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[mdc8427]

Looks like the 2nd year i a row so far with no sign of steelhead on the spey.
Anyone have any good advise for these little sobs (water type , color of flies ect )?    alot of time put out on the river and the second guessing of my tactics are in full effect.

Squamish and vedder are the main areas of focus.  ( not looking for locations )

[Flytech]

How many casts in those two years?

[HOOK]

water is low and super clear right now. Use smaller or drab coloured flies is usually a good place to start. I personally prefer to go with Olives, Tans, Whites.......etc and maybe mix in a little brightness to make it pop at this time of year when the water gets low and very clear.


I gave this fly to a buddy for when he headed out Thursday knowing he didn't have any flies for this clear water


and he ended up popping his cherry both first steelhead to the beach and first on the spey !! 


Just be patient and keep fishing and it'll happen for you

[bigsnag]

nice looking fly!!!

[ajransom]

Im starting to wonder if steelhead actually exist...

Nice fly! Maybe thats my problem - the flies I tie for steelhead are just plain crap.

[RalphH]

and he ended up popping his cherry both first steelhead to the beach and first on the spey !! 


Just be patient and keep fishing and it'll happen for you

hmm saw a fellow get on one the spey Wednesday and that could be the same place! So folks are catching a few.  Gear angler told me (nb: I carry both a spey rod and a CP rod with a small blade under float if space allows once down with the fly then quickly with the spinner is my tactic) a dozen or so were taken Tuesday in the bottom end but the river was pretty empty Wed.

FWIW in a number of years of trying on the V-C I've landed 2 steelies plus lost a few. Actually catch more fishing for cutthroat in some small streams around the valley than targeting them in Chilliwack.

[adecadelost]

As I'm sure you've heard steelhead fishing is all about finding the fish.  I'm going to assume you've likely fished for steel on gear so at least you know where to start looking.

The biggest mistake I see most spey guys doing is paying too much attention to their line.

Because we spend so much time managing line, and setting it up for our casts, we have a tendency to concentrate on it during the fishing part as well.  Often we throw out a nice long cast and marvel at it as it swings through the likely holding water.

Instead, pay attention to what your FLY is doing.  Don't just cast and swing, cast and swing.  A rapidly swung fly is incredibly fast and constant in it's speed.  It doesn't move or act like most naturals.  It can catch fish but usually only attracts the most aggressive ones. 
Cast to a likely line and set up a proper drift allowing your fly to get to the right depth and into the zone.  At the end allow it to swing a bit but start adding some strips to impart a bit more motion.  Work on mending, staying in contact with the fly, and proper presentation. 
Think about things like; what profile is my fly showing to a fish downstream? is it the profile i want? can i detect a take right now? What depth am I at?  Is my fly ahead of my line or my line getting ahead of the fly? Where will my drift end before the fly starts to race off in a swing?

Just like single hand flyfishing, it's about presenting as natural a fly as possible.  Don't spend too much time worrying about fly choice.  Steelhead will hit a giant 8" florescent pink worm, so don't let the fly occupy your doubts.  Often it's the ugliest of flies that catch the fish.  Work on good presentation and the fish will come.

[ByteMe]

As I'm sure you've heard steelhead fishing is all about finding the fish.  I'm going to assume you've likely fished for steel on gear so at least you know where to start looking.

The biggest mistake I see most spey guys doing is paying too much attention to their line.

Because we spend so much time managing line, and setting it up for our casts, we have a tendency to concentrate on it during the fishing part as well.  Often we throw out a nice long cast and marvel at it as it swings through the likely holding water.

Instead, pay attention to what your FLY is doing.  Don't just cast and swing, cast and swing.  A rapidly swung fly is incredibly fast and constant in it's speed.  It doesn't move or act like most naturals.  It can catch fish but usually only attracts the most aggressive ones. 
Cast to a likely line and set up a proper drift allowing your fly to get to the right depth and into the zone.  At the end allow it to swing a bit but start adding some strips to impart a bit more motion.  Work on mending, staying in contact with the fly, and proper presentation. 
Think about things like; what profile is my fly showing to a fish downstream? is it the profile i want? can i detect a take right now? What depth am I at?  Is my fly ahead of my line or my line getting ahead of the fly? Where will my drift end before the fly starts to race off in a swing?

