Nymphing for winter steelhead

brandon4455
brandon4455
so, i plan to do a lot of nymphing for winter steelhead this year,only got to go a few times last year and i know a lot more now then i did before so im confident i have a better chance at a fish. but my question is, what size tippet and leader should i use?





Brandon
 
O
OnTheFly
I'd go with 10lb tippet for the winters and 8 for summers. But leave the 4wt at home Brandon.:rolleyes:;)
 
brandon4455
brandon4455
OnTheFly said:
I'd go with 10lb tippet for the winters and 8 for summers. But leave the 4wt at home Brandon.:rolleyes:;)

thanks Jim. i was thinking 10lb but i didn't know if it was too thick or not it's amost time for those big chrome brutes to start rolling in.. ill be leaving the 4wt at home unless i can fish for trout legally.... id be scared to hook a steel on that thing anyways..would rip me a new 1 :lol:
 
B
Berg03
haha, his little 4 wt would snap so fast its so light. PERFECT for stream fishing though, he feels every fish like its a monster.

its like me, I use an ultra light pole any chance i can for the best fight i can have. :) ive caught a 5lb small mouth on my ultralight and it was amazing.
 
brandon4455
brandon4455
yeah i love that little 4wt.. awesome rod so glad i upgraded from the old piece o **** i had..thing was stiffer then a gear rod LOL
 
E
eggs
just rock like 6' or so of 10lb maxima under you floating line and adjust your thingabobber and have a heavy bottom fly and attach a smaller lighter fly a foot higher but not inline on the leader.
 
B
Berg03
we will have to try that tomorrow brandon, I still got some flies that we can use for that.
 
brandon4455
brandon4455
Berg03 said:
we will have to try that tomorrow brandon, I still got some flies that we can use for that.
although the mainstem willamette is not a steelhead fishery really it's still possible to catch one., i have a few hheavy flies we could use for that, i might nymph an egg pattern under a #8 possie bugger. thanks eggo waffle you da man!
 
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F
FlyBum
eggs said:
just rock like 6' or so of 10lb maxima under you floating line and adjust your thingabobber and have a heavy bottom fly and attach a smaller lighter fly a foot higher but not inline on the leader.

Yep agreed. I'll sometimes build a tapered leader out of Maxima though. Although, I don't always like the diameter of the Maxima. So if I feel the fish are being more selective, for what ever reason, I'll use Floro from 0x or 1x, either taper it or leave it strait as well. Just depends how lazy I get. Nearly always use 2x for the dropper though.
 
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brandon4455
brandon4455
right on thanks man. does seem kinda short for a leader since im use to using 9ft for trout LOL
 
F
FlyBum
brandon4455 said:
right on thanks man. does seem kinda short for a leader since im use to using 9ft for trout LOL

You can use however long a leader you want. Sometimes you have to get "dirty" and get it deep. With my dropper fly(s) my whole rig from fly line to last fly can run 11 feet. That is only if I'm using a "Meal Ticket" as we like to call a three fly rig, but that's what happens when desperation kicks in. When I'm feeling like this Salmon; Dead in the Water. LOL
 
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brandon4455
brandon4455
yeah the river i'm mainly going to be fishing wont be very deep, probably 6ft deep maybe 8 at the most, it's a small coastal river so its more suited to nymphing then swinging really. so i shouldn't have to get the flies too deep ill just use lead wrap on my nymphs for dropper setups and morrish's thunder eggs- they have plenty o weight to them
 
T
troutmasta
I just got a new fly rod and I plan on catching at least one Steelhead this winter. What size nymphs and how do you rig a second fly without it being inline w the first?
 
brandon4455
brandon4455
troutmasta said:
I just got a new fly rod and I plan on catching at least one Steelhead this winter. What size nymphs and how do you rig a second fly without it being inline w the first?
for nymphs i would be using sizes 4-8 but size 6 would be standard for me
 
E
eggs
Blood knot the top nymph on the leader a good 12-18" up leaving a 6-9" tag to attach the top nymph.
 
S
Sirdriftsalot.
I like tying a butt section of a tapered leader (about 4 feet or so, this much distance from indicator to fly line really helps with putting down those important mends) right to the eye of an indicator ( usually a bubble) then improve clinch knot a piece of tippet to the tapered leader and cinch it down tight to the knot of the butt section and eye of indicator (its similiar to a czech rig) this setup is not adjustable is the only thing, however I have noticed most steelies sit in the same depth of water, so say your winter fishing the applegate and most of the steelies are in 5-7 feet of depth, set your tied on piece of tippet for 6 feet. there are many benefits to rigging like this, the straight tippet material from butt end of leader to flies will have an increased sink rate compared to that of a 9 foot tapered leader and this rig will also drift a perfect 90 degree angle, fly line and butt section being a complete right angle from flies. this really helps you get in the zone and also telegraphs the slightest takes(I believe the closer the indicator is to the fly line the less efficient the drifts will be). 1x and 2x flouro or superflouro and dont be scared of weights like split shot they really help. I love to nymph for steelies, I know how some guys cringe at the sight of indicator but it is just so effective, tying really heavy flies helps also, I put on 42 wraps of lead on some size 6 stones and ugly bugs, they are double wrapped.
 
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brandon4455
brandon4455
Sirdriftsalot. said:
I like tying a butt section of a tapered leader (about 4 feet or so, this much distance from indicator to fly line really helps with putting down those important mends) right to the eye of an indicator ( usually a bubble) then improve clinch knot a piece of tippet to the tapered leader and cinch it down tight to the knot of the butt section and eye of indicator (its similiar to a czech rig) this setup is not adjustable is the only thing, however I have noticed most steelies sit in the same depth of water, so say your winter fishing the applegate and most of the steelies are in 5-7 feet of depth, set your tied on piece of tippet for 6 feet. there are many benefits to rigging like this, the straight tippet material from butt end of leader to flies will have an increased sink rate compared to that of a 9 foot tapered leader and this rig will also drift a perfect 90 degree angle, fly line and butt section being a complete right angle from flies. this really helps you get in the zone and also telegraphs the slightest takes(I believe the closer the indicator is to the fly line the less efficient the drifts will be). 1x and 2x flouro or superflouro and dont be scared of weights like split shot they really help. I love to nymph for steelies, I know how some guys cringe at the sight of indicator but it is just so effective, tying really heavy flies helps also, I put on 42 wraps of lead on some size 6 stones and ugly bugs, they are double wrapped.

wow thanks for all of the info, ive been using this same indicator setup for trout i found on the caddis fly and it does help a lot. you can mend your line so much easier at longer distances.


Brandon
 
J
john montana
If anyone is looking for some company this winter count me in...I haven't done any winter steel heading, but I am a decent stick and always buy lunch. I want to get after some steelhead this year, haven't targeted winters ever, and only chased summers for a short while before getting bit by the carp bug.

And no OTF...I am not converting! Still a carp guy, just don't want to sit out the entire winter season. If you have patience and want to teach a newbie the ways of winter steel, look me up!
 
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brandon4455
brandon4455
john montana said:
If anyone is looking for some company this winter count me in...I haven't done any winter steel heading, but I am a decent stick and always buy lunch. I want to get after some steelhead this year, haven't targeted winters ever, and only chased summers for a short while before getting bit by the carp bug.

And no OTF...I am not converting! Still a carp guy, just don't want to sit out the entire winter season. If you have patience and want to teach a newbie the ways of winter steel, look me up!
ill let you know whenever we go just icnase you are free, mainly fishing the nestucca and alsea siletz a bit too.
 

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