Ok, what they all said is true, to a point. Yes, conventional gear is alot more successful in WA, only because it's the most widely used and accepted. I myself fish the majority of the time with my baitcasters. But I've always used my flyrods also. The main thing with using a flyrod here is knowing the conditions. Alot of the times do to heavy rains the water muddies up pretty quick. I've been pretty successful with my flyrods, and I suck as a caster. I just seem to be able to at least get it to the right spot. (hmmm, maybe I should get casting lessons from an FFF instructor).

But anyways, get the right flies and the off green to ginclear conditions and you're ready to go. In the green tinged water I like to use big bright flies, either imitating some sort of bait (shrimp, egg, etc) or just wild color flies (similar to spey flies). I like to use a sink tip flyline with a short leader of say 4-5 feet or so (no tippet, just a single one piece leader, I usually use a 4 foot piece of 12# ultragreen). I use the cortland ultrafast sink tip flyline. I use these setups for salmon and steelhead.

In summer flows, I use a floating or an intermediate sink tip with natural tone flies. Usually muddlers, wooley buggers in browns, blacks, greens, and misc wet flies. I also tie up some dries for summer runs also. Mostly earthtoned there too. Hard to describe the flies, most are my creation, but some are similiar to royal trudes and such.

I should clarify about being successful. I'm not completely successful with a flyrod, I'm alot better off then some though. If you know how to present correctly and know how to fish the slot it is as effective as using bait and plugs. I've personally sat in holes fishing along side 15 different guys and watch two fly rodders taking fish after fish. Just like back east, flyrods are the prefered and the acceptable rod for Atlantics, but slowly I do believe people are using baitrods (I know years ago it was flyfishing).

I'd have to suggest you use an 8/9wt for winter fish. An 8wt is a good all around outfit. With some of the heavy sink tips it's almost better to go to a 9wt. During the summer months I personally use a 7 wt, sometimes down to a 5wt.

Good luck.

Jerry

PS, Ironhead made a good point. It's hard to get a good spot to effectively throw a flyrod. I want to invest in a spey rod once my tax return comes. Makes it alot easier to fish a fly without having to have the backcast range a traditional flyrod needs.

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you haven't lived til you've rowed a cataraft. Friends don't let friends run Outcasts.

[This message has been edited by Steelheader69 (edited 02-03-2001).]