Get a guide. He/She will tell you what to use, where to fish, how to cast - everything you need to know. It's a small investment for the knowledge learned.

If you decide not to get a guide, the best recommendation I can make is to fish under an indicator with nymphs and egg patters. A large copper john, like a size 10, and a glo-bug, fished dead drift will catch steelhead pretty consistently in the type of conditions you are describing. I would use a floating line, and 7 or 8-wt rod, with good quality disc drag reel and about 100 yds. of backing. Tippet should be strong, 10-lb test fluorocarbon minimum, and all knots have to be up to snuff - tippet, leader, flyfline to backing. A large, soft net is really helpful. Steelhead are genetically programmed to have incredible stamina. On small, brushy creeks it's tough to land them without fighting them to exhaustion. A net - and a fishing buddy - will allow you land the fish long before that point, and give you a better chance of landing the fish as well.

Have a good trip. Don't get discouraged if you don't catch any steelhead, they are difficult quarry.

Best,

-John



[This message has been edited by ktokj (edited 08 November 2005).]