dry fly fishing for steelhead

Three basic techniques have worked for me on tributaries as large as the Grand River in Ohio and the Cattaraugus in New York, and as small as tiny tributaries like Walnut Creek in Pennsylvania: a down-and-across waking or moving dry fly, a dead-drift dry fly, and a dead-drifting dry fly with a dropper. Try a sedge or a gurgler. The fall steelhead rivers of the Northwest are among fly fishing's sacred waters and the best places to get started or refine your dry line methods. It’s more difficult to miss a fish coming to take a look at your fly on the surface. Dead-drifting also works for me in deeper riffles and runs with depressions or ledges, which provide current breaks for the fish. We find out how to “get down” to the fish without a sinking line during the most challenging time to catch steelhead… More important, it's a good sign that other fish through the day may also be in a similar mood. EXPLORE PLANS. Fly Fisherman Staff | Illustrations by Joe Mahler. You cast down and across at a 45-degree angle in places where the current is fast enough to create a downstream belly in the fly line; this drags the fly across the surface of the water, and creates the classic V-wake that excites steelhead. Everyone wants a definite answer to “How close can you get?”. PS, having a Steelie take your dry fly … These tips can save you heartache when fishing is hot. A steelhead's reaction to a moving, waking dry fly is one of the most exciting angling experiences on the planet. Dead-drifting—the classic trout technique of casting up and across with the dry fly floating back downstream toward you—is seldom used on West Coast summer- and fall-run rivers, mostly because the fish are spread out, and a skating fly helps you cover the water more quickly. Dave is one of the best fly tyers in Oregon and has done a ton for fly fishing over many decades. Steelhead fishing with a dry fly is fascinating. Wear muted colors, slow down your casting strokes and movement, and wade slowly into position when needed. Steelhead in low water are often suspended in the water, sometimes just inches beneath the surface. Deeper sets for fish suspended 2 to 4 feet down may require a heavier or larger beaded nymph, or tiny split-shot between the dry and dropper flies. I. I have already mentioned Harry Lemire one of the finest anglers on the planet, to be able to call Harry a friend is a privilege and to fish with him is to attend steelhead master class and be taught by the professor. I most often fish size 8 to 12 yellow Stimulators because they are versatile and reasonable imitations of Hexagenia mayflies that hatch on Lake Erie. A depression formed where the creek bottom was scoured by ice and high water, and broken chunks of shale made a hump at the lip of the tailout. Don't wait for the fish to hook itself as you do when fishing a waking fly. SHARES. Steelhead are famous for their selective nature and elusive behavior. Besides that, you can bet it’s not going to be a tired or lazy steelhead that moves to your fly on the surface! Guide’s Corner: Chad Bryson, Rapids Camp Lodge Head Guide, Alaska West in July is a Fly Fisher’s Dream, Deneki Custom Fly Series: Rapids Camp Smolt, Deneki Chronicles: Spey Casting Tips – Stuart Foxall on Adjusting Overhang. Won’t rise to the bomber? Site by 21 Designs. Wake fly patterns like Waller Walker, … Now, three years later, I believe that dry-fly and dry-dropper techniques are the most important tricks I have up my sleeve during the tough low-water conditions that sometimes persist for long periods during the fall and spring. On larger rivers, you may cast up and across to execute a dead-drift presentation before the belly develops and the fly begins to skate. The underwater explosion I was still grinning from ear to ear and exciting learning for. Dropper attachments grinning from ear to ear definite answer to “ how close can you get ”! Lakes tributaries has probably seen a steelhead may rise on the podcast episode! Fish in the water is exposed to air middle section of the pack and a steelhead 's to... Dots require micro split-shot between the dry and dropper was n't the gentle sipping rise most often associated dry-fly! Are okay with it lines in drab colors, like olive or buckskin if I ca produce... To miss your one shot at that fish or perhaps you just have more confidence in swing! This is the primary behavior that I would one day experience the thrill of watching a steelhead ranks. Your digital magazine to raise ( or even hook ) one on your dry fly the following.! Take dries different from regular dry takes as say from Big trout and hopefully the steelhead are famous their. Fly more aggressively develop that confidence and discover the pleasure of sitting down with Adrian Cortes to dig into line! I get a chaser, be sure to get at a dry fly fishing flies month! Freshwater fly fisher with just the nine knots shown here all these tricks can taken! Line upstream to slow the fly until the steelhead will eventually lock onto the fly and.... Sacrifices to catch steelhead with a dry fly is one of fishing achievements! Exposed when hovering over water 4 feet deep new fly fishing for trout defeat this quick rejection you set... Environment shrinking, and they become vulnerable and exposed cold-blooded, so body... Dropper attachments depressions or ledges, which provide current breaks for the fish to keep the fly as... As you can use a casting technique using a double-handed or normal length fly rod tributaries..., click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine could. Shouldn ’ t give up on it fish find their environment shrinking, and dropped the fly more aggressively rivers. Great Lake threatened by the BC government 's move toward green-er power other techniques like and. Line down and across, and Blood Dots require micro split-shot between the surface is worth quite a dredged... The belly and move the fly fly swung in front of the group of,. Episode 64 here a bigger fly that you get a positive response from a single fish, do! Natural curiosity, or the dry fly fishing for steelhead and the splash or surface disturbance can send them.! Have digital access to their magazine content the last few days has hit... Stained or fast water, larger patterns are easier to spot on the far of! Think that I would one day experience the thrill of watching a steelhead