monger Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 Is nymphing an acceptable practice for steelhead? I've never been so I don't have an opinion at this time. Lets hear some thoughts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taco Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 Works well specially if you stick the nymph in a roebag... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monger Posted October 10, 2011 Author Share Posted October 10, 2011 Agreed Taco, I hear real eggs caught a fish once. But what if you just used an "egg fly". I've never been steelheading and am just wondering what the experienced steelheaders think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricinus Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 I don't know if you would call me experienced like some, but it seems for some reason nymphing seems to be frowned on especially if you use a strike indicator. Everybody skates, greased line and swings, but not nymphing- don't know why. Having said that it would probably be damn effective in the right circumstances. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 420FLYFISHIN Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 its fround on because stuck ups think you should ONLY swing for them. It works really well, bead placed 6" above a gamu size 4= lights OUT or bead and 6 inches to a glow bug so you technically have a 2 "fly" rig with 1 hook Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykiss Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 I don't know if you would call me experienced like some, but it seems for some reason nymphing seems to be frowned on especially if you use a strike indicator. Everybody skates, greased line and swings, but not nymphing- don't know why. Having said that it would probably be damn effective in the right circumstances. Mike I'll bite...... I am what most people would call a "traditional" steelheader....Fish with a two-handed rod and do nothing but swing dries...swing greaselined.... and swing tips. 1. "Damn right effective" to "ME" is 1-2 fish a day...I can do that swinging traditional with a dry and or tips for summer, winter and spring run steel. I do not need to "slay" 5-10 steelhead every day I'm on the water...and will even get blanked more than I'd like to admit. 2. Watching someone nymph with a two-handed rod is like watching a dog #$%& a foot-ball....Well it may be "effective" at times for the angler to get off on.... it's an absolute train wreck to watch. 3. If your going to nymph do it right..Buy a drift rod..add gooy-bobs with a pencil float and knock your self out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykiss Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 its fround on because stuck ups think you should ONLY swing for them. It works really well, bead placed 6" above a gamu size 4= lights OUT or bead and 6 inches to a glow bug so you technically have a 2 "fly" rig with 1 hook Ha!!!.... it's rig ups like this that are a joke. Just do your self a favor get a drift rod...Its much easier to cast that hardwear all day long!!!! What do you use on the gammy??? Roe..Prawn....?????? Stick to hatchery fisheries like the vedder or the Mat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jeremie Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Never heard of fishing trout beads? The fish grabs the bead, indicator goes down and as you set the hook, the hook comes into place in the corner of the jaw. There is no bait. The steelhead swinging thing is like the whole dry fly purist thing, "If they dont do it my way, they aren't real fishermen" Throw a bead 6 inches up from your intruder... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykiss Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Never heard of fishing trout beads? The fish grabs the bead, indicator goes down and as you set the hook, the hook comes into place in the corner of the jaw. There is no bait. The steelhead swinging thing is like the whole dry fly purist thing, "If they dont do it my way, they aren't real fishermen" Throw a bead 6 inches up from your intruder... Jeremie you have shown and sound intelligent enough to know you do not know jack about steelheading..Please keep up the good work..I'll see this as an oversight on your behalf. And no I have never......ever.....ever fished with trout beads....and never....ever will....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acurrie Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 I'm no expect either, but I have found swinging big flies for summer run fish very effective. You can cover a lot of water fast, without missing any sections and it's damn fun. I have heard of guys nymphing in really low clear water (spooky fish) conditions, like they sometimes have high up on the Kispiox, but you rarely see anyone nymphing. Up in BC you do see the occassional gear guy, and they always say they do well, so if definitely works! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricinus Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Rightyyeegs- don't hold back, tell us how you really feel!! Just teasing... Mike I'll bite...... I am what most people would call a "traditional" steelheader....Fish with a two-handed rod and do nothing but swing dries...swing greaselined.... and swing tips. 1. "Damn right effective" to "ME" is 1-2 fish a day...I can do that swinging traditional with a dry and or tips for summer, winter and spring run steel. I do not need to "slay" 5-10 steelhead every day I'm on the water...and will even get blanked more than I'd like to admit. 2. Watching someone nymph with a two-handed rod is like watching a dog #$%& a foot-ball....Well it may be "effective" at times for the angler to get off on.... it's an absolute train wreck to watch. 3. If your going to nymph do it right..Buy a drift rod..add gooy-bobs with a pencil float and knock your self out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monger Posted October 11, 2011 Author Share Posted October 11, 2011 So using a single handed rod (or 2 handed), with a strike indicator and with some artificial "egg simulating" fly/lure sounds like it is against the "traditional method". I am curious about the reason why. Is it because it is far too effective and you end up catching too many fish (possibly injuring too many, native fish are too valuable to be caught so many times)?. Does it make the catching too easy? Kind of like nymphing for Cutthroats? Is the thrill of catching one on the swing worth the hours of waiting instead of "slaying" a bunch by an easier method? I'm not trying to start a riot...just want to know before I head out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxwell Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 monger i think u nailed it for me.. growing up reading all the stories about the tug or pull seeing all the fancy flies and now for me loving spey casting with double handed rods. its all about the experience! nymphing beats streamer fishing hands down anywere thats not hard too figure out. but if i wanted too nymph i would. for me its about the cast and the hunt and finding a good fish. looking for em stacked in a bucket eating eggs, stones, drakes, caddis etc isnt why i drive out there. i have buddies who do and yes they "beat" me in the numbers department and most of the locals in the west coast gear fish with spoons n glow bugs.. the PNW USA and great lakes dudes aswell cuz its all about numbers.. same with most of my clients/non locals i see here.. they come to dry fly fish for cutts not nymph up numbers... i think were people get really pissed off is when one who does it one day is getting "showed up" or looked down because he has less fish at the end of the week... ive bin there almost every trip!! i might get one or a few in a week while my buddies who nymph steelies average those numbers daily... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricinus Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Wish I could tell you why it is frowned upon, I really don't know other than guessing that's the way the fishery has evolved. As Rightyeegs said you can catch a lot more fish using other methods- it's just something about the take on a swing that is so fantastic---The Tug is the Drug. Mike So using a single handed rod (or 2 handed), with a strike indicator and with some artificial "egg simulating" fly/lure sounds like it is against the "traditional method". I am curious about the reason why. Is it because it is far too effective and you end up catching too many fish (possibly injuring too many, native fish are too valuable to be caught so many times)?. Does it make the catching too easy? Kind of like nymphing for Cutthroats? Is the thrill of catching one on the swing worth the hours of waiting instead of "slaying" a bunch by an easier method? I'm not trying to start a riot...just want to know before I head out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawgstoppah Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 If we were all "traditional" everywhere, you'd be doing nothing but down and across with a wet fly. That's how this world of fly fishing started. And a lot of people who revere steelhead try to fish that exact way. Traditional spey flies, down and across. The world of fly fishing has evolved though, or you'd never cast a dry, or a nymph (gasp)... So do what floats your boat..... if it's high sticking an egg fly through a run do it. If it's skating a dry for 'em do it. Just have fun ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
npauls Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Brian pretty much summed it up in my mind. Fish for them the way that you want as long as its legal. Fishing is about having fun, not pleasing others. I was yelled at by an old guy one day on a cutty stream because I had a nymph dropper under foam fly. I laughed at him and told him to have a nice day and kept hiking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcubed Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 They deserve a swung fly.. Don't cheapen the experience by 'having' to catch one.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monger Posted October 11, 2011 Author Share Posted October 11, 2011 Imagine a run was getting nymphed with a big orange indicator....and the steelhead were eating the indicator like they were starving. What fly would you put on and how would you fish it. Thanks for everyone's input so far Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayhad Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 I'd fish them with a (what ever colour the indicator is) Bomber or Air BC.... skate, skate, skate. if that doesn't work dead drift it like the drift an indicator would take Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykiss Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 My morning thoughts on this...... Steelheading is not a numbers game and NEVER should be...It is NOT suppose to be easy and that is what makes it unique. When I'm on the water its usually at least a 12 hour shift....For that 12 hours I'm casting for roughly 8 hours... I don't want to cast a bobber, split shot and other gawdly device's that have been metioned here for 8 hours with a two-handed rod and or single hander. If I wanted to fish that way I'd get a drift rod center pin reel and do it right and save my arm and shoulder. My thoughts on the swing..waking a dry and seeing that big head pop out right behind your waker and seeing it disappear could be better than sex...Maybe.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayhad Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 My morning thoughts on this...... Steelheading is not a numbers game and NEVER should be... That could be argued (From General Money's game book, of the Stamp, all of which were whacked In a note written in his game book on October 14, 1922, the General commented on the fishing he experienced in this uncrowded land: "A grand season 77 fish, averaging just under 7 pounds Rightyeegs, I tend to agree with you, just providing food for thought. If you have never fished for steel, you may think of fishing eggs as an acceptable method, I peg beads pretty much the same deal.. BUT not for steelhead, that's my choice. If someone fishes steels with beads they probably won't do it for long..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PGK Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgyguy Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Didn't read all your guys' junk, but, if you're a hard up for numbers douchebag, by all means, float beads or nymphs. But do it with a centrepin. Cause doing it with a flyrod is pathetic and stupid. If you wanna float fish, use a float rod. If you want to have a real steelheading experience, swing flies. Douchebag??? Junk??? Pathetic?? Stupid?? Nice read........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericlin0122 Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Didn't read all your guys' junk, but, if you're a hard up for numbers douchebag, by all means, float beads or nymphs. But do it with a centrepin. Cause doing it with a flyrod is pathetic and stupid. If you wanna float fish, use a float rod. If you want to have a real steelheading experience, swing flies. He has a point... If you wanna nymph steelhead effectively, then use a centerpin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 420FLYFISHIN Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 bahahaha, i find this incredibly funny to read...Edit name calling steelhead "purists". WHAT, you dont use purple and pink!! its the ONLY thing they hit....no one going to post the 2 bears cartoon when it comes down to it dont let other people tell you how to #$@* your wife and cook your beef! p.s nothing on the gamu but the red paint, Edit name calling, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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