Some Advice Please

[Lawrence]

[Guest bigbadbrent]

lawrence, they're great flies.. but i gotta tell ya man, with my limited experience, but my long long LONNNNG chats with some serious steelheaders, ya gotta be tying intruders..

 

Ease of casting, extreme durability, a changeable hook (and a far better hook then you'll find on any of the hooks you'll normally find, if you're using a gammy for the truder), territorial and feeding instincts hit

 

 

If you wanna, i could swing by with some of my intruder stuff, they're a sinch to tie, they just take a long time

[DonAndersen]

L2K,

 

I Steelhead fish some and what I've found is that flies come in 2 broad categories. Bright & Dark.

Tied some orange/pink/lime things - forget the rotating eyeballs, exotic feathers, horns, tags and all that crap. Glob on some bright colored marabou. Ya got it.

As for the dark ones - globs of black marabou work fine. Maybe a black sparse hackle if your so inclined.

 

The reason that there are so many steelhead patterns is that there are few steelhead and they get exalted to levels as being hard to catch. Fresh fish are stupid. They are designed to eat everything that moves. Doesn't matter what. Fish that have been in the river and caught a number of times get tougher. Egg patterns and stone fly nymphs work just fine. Make sure that you check the regs for the water you intend to fish. FF only means no external weights & no indicators.

 

And lastly, be prepared to be skunked. For weeks @ a time. As there are so few fish, your chances of success are quite low. Still, there are some. Winter fish tend to be loggy although ever now and then one does get wired. The first few I caught, I might as well be fishing for walleye. Then one on the Cowichan changed all that. Ran a sack of line off, jumped and tossed the hook. Then I was hooked.

 

have fun - you've set yourself on a tough trail,

 

 

Don

[Ricinus]

A couple of things I would add to the mix are size and weight. Be sure to have some weighted flies because sometimes you have to get down on some fast water. Also have a variety of sizes because Steelhead can get spooky especially in clearer water.

 

Like Don said, the trick is finding the fish as there are not many of them, so figuring out where steelhead like to lie and being able to read the water are more important than fly selection.

 

It can be frustrating at first, but when you hook up you will know why people get obsessed about steelheading.

 

Remember they are just BIG Rainbow Trout.

 

Regards Mike

[OneMoreLastCast]

Don got it right on the nose with Light and Dark. Reason being that water clarity can drastically change thru-out the day and/or the trip, so you want to have both options available to suit the water clarity.

Definitely have different sizes and weights available as well. By changing to a fly one size bigger or smaller, or lighter/heavier, can make all the difference.

 

I personally love the "Intruder" style flies in various weights and sizes, but have always done well with the same old streamers I use on the Bow, so don't go too crazy tying "Steelhead" flies because you may end up tying a bunch of flies that either don't work, or you don't get a chance to use.

Purple, Pink and Black with Silver flash is my favorite color combo.

 

Make sure you have various egg patterns with you too. Single Glo-eggs and multi-egg sacs can both be deadly.

 

As Don said, Fly fishing only means no weight and idicators. The other part that people are getting caught with is external eyes tied onto hooks which by the regs is not allowed, so definitely check your regs.

 

Good luck

[Lawrence]

Brent

I have a smorsgaborg of intruder flies allready, all the materials (except on two colors of saddles) the hooks, the rings, the shanks. I have been tying these up before you went on youre trip.Just wanted a little variety

 

Don these flies are pretty much all marabou. I have some ideas allready for some brighter patterns, and I know about my chances about cathing these fish are pretty slim but its going to be a great endeavor and one hell of an experience

size 2 spey hook

Tag: Floss

Tail: marabou

Rib: Marabou in a dubbing loop

Body: Tinsel

First wing: Marabou

Second Wing: Squirrel

 

Missin, are you sure about the dumbell eyes tied onto a hook? I figured external would be split shot and eyes being wrapped under thread and dubbing would not exactly be external. I'm going to have the BC line and follow up on this,

thanks for the heads up!

