TIPS & TAILOUTS
SIZE 4 GREEN BUTTED SKUNK
SIZE 6 PURPLE , GREEN EGG SUCKING LEECH
SIZE 4 STEELHEAD BUGGER
SIZE 4 STEELHEAD STONE
6 Must-Have Flies for Summer Steelhead
Summer steelhead are aggressive and hellishly territorial , which makes swinging , dead-drifting or skating flies one of the best ways to pursue them . To get outfitted for a day on the water it ’ s best to stop by your local fly shop and talk to those that also pursue the oversized rainbows in clear , low rivers . I stopped by Puget Sound Fly Company in Tacoma , Wash ., and asked owner Anil Srivastava his favorite go-to steelhead flies . He walked along the fly bins and plucked out his favorites .
Starting with a 6- or 7-weight fly rod , Anil admitted that the water conditions for summer steelhead often dictate when and how you fish each fly , but there are a couple of flies that are good throughout the entire day . The size 4 Steelhead Bugger in black and blue is a leech pattern often fished on the swing with a light sink tip line . The Steelhead Bugger is effective in early summer during moderate river flows but also continues to fish well into the bright sunny days of July and August .
The Egg Sucking Leech in size 6 with a purple body and green head with matching rubber legs is one of Anil ’ s “ go to ” flies . I asked him why the green head
SIZE 8 PRINCESS NYMPH
SIZE 6 STEELHEAD MUDDLER
instead of an orange , pink , or red head and his response was simple : “ Ask a steelhead , as they seem to really like it .” This pattern is also best fished by casting out and swinging it on a light sinking tip line . A size 6 Steelhead Muddler is an attractor best fished in the surface film . Using a floating line and greased line technique , the fly stays close to the surface where a steelhead will take a dry fly . Fish it in conjunction with a long leader ( 10- to 12 feet long in 8 or 10-pound leader ) depending on water clarity . A size 4 Green Butted Skunk is a subsurface fly best cast and swung through the runs where summer steelhead hide behind boulders .
An imitator fly such as the Steelhead Stone in size 4 or the Princess in size 8 work exceptionally well for summer steelhead . Both of these flies should be fished using a floating line and a strike indicator . Anil suggested casting it a quarter upstream and let them dead drift while mending the line to allow for a natural presentation . While not very sexy to some fly anglers , nymphing is one of the most rewarding and exciting ways to fly fish for summer steelhead . Not only can you cover a lot of water , being efficient in your fishing , but also very exhilarating when the strike indicator goes under and you lift the long rod high into the air , setting the hook , and battling an acrobatic summer steelhead . jason brooks photo
The Versatile Bobber Stop
The bobber stop is a versatile piece of fishing gear that most anglers don ’ t realize can be used for many applications . Of course being used as a bobber stop comes to mind but if you have ever fished herring helmets or anchovy hoods then try placing a stop under the hood or helmet . Sometimes at high speeds or churning tides the helmets and hoods can press against the bait crushing them . To keep this from happening the stop can be placed under the hood to keep from crushing the head of the bait .
Another use is to put a UV glow bead , pill float , or Lil ’ Corky inserted into a hoochie skirt . Behind the bead put a bobber stop . This allows you to adjust the hoochie skirt and set-back your hooks a bit . Salmon will often short strike the bait and this allows you to have both hooks exposed and increase your hook-ups .
The bobber stop can also be used to keep some “ tee ” beads a few inches from your flasher and deflect grass and seaweed from fouling up your gear . If you like to plunk or back troll Spin-N-Glos with a gob of eggs trailing behind then place a bobber stop and a bead just below the drift bobber . This will keep it spinning freely as well as it won ’ t push against your bait and you can set the hook back an inch or two making it a bigger profile . It is a very versatile piece of our fishing gear that most anglers don ’ t realize you can use for more than just adjusting the depth of your bobber .
10 SALMON THE TAILOUT & STEELHEAD JOURNAL
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