#657265 - 01/24/11 11:32 PM
Re: New to Flyfishing Steelhead.
[Re: Salmo g.]
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Free Prostate Exams
Registered: 01/06/10
Posts: 1566
Loc: Sequim
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[quote=
>1. as small as a 6 mm bead to as large as a 6" MOAL;
Works for me. This range gives us a range to play. I am going to tie up some bugs from 6 to 1/0 and see if I can figure out how to post them. Copper Johns through Prince Nymph's and Mega Princes, and the usual suspects but on big hooks .
Should be fun!!
>2. yes, thank you.
Way cool, way cool . Doing a happy dance for Dad, and Mom as well. Warmest Regards.
>3. ". . . So, I ask, how do we get better at fishing Nymphs for Steelies?
does this make me cheap? 8^)"
>No, it doesn't make you cheap. It makes you "nymph curious" (what I am) or more in need of catching a steelhead than in maximizing the sport in pursuing one.
Yes, Nymph curious. Bugs at play.
>Calling steelhead "steelies" kinda' makes you cheap, IMHO tho, more derogatory than a term of endearment.
I am cheap, but not real cheap. Steelies stays in my vocabulary for now. Been using the term since 1978, not gonna change quickly.
>4. about that book: Blashphemy! Clearly more focused on the result than the pursuit, might as well employ a spinning rod and reel.
Noted and respected.
>I reiterate, anyone who "needs" to catch a steelhead ought not fly fish for them. It simply doesn't make sense. Fly fishing for steelhead is simply about obtaining the maximum sport for the effort expended, and while catching steelhead is a priority, it's not as high a priority as catching one under one's own terms of limited effectiveness.
Sg [/quote]
Good Stuff!
Edited by Doctor Rick (01/24/11 11:41 PM)
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#657266 - 01/24/11 11:33 PM
Re: New to Flyfishing Steelhead.
[Re: Salmo g.]
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River Nutrients
Registered: 01/13/07
Posts: 3444
Loc: Pasco Bulldog country
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Magicfly
Fly fishing is not the method of choice for people who NEED to catch a steelhead.
Sg
For give me for saying this.... I'm not a purist by no means . I'm a Steelhead junkie. My fix of choice, is a swung wet fly grab period I've caught em from corky's & yarn, eggs, and spinners. It's an addiction I know, but I'm seldom ever satisfied. Which constitutes fishing every weekend from July to Nov. Only the agonizing cold drives me to stop. Call me what you will but I speak the truth. Peace. Mf
_________________________
Born again with IRON MAIDEN!
"Go hard, today Can't worry the past, coz that yesterday". GO COUGS!!!
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#657267 - 01/24/11 11:52 PM
Re: New to Flyfishing Steelhead.
[Re: Magicfly]
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Free Prostate Exams
Registered: 01/06/10
Posts: 1566
Loc: Sequim
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Magicfly
Fly fishing is not the method of choice for people who NEED to catch a steelhead.
Sg
For give me for saying this.... I'm not a purist by no means . I'm a Steelhead junkie. My fix of choice, is a swung wet fly grab period I've caught em from corky's & yarn, eggs, and spinners. It's an addiction I know, but I'm seldom ever satisfied. Which constitutes fishing every weekend from July to Nov. Only the agonizing cold drives me to stop. Call me what you will but I speak the truth. Peace. Mf Personally speaking, catching these critters on the swing, regardless of method, gives the most immediate high. True for corkie and yarn, bug, or spoon. But My preference is on the drift, regardless of method, since it pokes at my inadequacies to make me a better fisher. I love to feel the snag that isn't a snag. Almost happier than a spoon take down. The engagement for me is real and immediate. Keeps me focused. I think this is where personalities comes in to play for types of fun and satisfaction. Tight Lines!
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#657268 - 01/25/11 12:01 AM
Re: New to Flyfishing Steelhead.
[Re: Doctor Rick]
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River Nutrients
Registered: 01/13/07
Posts: 3444
Loc: Pasco Bulldog country
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There's something intimate about throwing a dry line, and knowing from the slightest tick, to a heart pounding boil....is a fish. I probably won't learn to skate a fly until I retire. Because time is precious and from what I've seen it takes too much discipline.  Mf
_________________________
Born again with IRON MAIDEN!
"Go hard, today Can't worry the past, coz that yesterday". GO COUGS!!!
