The line features a powerful front taper that has no problem turning over indicators, and a long body and back taper for stability at range, and for ease of mending. It almost makes me want to dust off my steelhead gear, get up at 3 a.m. and drive up to Erie! Fall Run Steelhead Tactics. Spring Steelhead are motivated by Mother Nature , the spawn is the primary trigger for them to migrate the river. Natural drift, long drift (great for fishing long steelhead runs) Great for bigger rivers such as the Manistee & Muskegon rivers. How to rig: When nymphing for steelhead, it's best to use a 6-8wt fly rod that's 9-10ft (many anglers also use two-handed switch rods). This rig is designed to keep your bait out ahead of your float and in the strike zone. Pacific Coast steelhead return to fresh water after a long stay in the Ocean. Sometimes your fly will be stuck on the bottom, but often it will be a fish. Run a tandem indicator rig with a 9ft 3x leader to the top fly and drop a second fly about 12-16 inches below with 3x. A hole is punched through the end of the lead which attaches to a snap swivel running along the butt section. By using long, 11ft +/- rods, floats and fly lines, fly anglers, too, can get their flies to drift drag-free with lots of careful mending. Anglers can choose from a variety of techniques when fishing for steelhead, but … Fly anglers have adjusted their tackle and are doing something similar to the Center Pin approach. When using a Drennan Piker Float be sure to run the butt section through it before tying on the swivel. The leader set-up I use consists of 1 foot of 30# Maxima Chameleon attached to the fly line and 10# Maxima Ultragreen, 6-8 ft in length for the large, deeper rivers with a barrel swivel tied at the end. How to rig: When nymphing for steelhead, it's best to use a 6-8wt fly rod that's 9-10ft (many anglers also use two-handed switch rods). Steelhead are one of the most prized light-tackle fish to fly fish for in North America. Fish 3′- 10′ of depth. These lines are designed specifically to turn over heavy rigs easily and offer the ability to … Because flow and depth tend to be greater on the larger rivers, the need for extra weight is also a concern. This is a great starting point for any steelhead river, and you can modify it to fit your local conditions. When in doubt, set the hook. With our many rivers in Michigan and throughout the Great Lakes region which receive a run of steelhead and salmon, being prepared with the right equipment can lead to success. The flies are attached to tippet/leader material tied to the swivel – 30 +/- inches to the first fly, 24 inches after that. I usually tie my first fly 30 +/- inches from the swivel and the second fly about 24 inches from that; secure the line around the bend of the hook of the first fly. On smaller rivers like the Betsie, Bear Creek, Pere Marquette, and others, the length of the butt section is usually about 7 to 8 ft because the rivers rarely have holes that approach that depth. This would be an illegal rig (one hook only) on NY’s Salmon River and tribs. Each successive cast should be presented about six inches farther than the one before. The line features a powerful front taper that has no problem turning over indicators, and a long body and back taper for stability and … On larger rivers like the Big Manistee, Muskegon and AuSable where depth becomes a consideration, use an 8-12 ft of butt section. So I had a 12-foot leader on here, a 4X leader, and I put in a knot, and I tied on a piece of 5X fluorocarbon. An even distance away I place 3 BB's. Most steelhead will take nymph type flies if they are presented properly. Fly fishing with strike indicators for trout and steelhead can sometimes be a point of contention among anglers as it can be viewed as a departure from ‘traditional’ fly fishing. Once tied, secure the heavy end of the leader by either a loop-to-loop connection or nail knot to the fly line; the fly is tied to the end of the leader with your preferred knot. And when indicators are on the menu, I make sure to change over to this line. The earlier warm up has the fish moving up river to different runs, closer to spawning gravel. I fish this rig drag-free, prospecting potential steelhead holding lines beginning closest to the rod tip and working out across the river, covering water in a grid like pattern. It can be used throughout the year, and quickly adjusted to the rivers and conditions you are fishing. Setting Up Your Fly Rig For Steelhead. Most people like fluorocarbon for nymphs. Water temperature plays a big role in determining where to look for spring fish. If you choose to use a strike indicator/float/bobber, attach it to the butt section at the proper distance for the depth you are fishing. When fishing water that is “snaggy,” I like to suspend the flies and prefer a Drennan Piker float. On the other end of the swivel, I tie a leader/tippet approximately 18 inches long to the first fly and 12 inches to the second. Nice rig for Michigan or other waters with less stringent regs. Just like many things, there are numerous