Fly Fishing

kory_k · Location: New York, NY

Steelhead season is right around the corner on the east coast and has already started on the west coast. I love chasing chromers so it has got me thinking about steelhead flies. I want to start tying and getting ready and it has me thinking about new patterns or new twists on old patterns. I have a few go to flies that I seem to always gravitate to regardless of the new flies that I have in my box. Now there are two ways to fish for steelhead, you can nymph or swing flies. Despite the never ending debate about which one is better, why you should do one over the other etc etc. the truth for me is that I like to catch them both ways depending on the scenario and circumstance. That said, with egg patterns and nymphing it is usually just a matter of finding the right color rather than pattern so here i am just talking about wet flies. I am more about how the fly looks in the water, how it swims, how productive and how easy it is to tie while some people are more into elaborate and intricate flies. I just wanted to check in and see what other guys favorite fly patterns are for both techniques. Here are my top 3 patterns, what are yours?

My favorite 3 wet flies for swinging for steelhead:
1. Black or Purple leech
2. Boss
3. Green Butt Skunk

waterwhippa · Location: Upstate, NY

After having great success with nymphing and swinging flies for quite awhile, I think I'm gravitating towards the really dark side this season. Centerpin outfits and fresh roe...maybe even back trolling plugs with conventional gear also. Seriously

kory_k · Location: New York, NY

Whip,
WOW that is pretty bold! Not opposed to the center pin like we talked about on our trip to Washington last spring. As far as bait goes, not for me. Nothing against it just more fun to me to fool them on artificials. Would probably back troll a plug especially if there is a cooler full of beer on the boat. So out of curiosity what is your favorite cure for roe?

waterwhippa · Location: Upstate, NY

To be honest, I have never even handled roe. When we were fishing the tribs this spring I fished a dead drift egg pattern in front of a pinner with roe sacks and I hooked zero fish and he landed 7 or 8 right behind me, all the way down the run...remember that? That really peaked my interest, his buddy was on fire also using the deadly roe...maybe the loose trout eggs they were chumming with had something to do with it??

hookmeup · Location: Willoughby, OH

kory_k,

I'm a new guy on the site. Got turned on to you guys through the saltwater forum side, just got back from first trip to Naples sitefishing for snook. I am humbled. I am from N.E. Ohio, we fish the Lake Erie tribs soon. Alot of my buddies have gone to the "dark side" of centerpin as well. Also getting more popular is the speyrod on some of the larger water as well. Anyway my favorite patterns are also the "non-rocket science", easy to tie recipes. My one friend has given me some of his awesome spey patterns that I am simply afraid to use, they are works of art, I will loose them.

I have had the most success dead-drifting an egg pattern (sucker-spawn, crystal egg or blood dot) trailed by a nymph ( prince nymph or stone fly).
They usually hit the nymph first.

Now as far as swinging; the wollybugger is the real workhorse, very versatile. Also, leech patterns, sculpin, (any bait patterns). The trick is getting them down in front of their nose in that cold water boys and girls.

bfly · Location: Spencerport, NY

Great topic! It will be interesting to see what everyone comes up with. Aside from the popular egg patterns and standard nymphs. I like using woolly buggers and very simple woolly worm patterns. The woolly worms I will tie on a #10-#14 wet fly hook. And I keep them very simple. Just black hackle with a lightly dubbed body of black hare's ear dubbing. You could use standard black chenille too! I will also tie them in green (caddis) and ones with a bright red body, grizzly hackle and white yarn for tail. I have had success dead drifting them and swinging them through the middle of the water column with a sink tip for suspended fish. I will also experiment with tossing some bucktail streamers on my sink tip too! Great...now I'm all worked up! Even though our steelhead season won't get going till mid October out here in Western, NY. I'll be sitting at my vise tonight!!!!!!

KodiakCommando · Location: Kodiak, Alaska

Like many others here i use both techniques for steel but i much prefer swinging that dead drifting. Something about the violent take just get my juices flowing. That being said I still enjoy drifting and do it a lot especially if there are lots of coho salmon around because they will hammer a swung leech but generally stay away from a dead drifted glo bug.

any way my 3 favorite flies for dead drifting are as follows
glo bug
gormanns bead head egg
omlett

I also use beads a lot but don't consider them flies, although when i am using a fly rod with them i still think i am fly fishing

Swung flies
intruder
articulated bunny fly in natural or flesh colors
wool bugger and it's variations(esl, flashabugger etc...)

Joe_M · Location: Boston

When swinging flies I find myself tying on:
1) Bunny Leeches, they just come alive in the water. I like plain purple, white, or pink; blue over purple; egg sucking purple or white with orange, pink or red eggs; and I have always done really well with black and white double bunnies.
2) Big GP style prawns tied on shanks; I usually tie these dark blue, black, or pink.

If I'm nymphing:
1) glow bugs
2) red estaz copper john ( size 6 or 8 )
3) stone fly