Spring Steelhead Sorties

[FlyFishin'Jam 0]

Had a fortunate winter to spend plenty of time at the vice tying all sorts of wets, speys, traditional patterns in anticipation for the run of wonderful Spring fish we get here in Ontario. I use this as a case and choose a few patterns to suit conditions each day. Will also pack a range of intruder and now long shanked dee flies because their effectiveness is obvious along with my 2 day boxes, one i carry and one i leave in the car incase they want something specific. (sorry you wont find beads or eggs here).



Intention is to present a swung fly in deep pools and runs for fish you cannot see, often it is a simple case of reading the water, looking for bubble lines, seams, structure. All how you would for any river fishing, i find the conditions dictate the pattern for instance bright sunny low water you will reach for smaller natural or flashy singles, as shadows are cast upon the water later in the day you will use your purples and clarets a lot more.

The first Sortie i was joined by a fellow member the Monday and Tuesday after opener, we found a decent run to work as a team and i must say it was stacked with fish, both of us landing plenty. Flies of choice for me was the ever reliable orange heron in a size 5, followed by historical patterns such as Roderick Haig-Browns 'Silver Brown' and the old Canadian fly 'Night Hawk'. Even the faithful old Blue Charm got attention on the swing.

Fishy face with a 'silver brown'



Fishy face with a 'night hawk'



The blue charm got a swim



A skinny drop back fish, blergh



Corey with a wonderful hen



A fat egg wagon smashed this intruder



Sortie number 2 i was joined by another member ChefBen from Michigan in anticipation to raise some fish to classics and dees. This guy is an absolute gun angler, reads water like a pro, handles a switch rod with ease, and ties absolutely stunning classics and dees (the images you see him post on here do not do his flies justice!). As luck would have it the day before we had an enormous downpour, arriving at the river it was the highest i had ever seen it, one of those days the guide calls and says 'umm we might need to reschedule' but we tried a few pools, quite difficult with the fast moving water. He had an excellent take on a Green Highlander i am sure would have been a fresh fish. Got a few takes that day but went zero!

Spot the steelhead in this picture hiding where a clear running drain pipe meets the river, we let her be.



One could almost surf in here, insane conditions bordering on dangerous.



ChefBen has some nice stickers on his ride!



Next day we headed off to a different system hoping that one would drain faster and be close to fishable, it was dicey at best, strong flows and ended up being a pleasant hike. Next time Ben!

Sortie number 3

Headed out with a few buddies once the water had dropped back down to fishable levels, fish proved to be wary and spooky that day with the long dee fly waking them up for some insane takes, missed a close personal best to a snapped hook, then landed a dropback 'do'h'!





Swinging a run



Sortie number 4

My first day solo on the river where i can really soak things in and disappear, it started off 'interesting' as i had left my tippet at home along with split shot, forced to use an old spool of 8lb (not a good idea). Arriving at the pools it seemed the fish had not been touched for a good 24 for hours, first feeble cast of an unweighted dee brought a fish. I suddenly realized there were some much bigger fish around that were very capable of instantly snapping 8lb on a tight line swing (must remember to not set hook so hard with tight line!). Quite few disasters with snapped tippet and snapped hooks i only managed to target and land much smaller fish. Fun to watch the fish come up to take the fly.





Tiny male fish



No chance of landing some of the bigger fish with my insta break tippet. There must have been a male fish in the pool close to 15lb, last years record was a 16lb fish so not at all uncommon, still great time!

And here is a fly pattern i have developed during this years run, it is a killer!



Still plenty of time left so i might post more on this thread, run will go into June.

[Piker20 0]

Some lovely fish. Stock up on some Seagur Ace, drag the trees out on that.

 

Love that last fly, almost a prince nymph dee mutant.

 

Finally, what is the reason you leave the tag so long on your loop knot?

[Spanky29ca 0]

Beautiful pictures and some really nice fish and flies

[FlyFishin'Jam 0]

Sweet tip on the Seaguar, i really have to stock up but also have a friend in Aus sending me 50m spools of Nitlon FC which i hear is excellent, also like frog hair as it seems to have a bit of inbuilt stretch or 'shock' just stupid $$$. It is just hard swinging tight line with 8lb or less and these fish, they come up quickly and turn.

 

Hahaha yup that dee has those white wings, fish loving white so far and that dee pattern has been spanked.

 

Tag on knot, i have no idea haha, i did not even notice it and might just be my shakey hands tying on a new fly quickly.

 

Edit....a couple more

 

 

[Piker20 0]

Never seen Nitlon but the froghair this side of the blue is not a bad price. The Seagur is but I find its awesome even in heavier breaking strains for turnover and for not being too rigid. My only line now for Salmon / sea trout.

[FlyFishin'Jam 0]

Never seen Nitlon but the froghair this side of the blue is not a bad price. The Seagur is but I find its awesome even in heavier breaking strains for turnover and for not being too rigid. My only line now for Salmon / sea trout.

 

I will def order some seaguar for salmon season! 20lb for those huge kings. Really do need something with a lil' stretch fishing this way, as yeah its always on the take that it pings. Worst i used was rio fluoro, had almost zero stretch before it got to breaking point, very rigid. Also need fluoro, fish try and rub you off on rocks.

[Piker20 0]

The seaguar ACE doesn't really stretch but it has a huge rep with guys fishing here and going to russia and norway. I use the 23lb 0.37mm and the 15.4lb 0.28mm. They also do some 30 35 and 40lb strains if you really want the big stuff.

[bad fish rising 0]

ever try frank amato's Night dancer?

steelhead like it but kings love it.

I like 10lb vicious fluorocarbon myself.

not many people use it but its only 11$ for like 300yds.

the only trouble I have had with it is the 6lb has no abrasion resistance my wool gloves tear it up tying the fly on

[FlyFishin'Jam 0]

ever try frank amato's Night dancer?steelhead like it but kings love it.I like 10lb vicious fluorocarbon myself.not many people use it but its only 11$ for like 300yds.the only trouble I have had with it is the 6lb has no abrasion resistance my wool gloves tear it up tying the fly on

 

Thanks for the tip, i had never tied the frank amato night dancer but can already see how effective that could be on mud sharks! Will do up a half dozen for fall indeed looks just the ticket. Sometimes those things really go for the dark fly and in particular hair wings. Other times it seems chartreuse is on the menu, or big angry males going after intruders. Might do up a night dancer tonight to test tomorrow on the steelhead.

[bad fish rising 0]

in my trey combs book it says to use floss, dubbing, yarn for the body & suggests marabou, hair, flash etc for the wing.

so im sure you can fit this simple pattern to your style by using the materials you like.

i would like to see a NIGHT DANCER INTRUDER!

could easily give it a hot butt of chartreuse to cover all the bases.

[FlyFishin'Jam 0]

in my trey combs book it says to use floss, dubbing, yarn for the body & suggests marabou, hair, flash etc for the wing.so im sure you can fit this simple pattern to your style by using the materials you like.i would like to see a NIGHT DANCER INTRUDER!could easily give it a hot butt of chartreuse to cover all the bases.

Ah yes i do have the Trey Combs book! So going to check the plates and recipe, possible adaption to a shank like i did with a few other patterns such as the winters hope. I like this good thinking!