from 07/24 The
Fly Fishing Shop Insider)
WHY STEELHEAD EAT FLIES (motion & commotion)
Feeling the strike from a steelhead always gives the angler a shot of adrenalin. Seeing the strike is even more of a rush. Fishing surface flies for steelhead can be a highly visual experience. Some anglers are so addicted to surface takes that they have given up the sunk fly altogether and even though they know that only the most
aggressive fish will play their game, they feel that quality is more important than quantity. The great thing about fly fishing is that you can play the game any way you want to.
There is little doubt that the closer you present your fly to the end of the fish that eats, the more fish will eat it. It is a matter of convenience. This gives the sunk fly a distinct advantage most of the time. However, surface fishing for steelhead can be very productive during certain water conditions. These conditions happen on most rivers during the summer months when water temperatures and flows are moderate. Rivers, which contain a high percentage of wild steelhead from June through October, are the best bet. Wild steelhead seem more prone to rise to the surface than do hatchery fish. To Top
Surface flies for steelhead are usually presented down stream of the angler and allowed to drag across the surface of the flow. The fly is fished under tension from the line and leader. The fly leaves a wake like a small boat. For some reason this wake will induce some steelhead to strike. There could be several reasons for this. The wake is very visible from under water and serves to attract attention visually. Also steelhead like bass and many other game fish have a refined sense of hearing both with an inner ear and nerves along the lateral line. Like the bass popper, the waking fly makes a disturbance that is audible to the fish, but of course much more subtle. Waking flies usually work best where the surface of the water is smooth. This is because the fly is more visible under these conditions and because there is less background noise from turbulent water.
Like bass, steelhead are territorial and will grab a fly just to
exert dominance. However, steelhead are much more timid than
bass. Therefore steelhead flies are designed to create less
disturbance than bass flies. I know of several steelhead that
have been taken on small bass flies popped across the surface. In
each case the strikes were amazingly vicious. Is there a new sport
brewing; popper fishing for steelhead? Time
will tell how successful it might be. The indications are that it
is worth a try.
INFORMATION on Local
|Sage offers 11 models of two hand fly rods. You can buy everyone on-line from us. The hot new rod for summer fishing is the 6126-3. It is a 12' 6" rod that balances well with a To Top Windcutter 6/7/8 fly line. It fishes floating and sinking tip lines equally well and may be the new standard for the Deschutes.|
Why We Love The Cascade Lakes
|Are there more than one specie of giant burrowing may fly in our local lakes? I would seem so. We have found two distinctly different sizes and at least one color variation. Some of our local lakes can be fun at dark. If you want to know more about Hexagenia hatches click here. To Top|
Through August, September and
October the "Insider" might get smaller.
Ross Gunnison & Cimarron Reel Spools
The Ross Reel Company has announced that it will continue to produce spools for its very popular pre-1998 series of durable reels for a while longer. Now is the time to buy!
|* If you own a Ross Gunnison or Cimarron Fly Reel that does not change from left to right hand wind in the spool it is pre-1998 design. Ross is tops in warranty service. To Top|
|The days are warm and sunny. The evenings are soft and cool. Streams in the upper basin are approaching their summer low flows. The trout are growing fat on an endless procession of hatches. They are wary though and will make you earn them. Fish small dry flies, drag free. To Top|
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The Fly Fishing Shop, Welches, OR