ways of doing something – my goal is to demonstrate some of the most common and practical methods used on Michigan Rivers and their steelhead that have worked for me and my customers over the years. Required fields are marked *. Adjust your float length per run to keep it off the river bottom and its snags. Indicator Nymphing. When the float moves, get tight – it might be a fish. Essential Equipment for this method includes: 10ft 7wt or 8wt Fly Rod, and a reel with a sealed drag. This technique gets your fly down quickly and doesn’t require traditional fly casting skills, making for a flat learning curve. The Flies When selecting flies for the two fly rig, it is best if the flies … Single-handed rods work too for this method but don’t have the advantage of line control and ease of casting the longer rods offer. When calm and undisturbed, steelhead will readily rise in the water column to take an offering, so the chances of foul-hooking or lining a fish are greatly diminished with the two fly / short leader rig. At the end I tie a barrel swivel and leave a long tag (aprox. Umpqua makes a Freshwater Shorty leader which is 5 ft in length which will work but I prefer to tie a quick and simple leader – here’s the recipe: The different sections making up the leader should be joined by using a blood knot. There are a number of ways anglers can pursue steelhead and salmon with a fly, and different techniques require various approaches to rigging: line, leader, tippet &/or terminal tackle like swivels and weight. Balsa style indicators like Thill’s Ice’ n Fly cast a little better as they have more mass – I like to run the line through it, and back through again, then adjust the length by loosening the loop and sliding the indicator up or down. Regardless if you are using interchangeable tip or a fixed length of sinking line, you need a leader. Check out […] Flies get natural drift (90 degree nymphing). A float/indicator with split shot to a bead, sucker spawn, or fly. For us though, this is a Steelhead line. They fight like crazy and grow to be much larger than other species of trout. Your email address will not be published. A tapered leader is used with a floating line, attached either by a loop-to-loop connection or Nail Knot. I like to use the InTouch Xtreme Indicator line on my 10′ 8wt Echo Ion rod. Rigging: Secure your indicator to your leader and add a few split shot evenly spaced between it and a swivel. Great video Jeff! A strike indicator is a great tool for effectively covering the water and increasing the odds of detecting the light take of a winter steelhead. I'm going to rig up an indicator rig the way I normally do it with an indicator from start to finish. That rig would be illegal on the Salmon River, NY since the regs only allow a single hook and a leader not to exceed 4 feet. The line features a powerful front taper that has no problem turning over indicators, and a long body and back taper for stability at range, and for ease of mending. Fishing techniques. Rather than use split shot, I use pencil lead, which comes in one-pound coils and can be cut to whatever length/weight is required. On the other end of the barrel swivel I attach my “leader,” which varies in strength – 5 to 8# test depending on conditions and species. The waters are crystal clear, with visibility being over 3 feet in some tribs, so the need to use light tippet down to low as 3.5 to 4lbs being the norm in these conditions. The InTouch Trout/Steelhead Indicator line is designed for the river fly fisher that likes to fish indicator rigs with control at long range. When used with an indicator, this method offers advantages such as detecting light takes and suspending flies over obstacles on the river bottom. The Best Steelhead Fly Fishing Setup: Complete Guide. The RIO InTouch Trout Steelhead Indicator Fly Line features a powerful front taper for turning over indicators with ease and a long body and back taper for stability and control. In theory, the shot – if caught – will slide off the line under a deliberate pull, potentially saving your entire rig or at least part of it. RIO's InTouch Trout / Steelhead Indicator line is designed for the river fly fisher that likes to fish indicator rigs with control at long range. Indicator fishing, as a specialized way to nymph, has began to take hold in the last ten years when fishing for Manistee River steelhead. Stiff-butt leaders like Bass and Stripped Bass leaders work well in this application to help cast the weight of two flies, split shot and optional strike indicator. The InTouch Trout/Steelhead Indicator line is designed for the river fly fisher that likes to fish indicator rigs with control at long range. Since 1856. Get fluorocarbon, Steelies are notoriously line shy. The most popular tactic is more than likely the indicator rig and it makes sense as it’s less complicated and makes fishing easier on crowded waters – an unfortunate reality of steelhead on the Great Lakes. Multiple single, double and treble hooks are permitted on floating lures. 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