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#657289 - 01/25/11 12:28 AM
Re: New to Flyfishing Steelhead.
[Re: Salmo g.]
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Free Prostate Exams
Registered: 01/06/10
Posts: 1566
Loc: Sequim
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S. salar,
I would care only if I believed there were a correlation. And at my age and as much as I would nymph, the loss would barely be noticeable.
Magicfly & Chuck S.,
Fly fishing is not the method of choice for people who NEED to catch a steelhead. If I needed to catch a steelhead, I would use a gillnet or blasting caps for their superior effectiveness. But I fish steelhead for sport, and fly fishing - not nymphing - yields the highest sport. Nymphing and bait fishing are crutches, better suited to anglers more in need of catching than rather than maximizing sport.
DR,
1. as small as a 6 mm bead to as large as a 6" MOAL;
2. yes, thank you.
3. ". . . So, I ask, how do we get better at fishing Nymphs for Steelies?
does this make me cheap? 8^)" No, it doesn't make you cheap. It makes you "nymph curious" (what I am) or more in need of catching a steelhead than in maximizing the sport in pursuing one. Calling steelhead "steelies" kinda' makes you cheap, IMHO tho, more derogatory than a term of endearment.
4. about that book: Blashphemy! Clearly more focused on the result than the pursuit, might as well employ a spinning rod and reel.
I reiterate, anyone who "needs" to catch a steelhead ought not fly fish for them. It simply doesn't make sense. Fly fishing for steelhead is simply about obtaining the maximum sport for the effort expended, and while catching steelhead is a priority, it's not as high a priority as catching one under one's own terms of limited effectiveness.
Sg Can i change change my mind? I don't have to use the term steelies at all, but which term should I use?
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#657293 - 01/25/11 12:31 AM
Re: New to Flyfishing Steelhead.
[Re: Magicfly]
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Free Prostate Exams
Registered: 01/06/10
Posts: 1566
Loc: Sequim
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There's something intimate about throwing a dry line, and knowing from the slightest tick, to a heart pounding boil....is a fish. I probably won't learn to skate a fly until I retire. Because time is precious and from what I've seen it takes too much discipline. Mf Yes, and sensing a soft wet pick up is at the top of my skill level as it is.
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#657377 - 01/25/11 01:26 PM
Re: New to Flyfishing Steelhead.
[Re: Doctor Rick]
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River Nutrients
Registered: 03/08/99
Posts: 13523
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DR,
They are steelhead. Steelies, steelface, metalhead are all lowbrow, which is consistent with and OK if fishing with lowbrow methods. Fishing the swing for steelhead is high falutin', so no lowbrow terms are allowed when so engaged.
MF,
Skating a dry isn't difficult, just more work. I can do it, and love the surface take, but I fish in part to relaxe. It's more relaxing to fish a wet fly on the swing and stare at the birds, sky, and other surroundings than it is to pay continuous attention to the skating fly. If I weren't lazy, I'd skate more.
Sg
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#657456 - 01/25/11 05:32 PM
Re: New to Flyfishing Steelhead.
[Re: Salmo g.]
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River Nutrients
Registered: 10/28/09
Posts: 3314
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My personal experience confirms Sg's suspicion that nymphing allows a fly angler to fish a wider range of holding water more effectively than a swing setup alone. Most of our steelhead rivers have only a limited number of runs/tailouts that consistently hold fish and are structured so that they will swing effectively. Depending on the river, there may be literally miles between those most ideal of holding areas, and there is generally a lot of different water in between that holds fish that can be reached, if only by less civilized means. This, in my mind, is the best argument for learning to fish "nymphs," and it is why I usually carry both a swinging and a nymphing setup with me on the river. There is a decided downside to this rule in that it requires me to do a lot of backtracking to pick up the rod I didn't use in a given situation before I can move on to the next spot, but it's a price I'm willing to pay for a better chance at success on a given day.
No matter what your preferred approach may be, your biggest keys to success (with credit to others' comments) will likely be finding fish that are in water you can effectively fish, presenting something (anything?) the way they want it, and maintaining good knots and sharp hooks. A lot like fishing gear, really.
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#657501 - 01/25/11 10:00 PM
Re: New to Flyfishing Steelhead.
