Just curious

FastAction · 06-10-2003, 12:53 PM

All you fly fisher's... I am often intrigued watching the finess in your method of fishing.. How successful is fly fishing for steelhead? Some people tell me its nothing more than drift fishing with skink tips and simple yarn patterns....do you feel it out fishes traditional methods? I am interested in trying it out... I nail summer steelhead drifting pre-tied greenbutted skunks and other blackish flies... How does it differ from fly fishing for trout?

PittsburghD · 06-10-2003, 06:46 PM

Still working on it. My buddy uses a Spey rod and makes all of us look bad. He has the touch and the time. It's the same thing as drift fishing. Once you learn how to do it, you score. I'm no authority to sell you on fly fishing for steelhead though. I just learned the technique on drift gear for Summers.

----D

hickwithaflyrod · 06-10-2003, 07:24 PM

Ok, your "same thing as drift fishing" comment got me a little worried here, is that really what you think? Now fly fishing is some what harder because alot of the times you have no clue where in the water your fly is at, where as drift fishing you almost always are touching the bottom. Then how would you tie corkeys? I know you buy flies at the store alot like corkeys are but steelhead flies can range from a simple yarn patturn to a unique hand crafted work of art. Fly fishing is not at all like drift fishing, from my point of view. But are you in it to catch the fish, or are you in it to enjoy yourself and have fun? Fishing now-a-days shouldn't be all for the meat like many have started to put it out to be, fishing is to enjoy the art and the challenge. Fishing is so that you can be out on the river away from the office or troubles you are faceing and have some fun, but when you do it for just the meat you get stresed even more that you were before.
I have seen everything from guys swearing up and down to a guy hitting his dog after they lost fish. So the question you asked that troubled me was "how succesful is fly fishing for steelhead?" So to answere your question I would have to say that it takes time to be able to hook into a fare amount of fish but all you need to do is keep at it and don't give up. But when first geting out you will have to work really hard for the fish you do catch but with every fishing trip you learn alot, as I stated before don't give up and switch back to drift fishing after no luck because then it will take you some time longer than it would have before hand. I know this because I was also used to "slamin" the heck out of steelhead on a drifting outfit and atleast hooking 3 fish a trip. That transition was hard for me as I think it probably will be for you also.

Sorry for the lecture, and I hope I didn't afend anyone here.

John

greenbuttskunk · 06-11-2003, 02:53 PM

I'd personally say it is a ton harder but more rewarding when you hook a fish. steelhead on a fly is the bomb! Factoring in the cast, mend of the line, presentation of the fly and the fight once hooked, it's quite a challenge. A few fish a day with a fly rod is doing quite well in my book. This may be no biggie for a guy who drifts bait or pulls plugs. There is less forgivness with flyfishing. Like another said, it's a sorce of frustration to learn, the curve can be steep, even more so than flyfishing for trout. I tell you though, when you hook a nice steelie on the "swing" and he immediately strips line from the reel, it is an experience you won't forget.

Sailfish · 06-11-2003, 04:10 PM

I'd have to agree with GBS that it is a bit harder to nail summers on the swing than with subtle drift gear or small spinners. It is however, as he points out, much more fun. Seeing a steelhead come up and take a skated fly is pretty incredible. There is also the water equation. In low clear water on a small stream a small dark fly that is discretely swung is hard to beat. One thing I will say in the similarities between gear and fly fishing has to do with the winter action. A friend of mine did a lot of fishing, with quite a bit of success, on the coast this past season using strike indicators, split shot and egg flies. To me it pretty much seemed like bobber and jig fishing with a fly rod. Same water, same drift, same results, meaning lots of hook-ups. I mean, you have to be able to stack mend effectively to keep your drift drag free but it hardly seems like fly fishing at that point to me. My two cents.

Grantspastor · 06-11-2003, 04:28 PM

There are times when it is the best and fastest paced way to take Steelhead. In the last thirty-five years I have taken hundreds and hundreds...if not into the thousands, on the rogue River alone. I'd be glad to show you or tell you how to do it.

