Steelhead flies

[Darian]

I'd have to say my best producer over the years (in estuaries/tidewater) has been the black/brown Wooley Bugger with a sliver rib. Size range from 8 thru 2. When I wanted to vary it, I added a Guinea Hackle to the face (up front). Couldn't tell you why this fly did so well but it was "killer". Slow retrieve (hand/twist). Used many others but none out performed the "Bugger".

[speyfool]

Lately it has been a black bunny leech, about 4 inches in length. Prior to that, just about anything with flowing hackles and a wing.

[shawn kempkes]

Summertime: a lady caroline or purple king


Wintertime: Beady bugger or waddington shank Boss tied intruder style

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I think it depends if you are swinging for Steelhead in slow lakey tidewater or upriver where there is rock, gravel, current and structure.

Or if you are way upriver where salmon have been spawning and you are indicator fishing.

In the slow still tidewater near the ocean the traditional flies were mostly 'comet' style in different sizes and colors depending on light and water conditions. The Boss, Gold Comet and Orange Flame have been very popular on the coast. Shrimp patterns too.

Up river in the summer and fall many use small/medium traditional winged Steelhead patters.

Patterns like the the Silver Hilton and Skunk are good examples.

Upriver in the winter many use bunny strip and marabou leech style patterns now too.

I heard that Bill Schaddt used a simple black body with grizzly hackle most of the time.

You could probably use a Woolly Bugger and just tie it in different size, weights and colors?

I like a fly I got from the late Chuck Vongeldern, CA DF&G biologist and famous local fly fisherman. He call it the Governor and only described it to me.

Peacock body, brown wing and brown hackle. I put a turkey wing, gold tinsel tag and Golden Pheasant tippet tail on mine.

__________________________________________________ ______________________

In early November 1982 Joe Shirshac and I hit a large fresh school of Steelhead on the Trinity River. They were holding from Big Bar up to above Junction City. For a week we had all those fish to ourselves except for two nice old conventional fisherman.

We fished with a floating line and traditional flies mostly doing lots of roll casting because of the willows.

Every place we cast our fly that looked like a good holding spot we hooked a fish or two. It was like being in Disney Land by yourself?

We hooked fish from 6 to 12 pounds for 5 days and then they moved one night up above Junction City. We were tiered and decided to just go home.

We were fishing 6# Maxima at first because that usually works for us but these fish were so fresh and hot we had to go to 8#.

In the new move " Rivers of the Lost Coast" in a old Joe Shirshac Super 8 movie clip you will see me trying to land a nice average size fish that is not cooperating much during this trip.

[David Lee]

Winter -

Big Black glass-beaded Leech , Battle Creek Special .

Spring/Summer -

Olive beaded Crystal Bugger , Salmon Smolt Clousers .

Early Fall -

Mossback , Brindle Bug , Olive beaded Crystal Bugger .

Late Fall -

Battle Creek Special .

David

[slim]

Hey David
I did a search on the Battle Creek Special and no luck. Do you have a pic. and/or recipe?
Thanks-always looking for one more "magic" fly.
slim

[David Lee]

Hey David
I did a search on the Battle Creek Special and no luck. Do you have a pic. and/or recipe?
Thanks-always looking for one more "magic" fly.
slim

Sho 'nuff , Slim !

Use a Mustad 9672 , size #6 (or a TMC 7999 , 6 or 8 - I use these ....) .

Weight - sure !

Thread - yes . I like 3/0 Red or Fire Orange .

Tail - Marabou , White , full , fluffy and short .

Body - Pink Chenile (I like the Pink Ice Chenile) .

Body Hackle - White . Palmer like a bugger . Schlappen tied sparse does nicely .....

Collar - Hot Orange Hackle , nice and webby . A couple of turns should do the trick .

Fishing it -

Cast across and reach UPSTREAM w/ a sinking head and 4-6 foot leader (high-stick 10 feet up , and 10-15 feet down , it'll get bit often while sinking ...). Let sink 'till the fly is quartered downstream slightly , swing away .

I've never been a huge fan of BRIGHT flies for Steelies , but this one works really well .

One that I left off the list - Mike Mercer's Sac Fry . Use it between December and April . Totally underrated KILLER !

David

[bigtj]

Glo bug in the winter.

Black rabbit strip leech for year 'round.

Humbug, similarly tied to the Alec Jackson spade but with peacock, in the summer/fall.

Red copper john for "trouty" steelhead.

[mr. 3 wt.]

pink and white Beau Mac!

[shawn kempkes]

the Bill Schaddt Razor fly.lol