Bill Kiene semi-retired
10-25-2012, 08:58 AM
......for fall adult Steelhead in Nor Cal and Oregon? Not BC.......
Jason Hartwick recommends 8# Maxima Ultragreen as the lightest tippet for swinging flies for adult Steelhead.
In early November of 1981 Joe Shirshac and I hit the Trinity River really right on after a big storm. The steelhead were so thick and so fresh and so hot they were braking us off on 6# Maxima Ultragreen so we went to 8#. Some of that 8 m/m movie footage Joe took of me on that trip is in the movie, Rivers of a Lost Coast.
Joe Shrishac, Frank Pullen, Mel Jeffs and I were at the Ice Cream Riffle on the Klamath River in October in the 1970s where the larger fresh adult (6#-8#) Steelhead were breaking us off on 6# Maxima so went to 8#.
Back in old days, 1970s, Al Perryman told me that he use to buy small bulk spools of Maxima Ultragreen in 6, 8 and 10 pound test. He used 6 and 8 for coastal Steelhead and 8 and 10 for tide water salmon depending on the conditions.
Some years ago Joe Shirshac took tons of people to the Brooks River in Alaska in July for the big run of fresh Sokeye Salmon. These fish were plentiful and hard fighters. Joe finally descided that 8# Maxima Ultragreen was the right size to use because it would hold the fish but when the big Brown Bears came after your fish you could still break them off. Anything heavier than 8# was too hard to break off.
We had one of Joe's buddies come back into the shop with only the cork grip and reel and a little backing left after a bear incounter there. He said he ran away from the bear and he had heavier tippet and could not break it off so the rod finally broke just above the cork and he cut the backing loosing his fly line too. While telling us that story his eyes were still petty big.....
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I am sure that some use very large tippet (15# Maxima) for really big hot wild steelhead, especially in the winter on a big river.
Using lighter tippet than necessary to get bit is not the way to go either....
Naturally, while indicator nymphing for Steelhead you might use smaller diameter tippet than this and for casting trout flies on a trout outfit for Half-pounders you an use a smaller (3x FC) tippet too.
Tell me a story.........
.
Jason Hartwick recommends 8# Maxima Ultragreen as the lightest tippet for swinging flies for adult Steelhead.
In early November of 1981 Joe Shirshac and I hit the Trinity River really right on after a big storm. The steelhead were so thick and so fresh and so hot they were braking us off on 6# Maxima Ultragreen so we went to 8#. Some of that 8 m/m movie footage Joe took of me on that trip is in the movie, Rivers of a Lost Coast.
Joe Shrishac, Frank Pullen, Mel Jeffs and I were at the Ice Cream Riffle on the Klamath River in October in the 1970s where the larger fresh adult (6#-8#) Steelhead were breaking us off on 6# Maxima so went to 8#.
Back in old days, 1970s, Al Perryman told me that he use to buy small bulk spools of Maxima Ultragreen in 6, 8 and 10 pound test. He used 6 and 8 for coastal Steelhead and 8 and 10 for tide water salmon depending on the conditions.
Some years ago Joe Shirshac took tons of people to the Brooks River in Alaska in July for the big run of fresh Sokeye Salmon. These fish were plentiful and hard fighters. Joe finally descided that 8# Maxima Ultragreen was the right size to use because it would hold the fish but when the big Brown Bears came after your fish you could still break them off. Anything heavier than 8# was too hard to break off.
We had one of Joe's buddies come back into the shop with only the cork grip and reel and a little backing left after a bear incounter there. He said he ran away from the bear and he had heavier tippet and could not break it off so the rod finally broke just above the cork and he cut the backing loosing his fly line too. While telling us that story his eyes were still petty big.....
__________________________________________________ _____________________________________________
I am sure that some use very large tippet (15# Maxima) for really big hot wild steelhead, especially in the winter on a big river.
Using lighter tippet than necessary to get bit is not the way to go either....
Naturally, while indicator nymphing for Steelhead you might use smaller diameter tippet than this and for casting trout flies on a trout outfit for Half-pounders you an use a smaller (3x FC) tippet too.
Tell me a story.........
.