Steelehead Report

[ctranter]

With school finished and my OCT# in the mail, I have had ample time to get out and soak some lines before "real life" starts kickin in. Now that the salmon have finally started clearing out of the tribs, it was time for the chromies to shine.

 

Was able to get out 3 times, went 8 for 13 over those three days, with the last outing providing 4 of those landed fish.

 

Started out by myself. This was the only fish on the day. Here's a quick shore pic:

 

Better luck this day. A bit downstream from above, this guy slammed my stonefly nimph and took me for a ride:

 

Buddy showed up on time for a pic:

 

I've upped my personal best twice so far this year, keep em coming. This is my current PB:

 

Next, I see this one sitting under a log, visibly feeding. After trying unsuccessfully to get her to bite on an assortment of flies, I dropped my tippet line to 3lb, took off splitshots, and tied a single egg fly. First drift was like magic: Spey cast dropped 3 feet in from of it, fly slowly sinks, steelehead flicks it's tail and is off to the races. Amazing fight, especially because she didn't want to leave that log!

 

Last but not least is the story fish. This was the most beautiful steelehead I've ever seen. Her scales were perfectly chrome, with no scratches or scars, and just a slight tinge of rose on her cheeks. Unfortunately she spat the hook at the shore and we only managed a single pic.

 

I vividly remember how smooth it felt, the first time I used a float rod/reel. I get that exact same feeling everytime I set it down for the fly setup. I feel like I can cast twice as fast, have 10x the accuracy, have much more flexibility when it comes to presentations, and can still float a mean roe bag when the time is right. I don't know if I will ever go back.

 

 

My goal is to get back out at least one other time this week and write up another report, thanks for reading!

[cuzza]

Nice fish and some nice looking water too - glad to see someone getting among them, I'm 0 for 2 so far

 

How do you find the spey gear compared to a single-handed/overhead setup?

[solopaddler]

Nice fish and on the fly as well.

[Rustic-Fisher]

Nice fish. I am going to have to dedicate a season to using the fly gear, Hooking a Steelie on the fly gear is an unbeatable feeling, at least the 3 times its happened to me LOL

R

Edited October 19, 2010 by Rustic-Fisher

[torco]

Nicely done, my goal is to use my 7wt this year for steelhead and see how it goes. Its a single handed rod but I think it should work fine in the smaller streams I tend to fish. Did you find spey casting to be difficult to pick up or did it come easy? I would definitely like to give it a try one day.

 

Also are you using a sink tip? or is that line just straight floating to a leader. Sorry for all the questions new to fly fishing.

[thalweg]

Nice fish and post. I'd take a fly caught steelie over a pin setup any day.

[ctranter]

Nice fish and some nice looking water too - glad to see someone getting among them, I'm 0 for 2 so far

 

How do you find the spey gear compared to a single-handed/overhead setup?

 

I like the spey for several reasons, but the most significant to me is I like to fish in tight cover. With the spey, I do a quick roll cast and I don't use much more space than a standard float cast. In the event I fish some bigger water, it has the weight to fire out pretty far, and I'm not the best long caster yet. Another thing is the flexibility, with the switch rod, I can get a float rig setup in a few minutes, and the rod is much smoother than my fulltime float rod.

 

Nicely done, my goal is to use my 7wt this year for steelhead and see how it goes. Its a single handed rod but I think it should work fine in the smaller streams I tend to fish. Did you find spey casting to be difficult to pick up or did it come easy? I would definitely like to give it a try one day.

 

Also are you using a sink tip? or is that line just straight floating to a leader. Sorry for all the questions new to fly fishing.

 

Its a 7 wt classic spey line with floating tip on. I tie a 2-3' 4-6 lb tippet to the leader, and then the fly.

 

I had some great instruction from a guy who happens to visit this forum. He basically taught me the very basics and within 5 outtings I was retying, casting, and landing fish on my own. If you are interested, I can pass you his info.

[splashhopper]

[DMASSE]

CHRIS

 

Nice pics and the photography is excellent.. So where are my fish pictures LOL... You still have some learning to do, when I am finished you will be out fishing me, well maybe not LOL...

 

Dave

[torco]

I like the spey for several reasons, but the most significant to me is I like to fish in tight cover. With the spey, I do a quick roll cast and I don't use much more space than a standard float cast. In the event I fish some bigger water, it has the weight to fire out pretty far, and I'm not the best long caster yet. Another thing is the flexibility, with the switch rod, I can get a float rig setup in a few minutes, and the rod is much smoother than my fulltime float rod.

 

 

 

Its a 7 wt classic spey line with floating tip on. I tie a 2-3' 4-6 lb tippet to the leader, and then the fly.

 

I had some great instruction from a guy who happens to visit this forum. He basically taught me the very basics and within 5 outtings I was retying, casting, and landing fish on my own. If you are interested, I can pass you his info.

 

 

Definitely interested. Shoot me a pm when you have time.

 

Thanks

[dannyboy]

Well done, great pictures.

Nice to see another convert to the Dark Side.

 

Dan

[Aaron Shirley]

Awesome chrome, love the bug stick steel reports! Never tried a spey rod before, but I do enjoy steelies on the fly. Cool pics!

[Guest Johnny Bass]

Looks like the trout are out in full swing. Thanks for sharing.