Fly patterns for Steelies in the creek

G
Growbug
What would be good patterns to throw around at this time of year?
I packed buggers, bunny leeches and flesh patterns today, but spent most time bobber fishing.
Also, whats a good rod weight and length up there? My 9ft seemed a little too long (5/6 weight with a 6 wt floating line)
 
M
metalmania
Egg patterns work the best for me, but anything pink, red, white and combos of those will get fish to bite.
 
M
Mike123
How does that 5/6 weight handle steelies? I have a cheap 5/6 weight I was thinking of using for steelies too. But it does seem kinda light.
 
B
bigsteel
5 or 6 weight would handle a steelhead but it would be a challenge.....i think a 7 or 8 would be better....
 
M
Mike123
bigsteel said:
5 or 6 weight would handle a steelhead but it would be a challenge.....i think a 7 or 8 would be better....

I was thinking it would maybe handle one well in some of the summer spots I fish where it'd be easy to land one. I guess it depends on length. If you have a long enough rod you can use a lighter weight.
 
B
bigsteel
you could bring one in on a five weight.....ive seen an 8 pound rainbow..pulled in on the fly
 
GraphiteZen
GraphiteZen
It all depends on how fast you can run through moving water. :D:D
 
S
Salmon Whammy
HI Growbug !
I hope this helps,
Salmon Whammy (Dean Hendricks) NCLAF
 
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M
Mike123
Salmon Whammy said:
HI Growbug !
I hope this helps,
Salmon Whammy (Dean Hendricks) NCLAF

Your a good salesmen.
 
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H
halibuthitman
Mike123 said:
Your a good salesmen.

and wtf.... silver hilton and brindle bug ..... thats rediculous,
 
M
metalfisher76
Salmon Whammy said:
HI Growbug !
I hope this helps,
Salmon Whammy (Dean Hendricks) NCLAF

SUBTLE. :rolleyes:WTF?!

Hey growbug, Think very simple. You might do ok with that 5/6 in some spots with smaller fish on the creek. BUUUUT.... If it runs, you better. If you lose a big 1 (and you will) don`t be upset, we all do!
 
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H
halibuthitman
I don't want to sell out a big secret... but the term flyfishing in these creeks is thrown around rather loosely, a lot of guys, myself in particular are actually just side drifting yarn.... with a flyrod. You can also do a nymphing style presentation of any kind of yarn, or when the conditions approve fish the leech which I adore so much. But day in day out yarn tied to a hook is the "killer" fly, I fish black egg sucking leeches anytime I can, and have had days of numorous fish with them, but a lot of the time I just put black yarn on a hook, with a little pink, yellow, or red... but the black is the outfit.... the colors are the shoes. I would fish the five wt on the sandy or clack, but not the creeks. If the creek you are fishing has say a fish every 7 hrs average, then you lose a fish, you might not see another fish until your next trip. The five is cool if its september and your standing in the deschutes.... but not these creeks, and watch the rotator cuff on one of them 9wts.... 7-8 is ideal in small water. I love fishing a freight train or any of its other true steelhead fly friends, but these actually require a certain kind of water.... so why only fish 3 spots on a river.... when yarn gives you the whole thing?
 
GraphiteZen
GraphiteZen
If you're talking with the Big O' Bobber at least you're willing to admit it. Most of the fun for me is detecting the strike!! A better strike detector than even a foam dot is to put a slight in crimp your floating line. Man that tells you what is going on as is slowly flexes back and forth from straighter back to the V. At least that's what I do. :rolleyes:[/rant]
 
GraphiteZen
GraphiteZen
If you're talking with the Big O' Bobber at least you're willing to admit it. Most of the fun for me is detecting the strike!! A better strike detector than even a foam dot is to put a slight in crimp your floating line. Man that tells you what is going on as is slowly flexes back and forth from straighter back to the V. At least that's what I do. ;)[/rant]
 
H
halibuthitman
well no on the big ole bobber, but I have been known to tie 2 cigarette butts on with some tippet;) your pinch idea is about level 15 flyfishing, I figure a guy asking if a 5wt is a steelhead rod is working somewhere on the 6-7 level, mabe growbug is a well seasoned fisher of flies.... then I guess he could use a sweet trick up his sleeve.... but fishing a stike indicater over yarn doesn't seem like too big of a sin:cool:
 
GraphiteZen
GraphiteZen
Very true I apologize! :cool:
 
G
Growbug
Hey, I am no purist.. just wanting to get line wet in a variety of ways. Today i was bobber n jig fishing but using my Polar Shrimp and Egg flies as the jig, using shot to get the line down and allowing the fly to drift along. I think all the different styles are valid and i am willing to adapt as the situation changes (like losing my jigs)
My question wasn't as much of can i use the 5wt as a Steelhead rod, I take the answer as "yes, but you better have a sense of humor too".
The real question was what LENGTH of rod is best for Eagle Creek and areas like it? My 9ft seemed too long. I also realise that proper fly casting would be limited to certain runs on the creek. I was entranced watching metalfisher flick his offering into likely looking holes. It didn't even look like he had any of the main line out of the rod and was just flicking the leader / tippet across.
 
G
Growbug
Oh.. question for MetalFisher76.... On the way out of EC yesterday one of the guys on the way in noticed a large truck and commented "Oh no.. that mad Alaskan with the fly rod is here, we may as well go home"..... would that have been referring to you??
 
I
Ideceivefish
Growbug said:
Oh.. question for MetalFisher76.... On the way out of EC yesterday one of the guys on the way in noticed a large truck and commented "Oh no.. that mad Alaskan with the fly rod is here, we may as well go home"..... would that have been referring to you??

No, he was talking about someone else.
 
I
Ideceivefish
After seeing the benefits of the fly rod, I am getting one this week.
 
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