Some Steelheading Advice for the Beginner
Now that the beautiful days of summer are behind us (they seem so much more beautiful on 33 degree days of sleet and snow sitting in downtown Minneapolis) I thought I would cover a more appropriate topic: Steelhead Fishing.
The point of this post is this: I wish I would have read something like this during my first year of Steelheading. I would have been on to fish? oh..say, about a year earlier.
I spent many, many hours fishing the west coast of Michigan as well as Northern Indiana before moving up here to Minnesota. I have a few pieces of advice -some will probably echo previous posts, but there is a pretty steep learning curve when going after steelhead with a fly rod. However, when, everything comes together, it is one of the most powerful and breathtaking experiences you can have on the water.
1. BUY THIS BOOK. I know there will probably be some naysayers out there, but this was my bible when I was learning. I still use it today. Steelhead Dreams by Matt Supinski is an outstanding source for information for Great Lakes anglers at every level.
2. Really focus on technique. One of the most difficult aspects of steelheading is coming to the realization that just because you pass a fly directly in front of a steelhead -there is no guarantee of a strike. It?s not like a bass or a northern pike. You can only improve your chances by getting the correct speed and depth on the fly. Once in a while the fish will be hitting everything, but days like that are very, very rare.
3. On technique: Try to keep it simple at first. Over-rigging with a float, weight, swivels, etc., is a sure-fire way to get irritated from the beginning. Rigs like this, although effective, are very difficult to cast, and you may just end up spending more time untangling than actually fishing. Try a simple rig of an egg-sucking leach and a few pieces of no-tox shot to start. Work on changing the speed of the drift as well as the depth.
4. As mentioned before, find a fishing buddy. There are numerous steelhead/trout organizations that get together to chat, participate in stream restoration, and yes, go fishing.
5. When I first started steelheading, I was stubborn and decided to figure it out on my own. I could have saved myself countless hours of frustration had I just made an effort to talk to people. We fly fisherman are very passionate about our sport, and most of us are happy to give advice?.just don?t ask us where our favorite hole is
Jeff
One thing I did not cover in the post is what type of equipment to use.
Rod selection. I prefer a 7 or 8 WT rod, preferably at least 9′ in length. The robust nature of the rod allows for easier casting in windy conditions and the length will be a big asset when lobbing weighted flies or rigs. These are powerful fish, and I have been very happy I wasn?t using a 6 WT during a number of fights. There are a couple of schools of thought on this, namely sensitivity vs. backbone. I think that today?s rods are so well made that even the heaviest of them are extremely sensitive to detecting strikes and bottom structure.
***Buying a decent rod is expensive. I would say a minimum of $150. There?s just no getting around it. A cheap rod simply does not perform like a well made one. However, most reputable companies offer a lifetime warranty. If you are a chronic rod breaker like me, do yourself a favor and find a company that offers the warranty.
Line. I choose WF (Weight Forward) 8 WT (Weight) line. There are a number of varieties made especially for cold water salmon or steelhead fishing. I use Scientific Anglers? Mastery Steelhead Line. Don?t skimp on your line. Plan on spending around $45-$65. If you take care of it, it will last years.
On Backing. If you fish even relatively large water and are fortunate to be hooked up with an angry steelhead, the fish will probably strip all of your fly line off your reel. That?s why we add backing to the reel. Backing does exactly what its name implies: it backs up your fly line. Your fly line is only about 120-150 feet in length. Steelhead have been known to run 200-300 feet or more, hence the need for backing. I like to choose a bright color for my backing because I can quickly glance down and see how much I have left on the reel and if I have let a steelhead (or King salmon) get too far away from me.
On Leader. Okay, so you have your fly line, but you need to attach a leader to the fly line. When I first attempted this, it ended in a knot the size of a beach ball. Do yourself a favor and pick up one of these nail knot tools. If you are just starting out, I recommend buying a steelhead/salmon leader from the fly shop. -And don?t be afraid to ask questions while you are there!
Tippet. Tippet is attached to the leader. So to review the order goes like this: Backing > Fly Line > Leader > Tippet > Fly.
Tippet comes in a small spool you can attach to your fly vest. I use 6 lb. to 10 lb. fluorocarbon.
Many times you will hear tippet size referred to as 5X or 3X or some other numeric variation of ?X?. Here is a table from Orvis to help you understand the concept. http://www.orvis.com/intro.asp?dir_id=758&subject=2202
Tippet is attached to the leader through the Surgeon?s Knot. If you don?t know the surgeon?s knot, learn it here:http://www.animatedknots.com/surgeonsjoin/index.php
And finally we tie on our fly using the Improved Clinch Knot. See the knot tied here http://www.animatedknots.com/improve...matedknots.com
Good luck out there!
Jeff
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