Fly fishing steelies

[fredk_fisher]

Hi all!

In the last 2 years I've discovered fly fishing and can't put it down. I know it reduces my chances, but I'm determined to catch some medium size 'bows with that rod. I'm trying streamers, woolies, roe and yarn bait. I'm coming up real small. I'd realy appreciate any thoughts on this. the stream I'm fishing is small and pretty well has to be fished across and down as I would a summer nymph.

Thanks for reading.

[thalweg]

Glad you've got the patience and discipline to start steel'n on the fly. Its tough, but man it beats all other methods hands down for the quality of the experience.

 

Right now, instead of nymphing, with natural nymph patterns, I would use presentations that mimic single egg patterns on light leader and tippet setups. Globug, nuke bugs and my absolute favourite...the "frammus" Part nymph, part egg with a light wisp of cream egg yarn to make it look "fertilized". The salmon are still in and there's still roe floating down the stream. This is a good bet for the remainder of the year. As November continues...try a flesh worm - mimics the rotting flesh of the salmon. Basically it's 3/4 inch piece of flesh coloured yarn thats snelled on to the hook.

 

Also certain rivers have certain strains of steelie's that are fly friendly. I can't name names lest I be chastized...but if you know your rivers and you throw the fly often enough...you'll figure out which ones they are. Also, coloured - higher water isn't really conducive to the fly. I find the best fly water is gin clear and the weather blue bird skys. They most often won't even sniff a roe bag...but they'll smash a small roe- attracter as I mentioned above.

 

Late spring - drop backs, and early fall runs -late sept - early oct- then I'll use standard trout nymphs...caddis, stones, pheasants etc and wolly buggers in black and purple.

 

If you want to talk ultimate challenge....skate a bomber on a dry fly swing on the lower grand for some ulitmate top water steelhead experience. I'll warn you now...it will take you 5-6 trips for one top water fish...but it will be the "end game" fish.. Everything else after that is...gravey.

[Jet]

Welcome to OFC Kirk! You'll find some great fly fishers here.

[fredk_fisher]

Thanks Jet. I hoping to learn plenty here.

Fred

[dave524]

Probably your best way to start and get a little confidence before attempting some of the more challenging methods would be to use a floating line with a strike indicator. It is really not unlike float fishing, I use a corkie staked with a piece of toothpick as an indicator, a tippet of appropriate depth for the water, a few dust shot to get it down and a egg or nymph pattern. Unlike a long float rod where you can keep your mainline off the water and midstream current from dragging your fly out of the lie, you will have to be adept at mending your line and the S cast will come in handy as well. This works best on shallower flows, try visiting a few flyfishing sites and look at nymphing techniques with a strike indicator. Good luck, if you have previous success as a float fisherman I'm sure you will be into fish on short order.

[solopaddler]

On larger waters casting streamers and spey patterns and fishing them on the swing is the ultimate in fun.

However for the most hook ups and especially considering the smaller water you're fishing, high stick nymphing (dead drifting) is key.

If you have a keen touch and eye you can forego a strike indicater, otherwise it's a great help.

Small natural egg patterns are standard with the sucker spawn in a variety of colours being by far the most popular.

Many guys will run a sucker spawn on the point then add a 6-8" dropper and tie on a small bead head nymph like a prince, pheasant tail or black stone.

This tandem fly rig fished under an indicator is imo the fly fishing version of the spawn bag LOL! Very deadly.

Just enough micro shot is pinched on your tippet a few inches above your point fly to get them down in the current, but not hang up on bottom. You'll have to experiment with the amount.

If you strip out enough line from your reel prior to your cast you can "shake" out line and extend your drift an amazing distance.

Cast directly across or perhaps slightly downstream, quickly throw a large upstream mend in your line then start shaking and feeding line to extend your drift.

I havn't used indicators myself in years...but my eyesight's getting bad and I still need something visual. To that end I tie a 12" piece of stiff, heavy mono to the end of my fly line to aid. It's made by a company called Sunset Amnesia and is bright fluorescent orange. The rest of my tippet is added using a simple loop to loop connction that I can change quickly if need be.

If you're running an indicator remember to leave a 5-8' section knot free so you can slide the indy up and down as water depth changes from pool to pool..

I could go on and on....

Hope that little bit helps.

[Twocoda]

for an indicator you could simply use a piece of kerchief (used for tying spawn) seems everyones eyes arent what they used to be

 

Good Luck