Just like single hand flyfishing, it's about presenting as natural a fly as possible.  Don't spend too much time worrying about fly choice.  Steelhead will hit a giant 8" florescent pink worm, so don't let the fly occupy your doubts.  Often it's the ugliest of flies that catch the fish.  Work on good presentation and the fish will come.

no truer words spoken......in a nutshell.Also,for a good read pick up Jock Scott's book on Greaselining, it shows you how to present your fly broadside to the fish for a larger profile on the swing,a lot of tips on mending techniques,this was the one book that increased my catch ratio.I now basically only fish dry line even in the winter,it is amazing how deep you can sink your fly with correct mending

[RalphH]

FWIW I've had (and read) advice exactly opposite. Cast across and down, one mend to straighten things out, keep the line straight to the tip, swing with no further manipulation until it dangles downstream. Strip back slowly til the head is at the tip, step down and cast again. 

Wood (in Greased Line Fishing...) advised mending to keep the drift but the mend should not move the leader and fly.

[ByteMe]

FWIW I've had (and read) advice exactly opposite. Cast across and down, one mend to straighten things out, keep the line straight to the tip, swing with no further manipulation until it dangles downstream. Strip back slowly til the head is at the tip, step down and cast again. 

Wood (in Greased Line Fishing...) advised mending to keep the drift but the mend should not move the leader and fly.

Really??......how about the part when he leads the fly with the rod tip to achieve the broadside presentation after a downstream mend

[ajransom]

A lot comes down to how fast the fly is swung through   the current. In faster rivers just casting across and swinging results in a fly that rockets across the river high in the water column.

I think mending is useful to keep the fly moving slower and also down where the fish are. Slower rivers with more uniformed structure, just cast and swing seems to achieve both without mending.

[RalphH]

Really??......how about the part when he leads the fly with the rod tip to achieve the broadside presentation after a downstream mend

mending as Wood described (he is credited in developing the first mending techniques) is moving the line not the rod tip. The most common is the upstream mend that flips a section of the line upstream to avoid downstream drag. Wood apparently could an entire fly line and not effect the leader. There are other mends like the stack mend used in nymph fishing at an extreme downstream angle - simple flip or shake line out of the tip top allowing the fly to make a natural downstream drift. There also aerial mends like the reach cast or the dump or puddle cast.

[ByteMe]

mending as Wood described (he is credited in developing the first mending techniques) is moving the line not the rod tip. The most common is the upstream mend that flips a section of the line upstream to avoid downstream drag. Wood apparently could an entire fly line and not effect the leader. There are other mends like the stack mend used in nymph fishing at an extreme downstream angle - simple flip or shake line out of the tip top allowing the fly to make a natural downstream drift. There also aerial mends like the reach cast or the dump or puddle cast.

I understand what you are saying,as I too was taught the basics years ago of cast to 45 deg.,big mend and fish it out,never had too much success with it,always wondering where the tip was ,a lot of the new instructions out there today is for the broadside presentation.For the past couple of years I have been playing with that idea with a 55ft short belly floater  with 15ft of mono and weighted flies ,it is working better for me than with tips as my hookups are higher,each to their own I guess ..........best of all no stripping

[ByteMe]

A lot comes down to how fast the fly is swung through   the current. In faster rivers just casting across and swinging results in a fly that rockets across the river high in the water column.

I think mending is useful to keep the fly moving slower and also down where the fish are. Slower rivers with more uniformed structure, just cast and swing seems to achieve both without mending.

I agree

[RalphH]

here's a good article on mending and fly fishing for winter steelhead.

http://dougroseflyfishing.com/blog/?p=46

remember this stuff is for winter fish on the coast not summer or fall fish either on the coast or the interior. Some of the accomplished anglers from the last generation like Art Lingren tried the dry line big fly approach a la Bill McMillan on the Chilliwack but decided it was mostly unsuited as the V-C usually has a higher water volume and faster currents than smaller rivers like McMillan's home Washougal.
 

Byteme, are you using a straight 15 feet of say 10 or 12lb mono? Seems that will sink better than a tapered leader