[Guest bigbadbrent]

pray for crappy weather. Have you figured out what river you're going to go fish?

 

 

i shall also hope for rain and rain (but not enough to blow it out) and more rain for you.

[maxwell]

shes got lotsa snow and rain i here n there already starting dude, we got a few rivers we wish too check out...STOKED...lookin good lk...im already done my tying..will lend u my box when i pick ya up for some bow slayin tommorow..........

 

thanks for all the info dudes!

[OneMoreLastCast]

Missin, are you sure about the dumbell eyes tied onto a hook? I figured external would be split shot and eyes being wrapped under thread and dubbing would not exactly be external. I'm going to have the BC line and follow up on this,

thanks for the heads up!

 

As stupid and confusing as it is, by their definition, using external eyes on your flies is against the rules.

 

The definition of an "Artificial Fly" is: "A single point that is dressed only with fur, feathers, hair, textiles, tinsel and/or wire, and to which no external weight or attracting device is attached. Two or more hooks tied in tandom is not permitted. Where gear is restricted to artificial flies, floats and sinkers may be attached to the line"

 

The definition of "Fly Fishing" is: "Angling with a line to which only an artificial fly is attached, (Floats, sinkers or attracting devices may not be attached to the line).

 

The only reason I bring it up is because apparently they are going to start giving out fines for breaking these rules. The one thing they pointed out specifically was the "Eyes" on streamers.

 

I would just recommend looking closely at the regs for the area you are fishing and then ask someone that would know which of the definitions apply.

 

If the regs say "Artificial Fly only", then I would assume you could not use flies with eyes tied in, but could use Sinkers and an Indicator.

If the regs say "Fly Fishing only", then I would say that by the definition, you still can't use flies with eyes tied in and also can't use Sinkers or an indicator....

 

 

Also be careful in BC because the standard technique of using 2 or 3 flies at a time is not allowed in most places and they definitely enforce that one.

[Lawrence]

I just called the BC office to get some clarification on the subject and still waiting for a reply back. Thanks again for the insight, I currently have about twelve intruders and a few other patterns without dumbell eyes and weighted internally. So if that's the case then I should replace some of my streamer in my box.

[OneMoreLastCast]

Last year we used a different and cheap way to get deep without tying in big eyes when we went for big Bullies. I bought some of those oval shaped weights with the rubber insert used for bait fishing at Canadian Tire.

 

I pinched them onto the shank at the head and tied over them. Worked like a charm, but made it dangerous if the wind picked up.

 

When are you guys going?

[maxwell]

thanks for teh additional info brett..i remeber as a kid having too abid by them freakin rules..thank god for sinktips tho.....were heading out mid march.....

[Tako]

Yes, you can use dumbbell eyes on a fly in BC. Make sure you know which regulation you have to follow, whether it be "Fly fishing only" or "Artificial fly only" Most steel rivers are fly fish only I believe

 

Missin, I'd like to know who in creation told you that having eyes on a fly is illegal. Cause if it is, it's NEVER EVER been enforced.

[Guest bigbadbrent]

shes got lotsa snow and rain i here n there already starting dude, we got a few rivers we wish too check out...STOKED...lookin good lk...im already done my tying..will lend u my box when i pick ya up for some bow slayin tommorow..........

 

thanks for all the info dudes!

 

 

its not now that matters...

 

 

 

Then one on the Cowichan changed all that. Ran a sack of line off, jumped and tossed the hook. Then I was hooked.

 

Now that is what happened to me, same river and everything. It jumped 4 times, and i wasn't hooked into it after the first...i think i'll remember that fish for a long, long, long time.

 

I hope you guys get good timing, love to see some big steel come out to us rookie steelheaders

[Ricinus]

I just called the BC office to get some clarification on the subject and still waiting for a reply back. Thanks again for the insight, I currently have about twelve intruders and a few other patterns without dumbell eyes and weighted internally. So if that's the case then I should replace some of my streamer in my box.

