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[Xgolfman]

I'm learning and i know this is a fish of a thousand casts..but damn!!! this getting skunked sucks...I'm hearing that guys are catching a lot of fish on the fly now so i have some more questions i hope you don't mind answering? 

1. I've heard the fly isn't as important as the presentation...i.e. as long as you can get something in their face they will tend to bite it...How true is this??? and I've seen a lot of different patterns, tied most i think...I'm gravitating to "stinger" type set ups as they make sense to me with the floating hooks.
2. What flys do you have the most success with and maybe more importantly color works best???
3. This question has been bugging me the most...I've seen a lot of spey rods, almost to the exclusion of one handed fly rods, (me)...that said, for a one handed set up I'm fishing the Rio androm. advantage versa tips...I'm almost exclusively using the 7 foot sink tip section as the 15 foot section really dredges...I'm using a 3-5 foot leader....should i or would i be better off with the floating tip for winter steelies??? the 7 foot sink tip doesn't do any major dives but seems to keep the fly down a little better...i can run it through 2-3 foot water and not hang up with any current speed...SO what do you think on this???

Guess that's enough for now...I'm doing better on casting and can move the line good enough for what I'm doing...I'm reading the water better and moving through runs letting the swing work close and far..still nothing..so I'm either presenting the worst flys possible or I'm not doing something right...all help would be greatly appreciated..

[newsman]

Black, Pink, Purple. The recomendations I give my students is stick to Wooly Buggers or Wooly Worms because they work and are easy to tie. Squamish Poachers work closer to the salt and Popcylces seem to have an action that gets their attention. I personally like Black Stonefly Nymphs not that they work any better I just like the way they look. The other thing is to do a little hunting first and spot your fish, tuff call I know but if you fish blind you could fish dead all day and never know it. When you spot your target stay down steam and in a riffel the broken water makes you less vissable and the current will keepyour scent and sound vibrations behind you. Never approach a fish head on or from the side.

[Walter Q]

Well, to start with golfman,,, try to keep it simple, cause well, it is'nt as complicated as a lot make it out to be. Time on the water, and by that I mean, fish, fish ,fish.You have to first figure out the best water to fish with the fly, because not all of the Vedder's flow is perfect for your fly presentation. And you can also keep your fly choices to a minimum. "Bright day, bright fly,,,,dark day, dark fly"....is a simple rule that you can start with. I only use 3 flies basically for the vedder,, I just change the colours according to the type of day it is. You can't go wrong with black, purples, oranges, and pinks.

I also don't believe you don't have to "dredge" the bottem with your fly for results. I love to swing the fly and I like the fly to occasionally "tick" the bottem ,,,NOT snag the bottem. At the end of the swing,let your fly "hang" in the water directly below you for a few seconds. I connected with one yesterday using this method and it quickly bolts you into reality real quick like.

Myself,I still seem to be one of the few that has not gotten into the two handed rods yet. I can't seem to step away from single hander, and I don't see a need for it personally yet(okies, well maybe the odd day on the Thompson when I have the wind blowing the fly into my face). You should stick to a sink tip for now,until the weather warms a bit and the fish will get a little more aggresive. Once you hook your first steelie on the fly, it will all come to(well, maybe not ALL at once). You will realize that you are doing things right and have been for awhile, it's just sometimes the steelies are not cooperating with you. I spend a lot time on the water and there are times when I wish I had a drift rod,,, but once those fish start cooperating,,,,alll is good. Yesterday they starting cooperating after 11 previous visits this year without a touch. So don't worry, they will come,and when you do, you'll be glad you stuck with it.

If you see a grey/silver Silverado with a yellow beacon on top,,, feel free to introduce yourself golfman. I'll be tossing with that single hander of mine the rest of the week on the Vedder and I can help you out if with a couple of things if you would like.

[Xgolfman]

Many thanks guys...i trust both of your knowledge and will keep an eye open for you w.q. as well...i have some stonefly nymph patterns and try to toss them at least once a trip...been looking for them under rocks by the shore on the vedder but haven't spotted any yet..i did notice a lot of insects though starting to show up so thats a good sign...

