Nymphing for steelhead question

tumalt · 02-04-2010, 07:49 PM

I am a long time trout flyfisherman and I recently made the switch from hardware to flies for steelhead. I am using nymph techniques on a small stream and ran into a problem. Trout fishing I always use a floating line and have never used a sink tip. The fly guy at the sporting good store insisted I needed a sink tip for steelhead even if I was nymphing, so with some hesitation I took his advice.

Well, I absolutely hated the sink tip. It made trying to mend my line a total headache. I fished for about 30 minutes before I gave up in frustration. Presentation is key in steelhead fishing and my presentation was terrible. I can see how a sink tip is vital when swinging flies, but it sure seemed to me that I would have been much better off with a floating line for nymphing.

I would appreciate advice from the experts on here.
Should I keep giving the sink tip a shot or should I follow my hunch and buy some floating line for nymphing?

Fortunately the afternoon wasn't a total loss. I had my spinning rod with jig and bobber with me and managed to go 1 for 2 and connected with a small hatchery hen.

Zugbug66 · 02-04-2010, 08:12 PM

I have spent lots of time nymphing for steelies, with lots of success. I have always used a floating line with a 2 fly setup. One heavy nymph and an unweighted dropper. I personaly only use tips while swinging flies.
Good luck,
Wayne

AndyK · 02-04-2010, 08:41 PM

Floating line for nymphing, sink tips for swinging.

However, when using a "greased line" presentation for steelhead, you are basically nymphing and swinging. Nymphing when mending your line and the fly is sinking/drifting in the current; swinging when the current catches the fly and line. For greased line presentations, I use either a floating tip or sink tip depending on conditions.

tumalt · 02-04-2010, 09:05 PM

Thanks for the confirmation. Should have gone with my instinct.

Thanks again.

gustav · 02-04-2010, 10:19 PM

The fish you hooked with the bobber and jig is the same fish you could have hooked with your indicator set up; you have more control with the spinning gear, but it is more fun to catch a steelhead with the fly gear. In my oppinion. The best way to learn is to find someone who knows whats up and have them show you. Also, leave the gear at home; force yourself to give it a real try. This is what I did around 4 years ago and I have only taken my gear out twice since making the switch. Good luck!

C-lice · 02-05-2010, 05:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tumalt

Thanks for the confirmation. Should have gone with my instinct.

Thanks again.

Here's an PM I sent to a fellow Ifisher last summer. You should have stayed with your floating-line instinct.

I fish the North Umpqua, so I tie them without added weight. This means I need a heavy hook. I use the Mustad 7970 in size 1 exclusively. Look at the Bill McMillan chapter in your book, specifically the entries about the Washougal Olive and the Paint Brush. Bill does a better job extoling the virtues of the 7970 than I ever could. If I had my druthers I would weight them and fish them in size 4 or 2.

I fish it on a floating line and a 12-14 foot leader with a 1x fluorocarbon tippet. My casts are usually 30-40 feet and pretty much straight upstream. After the initial cast, I mend upstream once the fly line has drifted about 15 feet. This stacks the fly line more or less directly over the fly, which helps to achieve a dead drift. As the fly and line continue to drift toward me, I strip in the slack line until it is straight across from me. As it passes me, I feed it back out. Depending on what kind of little micro-currents you're dealing with, there may be some more mending to do, but not much. The key is to dead drift it, and mends make the fly dart around.

I don't use a strike indicator, but the technique is about the same, I think. The way I fish, strikes are felt about 1/5 of the time and visual (the line stops, dives, it goes upstream) 4/5 of the time.

I really don't flyfish for winter steelhead. I'm not a flyfisherman in the typical sense of the word. It just so happens (seriously--do NOT let anyone tell you different) that summer steelhead are easier to catch on flies than on just about any other tackle, unless you fish at a hatchery stacking hole or some place similar.

As far as colors go, I usually keep it dark except that I'll go with a little dab of fluorescent orange or green once in a while. I don't think the specific color makes as much difference as the tone. These flies should be dark. I don't try to 'match the hatch' with these, I just want them to look like random general bugs. My most common colors are black and several different shades of brown. Yarn, chenille, dubbing...It's all the same.

I tend to tie longer legs on my ugly bugs than most people do. I don't know whether it matters or not. I just prefer 1 1/2 or 2 inches of leg/antennae flopping around.

Anyhow, I'm always glad to share what I know about techniques. There are a lot of people who make flyfishing out to be a lot more difficult than it is. Steelhead live on the bottom. When they're hungry, they eat bugs. It's not rocket surgery. Once you figure out how to get your fly deep and recognize strikes, you're in great shape.

Hazelnut · 02-06-2010, 06:28 AM

Zugbug66 & andyk are correct. In a small stream or just a tight spot there isn't room to swing much. So, nymph with a floating line. Keep it simple.

Wiggley1 · 02-06-2010, 07:25 AM

Another trick to learning any type of fly fishing is to leave your spinning gear at home.

Slow and Low · 02-06-2010, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wiggley1

Another trick to learning any type of fly fishing is to leave your spinning gear at home.

That is true.

tumalt · 02-07-2010, 10:04 AM

Thanks one and all for the advice. I switched to a floating line and I expect the learning curve will be pretty quick since I am a pretty decent trout fisherman. I still plan on bringing the spinning rod, because there are just some spots that hold fish that are more effectively fished with hardware, but I agree, in most spots a flyrod is not a handicap in any way.

Thanks again, I'll post a fish when I get one!

rob allen · 02-07-2010, 11:21 AM

[QUOTE=AndyK;2964213]Floating line for nymphing, sink tips for swinging.

However, when using a "greased line" presentation for steelhead, you are basically nymphing and swinging.

this is incorrect..

the greased line presentation is a near surface presentation where the fly is shown broadside to the fish it can be done at depth but it is not a dead drift " nymph" type presentation

Steelie Mike · 02-07-2010, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rob allen

the greased line presentation is a near surface presentation where the fly is shown broadside to the fish it can be done at depth but it is not a dead drift " nymph" type presentation

Rob from a classical standpoint, I have a question. If the flies are weighted, and I do not mean large irons more lead or bead heads, is it still grease-lining if done with a dry line? I ask this because of a conversation with someone on one of your Eastern Washington rivers. I said no, but he seemed to think he was a purist. From my view that was dead drift nymphing. What are your thoughts.