 

Would you let us know what the reply is? I'm curious to hear the response.

 

Thanks Mike

[chew]

Yes, you can use dumbbell eyes on a fly in BC. Make sure you know which regulation you have to follow, whether it be "Fly fishing only" or "Artificial fly only" Most steel rivers are fly fish only I believe

 

Missin, I'd like to know who in creation told you that having eyes on a fly is illegal. Cause if it is, it's NEVER EVER been enforced.

 

I'm with Tako; I've never heard of dumbbell eyes being considered illegal on a fly in fly-only waters. If it's part of the dressing, it's kosher. I've fished a fair bit in BC, and it's never been an issue for me.

 

As far as most steelhead waters being fly-only, I would say otherwise. A fair number now have bait bans, but most are open to other types of gear (spoons, yarn, etc.). The Cowichan is the only fly-only stream I can think of off the top of my head. So, unless you guys will be hitting that river, I don't think it will be an issue for you either way.

[Guest bigbadbrent]

The Cowichan isn't fly only, it just has a fly-only stretch

[chew]

The Cowichan isn't fly only, it just has a fly-only stretch

 

Yeah, that's right, Brent. Thanks for the correction. Never fished it myself. Is any of the water below the fly-only stretch any good?

[Guest bigbadbrent]

All of the water was great looking water, and easy access was downstream of the fly-only stretch. If you know the shortcuts in, it wouldn't be too bad, but to get there for us newbies it was a 4km hike one way, in a foot of snow. It sucked, so we didn't bother doing it anymore.

 

However, it was a large case of the opposite side of the river being better, but the river was way to hard to cross unless you get to the few bridges, and even then you would be km's from the easy fly fishing stretchs.

 

The only fish i hit was in the run that was considered by the locals the best fly-fishing water, way downstream, out of the fly-only stretch.

 

 

Honestly, the hardest part of the entire thing was there was the over hanging trees and bush-wacking that would make getting from pool to pool a complete hell hole. and of course, the complete lack of rain and clouds

[Din]

The only fish i hit was in the run that was considered by the locals the best fly-fishing water, way downstream, out of the fly-only stretch.

Honestly, the hardest part of the entire thing was there was the over hanging trees and bush-wacking that would make getting from pool to pool a complete hell hole. and of course, the complete lack of rain and clouds

 

excuses excuses excuses.........

[Guest bigbadbrent]

lets me sleep at night

[Brownstone]

Nice flies LK .. I dunno about the dumbell eyes thing, the wording of the rules may sound like they are technically not allowed but, your allowed weight on the fly and line so whats the difference hmmmm..yeah i dunno another reason BC is "different" I guess. I say ask a few locals, if they fish 'em have at er

[Weedy1]

This may help with interpretation.

 

http://www.flybc.ca/forum/index.php?showto...;hl=regulations

[Tako]

Interesting thread weedy. I missed that one. Looks like our definition needs changing.....

[Weedy1]

Tako, Bc's regs have always sucked in one way or another. I remember being on the Island about 20 years ago wanting to fish an area around Nanaimo. The regs stated something along this line for a particular stretch of river "Fishing is allowed between the boulder located 100 feet south of the hydro tower crossing and downstream to that portion which flows north." I remember looking at this and thinking "WTF ? They don't want anyone fishing do they?" So I talked to a sporting goods guy that worked at Zellers (I think), who directed me to a guy he knew at Macmillan Bloedel, who in turn gave me the maps for the area (which I think they were required to do at the time), which in turn were found to have no useful information, which in turn led me to contact Macmillan Bloedel again to get the right maps. Then my buddy and I proceeded to follow the maps into the area only to find the logging roads had been altered thus not allowing access to where we wanted to go. Never fished BC for another 5 years or so.

The regs have definitely improved, or I've become wiser.