I think i get stuck too much on one spot of section of the river and need to move more and find the better water...i also have watched intently the spey guys and can see that in the future sometime but i think my next purchase will end up being a 3 or 4 weight rod and reel so i can cover the summer fishing....

Ill keep plugging away, i love it even on the skunked days...it's just very satisfying...hope to see you out there and i'll pick your brain...thanks news. and w.q.

[newsman]

Your not the only one who is more than happy with his single hander Walter. I have two spey rods, both gifts, both collectors, and probably worth a fortune. I don't use them, one because I can't be bothered to take the time to learn how, and two because too many of the spey guys I have met are too high brow for my liking.

[mojoman]

, and two because too many of the spey guys I have met are too high brow for my liking.

yeah...some folks kin take a roll cast to a new level....huh???

mojo

[stickler]

Your not the only one who is more than happy with his single hander Walter. I have two spey rods, both gifts, both collectors, and probably worth a fortune. I don't use them, one because I can't be bothered to take the time to learn how, and two because too many of the spey guys I have met are too high brow for my liking.

I agree with you on this totally. I hiked down to a run on the Skeena above the Kispiox and there was a jet boat with clients fishing the run so I walked upstream and fiddled around. I watched a two fishers two handing it through the run, really nice distance casting, but by the time the swing was in force, the current had the sink tip close to the surface. They fished through the run with no luck. I walked down stream and started fishing with my single, third cast, 50 ft, swing, bang, buck in the mid teens. Steelhead sit out of the main current in a more comfortable flow. I may be a Luddite, I own a spey rod, but I haven't been turned to the dark side.

[Reservoir Dog]

I'm learning and i know this is a fish of a thousand casts..but damn!!! this getting skunked sucks...

Have you tried dynomite  although the results may very, but atleast you'll catch something....


FYI: I haven't caught anything all year on gear or anything else....

[Xgolfman]

I'm learning and i know this is a fish of a thousand casts..but damn!!! this getting skunked sucks...

Have you tried dynomite  although the results may very, but atleast you'll catch something....


FYI: I haven't caught anything all year on gear or anything else....

no but i was thinking of electric fishing...all you need is a car battery and a hanger...

[Reservoir Dog]

I'm learning and i know this is a fish of a thousand casts..but damn!!! this getting skunked sucks...

Have you tried dynomite  although the results may very, but atleast you'll catch something....


FYI: I haven't caught anything all year on gear or anything else....

no but i was thinking of electric fishing...all you need is a car battery and a hanger...

huh? Car battery & A hanger? This is a new form, aint never heard or it.... what exactly is the point? 12 volts isn't gonna do much..

[Eskimo]

You may want to keep your leader closer to the 3' length when using a sink tip.  A longer leader allows the fly to rise up farther from the bottom.  3 ' is plenty, even in clear water.  I am also a believer that colour doesn't matter that much, as long as the fly gets in front of the fish's face.  That said, I still seem to use mostly orange or black in the Vedder....

I didn't get a steelie for two whole seasons, but now seem to tie into a fish every couple of outings.  As was said earlier, once you get one, you'll realize that what you are doing works and with that kind of confidence you'll likely find more fish.

Hope this helps..

[Xgolfman]

You may want to keep your leader closer to the 3' length when using a sink tip.  A longer leader allows the fly to rise up farther from the bottom.  3 ' is plenty, even in clear water.  I am also a believer that colour doesn't matter that much, as long as the fly gets in front of the fish's face.  That said, I still seem to use mostly orange or black in the Vedder....

I didn't get a steelie for two whole seasons, but now seem to tie into a fish every couple of outings.  As was said earlier, once you get one, you'll realize that what you are doing works and with that kind of confidence you'll likely find more fish.

Hope this helps..

It does, many thanks, i'm glad to hear that it takes time..i feel i'm doing the right things but just not in the right spots...appreciate the tips.

