[James Waggoner]

While most will agree with the statement, while fishing for steelhead, "The fly doesn't matter." What do you think?

I'd agree with that mostly but when the statement is truely considered I'd have to say I don't agree at all.

Water type, temperature and visibility, affects my selection. How I choose to fish a fly, or even how does a fly fish will affect my selection, what kind of line system do I have on or available to me? In the end I'd have to say if trout fishing is "Match the Hatch" then steelheading is "Match the conditions"
With all that said, for swinging I believe I can meet most conditions with a small box of flies.

So what do YOU think? And if you agree conditions dictate, what types of flies do you like for what types of conditions?

Thanks for your input,

James.

 

[Tracy Lauricella]

Well so far, I get the same results regardless of fly. Heck, I could leave the fly off altogether and get the same results.

 

[Salmo_g]

JW,

While the fly or fly pattern doesn't matter in the way it does for trout fishing, I'd say yes, the fly matters somewhat. I use larger and brighter or more visible flies as the water clarity diminishes, and I use darker buggier flies in late summer and fall. Otherwise I don't think it matters much.

Sg

 

[James Waggoner]

That reminds me of a story....as kids my twin brother and I would bike down to the river and fish, it was always a race to get to the best run. One day, while I was on the bank getting my Eagle Claw strung up, my brother beat me to the water and was casting away, hooking the occasional willow on his back cast and yanking it free, well he ended up hooking me right in the lower lip! He started yanking it free and I was yelling with my lip pulled out "BILL!". We ended up riding our bikes home, me with a size 12 haystack in my now puffed up lip and my brother laughing about the 4' sucker he caught.

...so leaving the fly off altogether is also safer for everyone!

 

[nb_ken]

"I've determined that, most of the time, the specific pattern is less significant than color, color less important than size, and size almost immaterial anyway."

-- Ted Leeson

 

[jeff bandy]

Believe in the fly. If you don't think it is a good fly, you will have no confidence in it. If you don't fish it confidently you might as well be lawn casting.

Can't believe I just typed that pile of.... But it's true.

 

[James Waggoner]

Believe in the fly. If you don't think it is a good fly, you will have no confidence in it. If you don't fish it confidently you might as well be lawn casting.

Can't believe I just typed that pile of.... But it's true.

Ain't that the truth. I know I have zero confidence in anything pink, red or yellow...or any shades close. I do try to fish those colors on occassion to see if I can build confidence in those colors...keep telling myself bright day bright fly.

 

[Guest]

there is a fella on the board that claims anything brown and buggy or something like that is what trout eat!

 

[ak_powder_monkey]

yes flies matter, but not too much