black spey flies (up to 6 inches long!) and 4 to 6 inch black string leeches work well. the river has large black lampreys in it, and the bigger male steelies eat them. Bring a full floating line for skating dries, a 6 foot type 6 sink tip and a 15 foot (95 to 120 grain) type 6 sink tip for the deeper runs. Use no lighter than 12 pound Maxima leaders for tippet, 15 is better, they are not the least line shy and they are BIG fish.. Have a great time.


Be well,
Bill Herzog.

[Jeff Fowler]

Bill,

Thank you for taking the time to give me some tips. I'm going to head off to the local fly shop and tie some big black flies.

Take it easy,

JMF