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[Colersmom]

Hi People,

What flies would you guys recommend for steelhead?

Thanks

[coastangler]

There are BC steelhead staple patterns like the General Practitioner which are very popular but I personally don't think the fly pattern is as important as how you present the fly or knowing where the few returning fish hold. Also depending on the river system that you fish probably changes things a lot. You can probably catch a Winter Steelhead on any fly (people even catch them on dries on certain BC systems) in rivers where returns are more abundant and fish are less pressured. In the Lower Mainland I usually go with the same patterns that I would use for Coho, and if the water is high/dirty then I may go with something bigger like a black/purple/pink big intruder. It also really depends on the style that you fish. Casting a big intruder is hard on a one hand rod so using a two handed Skagit system helps you cast those bigger flies. I always have better luck on sparser flies, but maybe this is because my technique is not good enough to get those big flies down.

Michael & Young or Pacific Angler can also help you with specific patterns depending where you are going and current conditions. If you really want to catch steelhead for the first time on the fly also probably your best shot is hiring a guide. Good luck!

[RalphH]

there have been some other posts on this topic so try a search. one fly that has worked very well for me the last several years is a Hobo Spey in blue and black. The Hobo spey is a style and can be tied in a variety of colors.

The General Practitioner or GP has also been successful for me. Originally tie for Atlantic Salmon it can be tricky to tie but there has been simplified versions. It supposedly imitates a prawn.

Any pattern that uses marabou will work and for years I just used a fly with marabou tied or wound on the hook. Two good patterns that use marabou are Cook's Show Girl and the Popsicle. The are very similar patterns.

How to tie a Popsicle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-f5W0kkN7x0

Since you were asking about steelhead in the Stave I assume you might want patterns for there?

I'd suggest a wooly bugger in sizes 4 to 8 either black or in the egg sucking variation which just has a turn or 2 hot orange or pink chenille right at the front. These will catch cutthroat or steelhead.

The big trick is getting the fly deep enough for steelhead . You will need a fast or extra fast sinking sink tip of about 12 to 15 feet.

[jim]

#1 hook, heavy wire.
white wool for the tail, pink wool for a throat hackle, medium orange chennile for the body.
red bucktail overwing.
Keep the fly proportions balanced.

[Preliator]

A little late to the party, but I had good success with a Devin Olsen Space-X Nymph. Of course most people aren’t euronymphing for them, but that’s what’s worked for me.

[jim]

I wonder what those look like?