Fisherfield · 06-12-2003, 12:29 PM

Fly fishing for Steelies..... I can honestly say that I've hooked into more Steelies on a fly than anything else. The only keeper I caught was on a bobber and a jig though. I'd have to agree 100% with Greenbuttskunk...there's nothing quite like having your reel sing the ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ's and then you notice that you are into the backing and better move to fight the fish quick or else he will go bye bye and take all of your line with him. Persistence pays off, especially with fly fishing. I've taken a couple of friends out fishing with me who are amazed that I can cast a fly rod....and I'm not that good at it..yet. Every time I go out...there's a new challenge...bushes, tree's, grass, current...and the only way I've gotten better is to (in the words of NIKE) JUST DO IT! Have fun and remember if you caught a fish every time...It wouldn't be called fishing...it would be called catching!

Steelheader69 · 06-12-2003, 01:50 PM

Actually, I've fished both conventional and fly quite a bit. I don't favor one over the other, just depends on my mood. But I will say this from fishing with some good gear and fly guys over the years. It's not the equiptment, it's the guy behind the rod. I've seen some masters that no matter what rod they had in their hand they'd hook into fish. Saw one kid that amazed me. He was definitely a 10%. But, have seen guys who were a wizard with any fly stick, but couldn't use gear to save their lives. Have seen same true with gear guys who tried out fly rods. I think it's all in, how much I hate to say this, your zen with material you have. If you're confident with it, you'll catch more fish since you're working your "lure" effectively. I know I've been very successful in summerrun fishing with both the fly and gear. But I take pains tying the flies I use and how I present them. Same goes with the spinners and jigs I use as well.

So, one is rarely better then another unless you're using live bait which is illegal in most areas. But to each their own. I enjoy watching a steelhead rise to a dry. I also love the feel of a steelhead ripping my rod out of my hand at a voracious hit of my spinner. It's all fishing, none is truly better then the other.

nitrobass · 06-12-2003, 01:57 PM

I used to fish with a guy who only used flies for summer fish. We fished them like you'd fish a plug, making the fly dive down over and over. Worked great in slow tail outs.

SSPey · 06-12-2003, 09:32 PM

I think fly fishing for steelhead outfishes just about any other method in existence, although it doesn't always outcatch them.

drbfish · 06-12-2003, 11:59 PM

Fly fishing for summer sh is like trout fishing in the fact that you use the same skill set and gear but there is a TON to learn even for a good trout flyfisher. (fly fishing for winter fish is just a waste of time, just ask me!)

Yarn patterns? I love to tie and use traditional spey flies. It adds a dimention to fishing you will never get from drift fishing. The history, the art, the tradition...

Some people do dead drift flies as if they were drift fishing. But, there are those who would not even call that fly fishing they whould call it drift fishing with a fly rod (rob allen, you out there?). Swinging a fly that you tied and having a fish hit it is unbelievable. It will make you weak in the knees!

If you want to have fun them by all means do it, but for 99% of us it is not the most productive way to fish! my 02 Dave

PS Hey Grantspastor, I have fished just about everywhere in oregon, except the Rogue. What time of year would be the best time for me to give it a try for Steelies?

Grantspastor · 06-13-2003, 04:27 PM

Reply to drbfish: On the Rogue we catch them from August (Agness area)through novemebr 15th or so when the water starts to cool down. In a given year I start catching them in Septmber in the Grants Pass area...better in October. I've had evenings after work when we have hooked over thirty fish from my drift boat

Mad Mikey · 06-13-2003, 05:38 PM

The comparison to drift fishing and fly fishing really only applies when you are nymphing with a floating line and tapping your weighted fly or split shotted presentation along the bottom.
Swinging a fly whether on a sink-tip or floater appeals to the aggressive nature of the fish and is more in line to swinging a spinner or spoon IE conventional methods.
In warmer water temps a swinging fly will be the best option bar none. It takes less stimuli to turn a steelhead im temps 55F and above. When the water is that temp it can be said that most, but not all of the time you will be fishing them in fairly shallow water.
I have seen steelhead turn and race 15-20 ft. to take a fly.
Yeah, sometimes the lure guys, which I am also, will kick your butt but watch them stand in awe when you nail one on the fly.
I'll trade 5 lure caught fish for one chance at a hook-up on my fly rod. It ain't about getting fish on the beach but the whole darned experience.

TillamookChinook · 06-13-2003, 11:26 PM

I have fished with gear and bait and flies in lakes and rivers, and I seldom catch fish anywhere. But there is no doubt it is much more enjoyable to not catch fish while flyfishing than it is to not catch fish with gear or bait.

The last couple of years I have spent more of my time not catching steelhead and even chinook on a fly, which is even more exciting than not catching trout. At some point in the future I will go for the ultimate thrill and not catch oversize sturgeon on a fly.