Where to start when looking for steelhead

Steelhead are hard to find in rivers for most people.  This fish can be much easier to find if you know where to look for them.  First they like fast moving water because it is full of oxygen.  A place to start would be at the end or the beginning of fast moving water.  Another good place to look would be at the base of waterfalls and dams as these again are rich in oxygen.  If you are still have trouble finding them, find another fisherman and ask them if they have caught any or seen any, and if you are to afraid to talk to them just watch other people and see where they are fishing, then look for similar places to fish .

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• Fly Fishing for steelhead

Selecting a Fly Rod for Steelhead fly fishing

Steelhead trout are, in a nutshell, rainbow trout on steroids.  These fish typically weigh four to six pounds and are an average of 25 to 30 inches.   These fish are extreme fighters and without the proper rod these fish will have you beat everyday.  For regular trout fishing most anglers will use a five or six weight rod.  With steelhead you will not want anything less than an eight weight rod that is nine or more feet long.  An eight weight rod has a much stronger backbone, so to say, than a six weight rod will have.  Another important fact is that when fly fishing for steelhead you will most likely be using larger flies.  Common steelhead flies are wooly buggers which in most cases are hard to cast with a six weight rod.  One more important thing is that you want to make sure you are using at least a six pound test line or more when fishing for these monsters.  When selecting your rod for steelhead fly fishing buy what you can afford and remember its not the rod its the angler.



Redington has a great fly outfit which you can find by clicking Redington Crosswater Fly Fishing Outfit

Steelhead Fly Fishing With a Glo Bug

The glo bug is one of the simplest flies to tie and is one of the simplest flies to fish with.  Steelhead fly fishing has come to rely on the glo bug, and is one of the most common flies used to fish with today.  Lets go over some basic color selection for this fly.  You may either try to match the color around you or use very bright colors that stand out.  You will just have to test and experiment.
Techniques with these flies is simple, using a dead drift nymph technique, or a wet fly swing.  For the dead drift nymph technique cast the glo bug upstream and just allow the glo bug to drift back down stream toward you.  This will allow the most natural presentation of the glo bug.  The other option is the wet fly swing, which is where you cast the glo bug out in front you and allow the glo bug to drift downstream.  Once the fly is far enough away it will start to swing back towards you, hence the name wet fly swing.  This is the technique I would recommend for covering a lot of water.  Just cast out, make your retrieve, then take a step down stream and start over.
You may use this fly either by  itself or you may want to use it tandem.  A favorite among fly fisherman is a tandem rig with a glo bug tied to the leader, and a wooly bugger tied to the glo bug.  This technique gives the imitation of a small bait fish chasing after a spawn egg.  This rig can be a deadly combination to catch steelhead.
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• Steelhead Fly Fishing

Here is a video on how to tie a glo bug.

Fly Fishing For Steelhead

When you are fly fishing for steelhead trout, you have to go with some basic knowledge of what you are doing or you will never catch a fish. First, learn how to read river charts.  You will want to know the flow of the river, and the temperature of the river.  The discharge flow when fly fishing for steelhead should be about 400 cubic feet per second or less, and the water temperature should be 55 degrees or lower for the steelhead to be active.  Also when fly fishing for steelhead your fly selection is going to play a big role.  Nymphs are great flies to use for steelhead fly fishing as are wooly buggers.  Your nymph selection will vary but if you can not figure out what will work my go to fly is always the size 12 bead head crystal prince nymph.  As for the wooly bugger a size 6 black, white, or olive works best.  Remember bright colors on bright days, dark colors on dark days. Another option is to piggy back a wooly bugger and bead head crystal prince nymph.  Tie the wooly bugger on first then add the prince nymph to that.  This is the best overall option when fly fishing for steelhead because it gives the fish two different flies to choose from.  I am still new to steelhead fly fishing but would love to help anyone trying to learn to fish these exciting creatures. 
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• Steelhead Fly Fishing With A Glo Bug