North 40 Fly Shop eMagazine September 2018 | Page 8

SUMMER RUN
STEELHEAD
WHICH TACTICS PRODUCE RESULTS
By Josh Mills
The most unanswerable question in the realm of
fly fishing is this, “What is the best fly to catch a
steelhead on?” Though we’d enjoy discussing
it, it’s a question that could take us years to
answer.
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myriad of variable conditions presented to us
when we put boots in the river. Yes, some flies
tend to be more effective. However, it’s more
about knowing what tactics will produce, and
it’s about matching the flies in combination with
lines and fly rods to hit pay dirt.
Summer run steelhead that return in the late
summer and fall are as maddening as they are
special. Anyone who’s ever felt their power as
they grab your fly on a tight line swing knows
exactly why we as anglers spend the time and
money we do to pursue them. For our purposes here in helping people find the
right flies for summer run steelhead, we’re going
to align the flies used with respect to a few
specific variables, mostly the time of year, water
temperature, and water clarity.
Truthfully, it’s not all about the fly. It’s about how
fishermen and women present the fly given the First, the early season…. T-shirts, sunscreen and
fishing at the top of the water column.