[Re: Magicfly]
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ExtenZe Field Tester
Registered: 11/10/09
Posts: 8060
Loc: Vancouver, WA
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There's something intimate about throwing a dry line, and knowing from the slightest tick, to a heart pounding boil....is a fish. I probably won't learn to skate a fly until I retire. Because time is precious and from what I've seen it takes too much discipline. Mf There are times when October Caddis adults are about and it's o-dark early, no wind, first pass. I would think that something properly skating would be a legit menu item for Mr. Big under these conditions.
_________________________
NO STEP ON SNEK
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#657505 - 01/25/11 10:16 PM
Re: New to Flyfishing Steelhead.
[Re: Direct-Drive]
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River Nutrients
Registered: 03/08/99
Posts: 13523
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FF02,
It really depends on the river. Generally speaking, if one can write generally about something as intricately specific as steelhead fly fishing, larger rivers, such as the Skagit, Sauk, Sky, the Hoh and others, fish the swing effectively and more efficiently than nymphing. The swing covers large and broad holding water much faster than can be done by nymphing. Nymphing excels where the holding water is a narrow slot, and especially so if it is also relatively deeper and swifter than the surrounding water.
That water that doesn't fish the swing well used to be called "conservation drifts."
DD,
OC adults are usually more active in the evening, making fishing until "fish dark" very productive. Not to say OC aren't out and about in the morning, but among bugs, OC aren't "morning people." And when conditions are right, steelhead really like 'em.
Sg
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#657535 - 01/25/11 11:24 PM
Re: New to Flyfishing Steelhead.
[Re: Salmo g.]
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Free Prostate Exams
Registered: 01/06/10
Posts: 1566
Loc: Sequim
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DR,
They are steelhead. Steelies, steelface, metalhead are all lowbrow, which is consistent with and OK if fishing with lowbrow methods. Fishing the swing for steelhead is high falutin', so no lowbrow terms are allowed when so engaged.
MF,
Skating a dry isn't difficult, just more work. I can do it, and love the surface take, but I fish in part to relaxe. It's more relaxing to fish a wet fly on the swing and stare at the birds, sky, and other surroundings than it is to pay continuous attention to the skating fly. If I weren't lazy, I'd skate more.
Sg Geez Louize, Sg,, I missed the humor the first time. Sometimes I can be a little too literal. I went to a "flyfishing seminar" weekend 3 years ago in Eugene and thought I was on another planet. Here were these uber tweedy dudes smokin and jokin with the boys from deliverance, everybody drooling over the latest and greatest current set up. I couldn't believe it. You are so right about staring at the birds, sky and other surroundings. Pretty sure I have missed a few pickups. I just don't want to broach the boat!
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#657699 - 01/26/11 02:57 PM
Re: New to Flyfishing Steelhead.
[Re: Doctor Rick]
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River Nutrients
Registered: 10/28/09
Posts: 3314
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Sg:
No argument there. No two rivers are the same. I also generally agree with your generalizations. If I'm limited to one setup on the Lower Hoh, while it does have a lot of sneaky lies that can only be reached effectively by nymphing, I'm packing a spey rod, a set of sink tips, and some big, bright flies. On the Sol Duc, while it does have some great swing water (especially lower down), I'll opt for a nymphing setup.
Thankfully, nobody forces me to opt for one or the other, so I bring 'em both (generally speaking, of course) for maximum coverage.
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#657780 - 01/26/11 07:24 PM
Re: New to Flyfishing Steelhead.
[Re: Salmo g.]
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Spawner
Registered: 03/02/08
Posts: 814
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DR,
Why some of my best lowbrow friends fish ... worms even.
Sg pink worms???
_________________________
Sam
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#657798 - 01/26/11 08:16 PM
Re: New to Flyfishing Steelhead.
[Re: SRoffe]
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Returning Adult
Registered: 01/08/02
Posts: 268
Loc: Lake Goodwin
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Skating dries is my preferred method. The unpredictability and excitement of the surface take is the drug I can't get enough of! Sometimes the fly just disappears with a dimple and other times there's an explosion like somebody threw a boulder in the river. Even had a fish take once jumping straight up like a missile launching. Detecting the take is not an issue....the hardest thing to do is what you should do when you see the strike....nothing! Wait until the fish starts to pull and you got him. Real bugs aren't tied to a line and if you strike too soon you will usually pull the fly away (been there, done that). If the water conditions are clear and relatively warm (high 40's or more) it is a great way to hook a summer steelhead. Don't avoid trying it because you think it is difficult.
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