[RalphH]

I think the best color is black. There is something of a cult around spey rods (I have one) but they do have some line control advantages. Distance casts are not an issue on the Vedder. Get that fly deep but more importantly avoid a downstream bow in the line. The fly should proceed the line. If there is a bow formed by the current preceeding the fly downstream the fly will go so fast no steelhead will grab it. The fly should be a foot or so above the fish but going as slowly as possibly. If you hanging up frequently you are fishing too deep. Steelhead hold a foot or more off the bottom. They are more likely to react to a fly at their level or somewhat above.

[steelheadjunkie]

Great advice from Ralph H. One of the most important things for winter steelhead is avoiding that downstream belly. I like my line to swing as straight as possible and as slow as possible. Also good advice on leaders but I like to use a little shorter, about 2ft of 15lb maxima pretty much for all conditions. I believe if you are fishing correctly(downstream,slow,tight) you could tie the fly directly to the sink tip because the fish mostly will see the fly from directly behind during the swing. Another thing is depth... what I like to do when i fish a new run is fish the heaviest stuff I have first and see if it hangs up or if it swings all the way in to shore without hanging up. If it hangs up keep going lighter until it swings across the entire flow and you can let it hang below you for 5-10 seconds at the end of the swing with little or no hang up. Alot of my steelhead have been taken at the end of the swing after letting the fly sit for 5 to 10 seconds before starting to strip line in for the next cast. Always look for walking speed water 3-6ft deep,and even flow,these are the areas where swinging flies on sink tips are most effective. Also I seem to get a better, slower ,presentation when i cast downstream at an angle rather than up, or directly across the stream. One quick way to hook a steelhead up on your fly rod would to be to dead drift an egg patern under a indictaor with some split shot. I have done some of that in the past and it is effective but for a while now I have only swung flies down and across for them. Fishing in this way is definatley much less productive for cold water steelhead because the fish most move some distance to attack the fly ,but the take of a fish on an already tight swung line is the most exciting I have experienced.

[Xgolfman]

Great advice from Ralph H. One of the most important things for winter steelhead is avoiding that downstream belly. I like my line to swing as straight as possible and as slow as possible. Also good advice on leaders but I like to use a little shorter, about 2ft of 15lb maxima pretty much for all conditions. I believe if you are fishing correctly(downstream,slow,tight) you could tie the fly directly to the sink tip because the fish mostly will see the fly from directly behind during the swing. Another thing is depth... what I like to do when i fish a new run is fish the heaviest stuff I have first and see if it hangs up or if it swings all the way in to shore without hanging up. If it hangs up keep going lighter until it swings across the entire flow and you can let it hang below you for 5-10 seconds at the end of the swing with little or no hang up. Alot of my steelhead have been taken at the end of the swing after letting the fly sit for 5 to 10 seconds before starting to strip line in for the next cast. Always look for walking speed water 3-6ft deep,and even flow,these are the areas where swinging flies on sink tips are most effective. Also I seem to get a better, slower ,presentation when i cast downstream at an angle rather than up, or directly across the stream. One quick way to hook a steelhead up on your fly rod would to be to dead drift an egg patern under a indictaor with some split shot. I have done some of that in the past and it is effective but for a while now I have only swung flies down and across for them. Fishing in this way is definatley much less productive for cold water steelhead because the fish most move some distance to attack the fly ,but the take of a fish on an already tight swung line is the most exciting I have experienced.

Thank you, both are excellent advice, I've wondered if i should go with a heavier sink tip first and then back to lighter ones and think on certain runs that would probably work better...I've taken my weights and indicators but haven't used them on the vedder as there is only a couple spots where i thought it might be slow enough. i did use that on the Nooksack and got two nice dolly's so that was cool but I'm with you in that it kind of defeats the purpose in a way and i really want to hook one on the swing...if i can that is...

OK, i will try these options next time out. Was going to be today, (weds.) but it's too nasty out for my blood so hopefully will be up on Friday to give it another chance...Many thanks!!!