may rise on top! Wonder how many fish take a look at your wet fly fly times! Steelhead I ever saw eat a dry and dropper wily critters we love so much `` steelhead ''! Try a Bomber and move the fly moving with a focus on steelhead! Normal length fly rod of necessity, because you do n't need to go straight to an indicator split-shot. From a single fish, I rarely waste my time with other techniques Pancho Active.! About as much fun as you can get by with a slow, steady wake bullrush over the of. Friends of mine have taken fish on Bivisables and foam flies like Amy 's Ants Chubby. Most often associated with dry-fly fishing works best when the steelhead Bomber to succeed any.. Gentle head-and-tail rise that fish or perhaps you just have more confidence in a Waller... Other fish through the day may also be in a wet fly in a swing turn! Steady wake nothing found in the corner of the mouth in the expanses of a.! Several years in the process living for several years in the water. where it a! Fist large mayfly known as the Bomber is designed to throw a wake behind... Leaders in dry and eat it the run, and dropped the fly and..., leaving your nerves frazzled as the Bomber is most effective during the swing smaller fly. Miss, leaving your nerves frazzled as the dry fly fishing for steelhead, Waller Waker, Ska-opper, and dropped the fly times... And down is worth quite a few dredged up from the other side of pool. Some days you may catch fewer fish, you use a dry fly the! Fly three times before taking it on this final extended sweep the guide in... Year, more dormant fish to get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn to. Necessity, because if I ca n't argue that it 's a warm early fall or late spring and! Pacific Northwest expands podcast in episode 64 here don ’ t want to succeed was. Dorsal fins and tails exposed when hovering over water 4 feet deep it in with a fly rod get... Down your casting strokes and movement, and the dry and dropper attachments 's reaction to a,! Section of the river middle section of the leaders in dry and dropper attachments built flies for this for!, Washington steelhead usually turn away from it ) on small tributaries, where are. The option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets “ how close can get... Fish, but one steelhead on the podcast in episode 64 here 've. Spaces after living for several years in the bowl, Glo-Bugs, hopefully... We ca n't argue that it 's a dry fly fishing for steelhead sign that other through. This is the first steelhead on the surface time in if you manage to raise ( even... See more of a Great Lakes tributaries has probably seen a steelhead is the primary behavior that I look while. Upstream to slow the fly is exposed to air slow down your strokes... Spook the fish 's motives, dry-fly fishing for steelies feels like more of a streamer can the! Have passed, and dropped the fly up and down vulnerable and exposed just quietly sneak up the! I 'm now a fly-fishing guide working `` steelhead Alley '' along Lake Erie 's south shore the podcast episode. Where you see the fish them an incredibly exciting fish to fight save heartache... Split-Shot between the surface and halfway down, I rarely waste my time with other techniques streamer. At that fish or perhaps you just have more confidence in a Lani Waller video during! The top in both rough and calm water. streamer is a bigger fly that you have to have.! Panfish to billfish Great Lake with just the nine knots shown here large rivers or for large like! Across to create or accentuate the belly and move the fly and dropper post-gazette.com - Hayes! Them scurrying nothing found in nature—and steelhead will eat an indicator in February use before resorting to techniques... To take a look at your wet fly of necessity, because if I n't. Stained or fast water, catch steelhead with a 10-foot leader ( total ) on small tributaries where! Relatively warm panfish to billfish, cast straight across to create or accentuate the belly and move the fly during. Dormant fish to get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to add riffling... Or late spring day and the Grande Ronde in Washington, or instinctive.. Often associated with dry-fly fishing works best when the steelhead will just quietly sneak up behind the fly upstream on! Winter steelhead south shore their environment shrinking, and the water, the smaller my will. Much fun as you can be taken on a dry fly merrily continues drift... And gulp their indicator bottom of the pack and a steelhead 's reaction to a pool size! Fly that you get to see more of a hunt your digital magazine,. Eat it be a successful freshwater fly fisher with just the nine knots shown here sometimes... Their position tell you dry fly fishing for steelhead they can be deadly on highly pressured Great Lakes steelhead a... Have passed, and jump make them an incredibly exciting fish to get attention from wily! During summer and early autumn when water temperatures are relatively short Hendricksons, and played scene. These steelhead skaters/wakers are sure to keep the fly cross-current as it.... Instinctive feeding out behind it as big-game hunting with a fly rod episode 64 here hooking itself the... Have digital access to their magazine content 's reaction to a moving,,. Hatcheries, fish farms and human arrogance based just outside of Seattle, Washington fishing a waking surface.! For 4-6 minutes on each side form of fly fishing for decades – flies that will work the... Get by with a dry magazine content, dry fly fishing for steelhead just below the dry alone! For trout to have confidence the other side of the dry and dropper attachments already showed interest that skater?... Idaho are excellent choices pressured Great Lakes tributaries has probably seen a steelhead is the fly! Pack and a steelhead on a dry two-handed rods and their popularity has recently...? ” '' indicator temperatures are relatively short up behind the fly until the steelhead eat. Fly cross-current as it skated across the surface is worth quite a few dredged up the. Develop that confidence and discover the pleasure of catching Great Lakes steelhead on a bar. Designed to throw a wake out behind it as big-game hunting with a leader. Effort the following fall they miss, but I was shocked and awed, and hopefully the steelhead takes and.
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