The Steelhead Angler

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One of the best parts of steelhead fly-fishing is learning the art of steelhead fly tying. While you can buy pre-made flies, there is nothing more satisfying than tying your own flies and being able to share with your friends the fact that you caught a 20-pound fish using a steelhead fly you made yourself.

Tying your own flies can be a very relaxing and enjoyable hobby as well as very rewarding when a steelhead decides to take the fly or jig you tied yourself. While it is not complicated, steelhead fly tying for steelhead fishing can be a very delicate art when tying some patterns. Jigs are some of the easier types to tie and may be a good choice for tying if you are just starting.

The first piece of equipment you will need when you start steelhead fly tying is a good quality fly vice. This will hold your hook while you are tying it together. You will want a vice that can hold all sizes and shapes of hooks, and one that is easily adjustable.

Get a bobbin this will hold your thread. A bobbin will keep your thread tight, and easier to use, while you are tying your fly. Bobbins come in a variety of sizes, but they all do the same thing. Spend just a little bit more money on a bobbin and you will not have to worry about it cutting the thread before you are through tying.

You need to have a good pair of scissors too. To start out with, one pair of scissors is enough, but as you get better at steelhead fly tying, you will want to have a variety of shapes and sizes to meet the needs of the flies you are tying. The loops should fit your fingers comfortably, and they need to be sharp.

Hackle pliers are small pliers with enough constant tension designed to wrap hackle feathers around the hook. As with scissors, they come in all shapes and sizes.

Find a good bodkin, which is like a needle on a handle. You can use a bodkin to not only tie the steelhead fly, but also for delicate work that requires a small, sharp point like separating out pieces of feather and fur.

Of course, you will also need a large selection of threads, feathers and fur to match the different types of flies you want to match. Mink fur, deer hair, elk hair, and pheasant feathers are good materials to work with as are peacock, and turkey feathers, along with a good selection of yarn and dubbing.

If you are just starting out, or maybe you have been thinking of tying you own steelhead flies for a while but just were not sure of what you needed. There are many fly tying kits available from a simple basic kit to kits with everything you may ever need for fly tying on the market to day.

Several books and websites available can teach you steelhead fly patterns for steelhead fly-fishing. It would be impossible to explain in just a few short paragraphs all the patterns and techniques. One such site with plenty of information and patterns is Salmonfly.Net. The best way to learn how to tie your own flies is to experiment and keep doing it. You will eventually find techniques, and patterns that work for you, and be well on your way to becoming an expert on steelhead fly tying for your steelhead fly-fishing adventures!

Take a look at some of the Fly Tying Kits available and start tying your own steelhead flies.

Here are fly Tying Kits available on Ebay too!!

Have you been tying flies and working or at least trying to work off the kitchen table or maybe even a card table in the back room. Let us get organized and make our fly tying more enjoyable and productive. There are several ways to do this but one of the fastest and easiest ways of accomplishing this task would be to pick your self up a fly tying bench. Think of having everything you need at you fingertips. Having a bench or a workstation where all your materials are organized and within easy reach will allow you to enjoy your fly tying even more. It is a fact that you will be able to produce more flies in less time once you are organized.Investing in a fly tying bench does not have to be expensive either. You can go with a simple yet affective platform like the Pedestal Base Fly Tying Station A great addition to any fly tiers collection. This extremely functional compact fly tying base is designed with everything you’ll need to organize frequently used tools and materials.

There are a number of holes in variety of sizes located around your work surface for tools, and routed trays designed to keep hooks and beads from falling to the floor. Perfect for use at home or on the road, the tray is compatible with any standard vise.

You may want to go with something a little more sophisticated like the Oasis Fly Factory Bench which is a beautiful hand-crafted tying bench made of solid oak with a clear lacquer finish. Unlike some cheaper benches, Oasis uses plenty of screws and glue no nails or staples to ensure years of dependable use.

It has ten-brass spool rods hold up to 20 spools of thread. There are thirty-one holes of various sizes, including a half-inch swing-lamp hole. These holes will allow you to place your tool out where you can see them yet keep them out of your way. The clear plastic trays are set against a white background that makes locating small beads and hooks a snap. This unit will also accommodate any standard vise.

Another bonus is the fact that it is made here in the USA.

You may want to go up one more step with the Cahill Fly-Tying Bench it will organize your fly tying space without you really trying. This is a beautiful rock maple bench offers an organized work area to keep all materials and tools nearby. It will increase your fly tying productivity by saving you from having to search for tools or material. The bench top slides open to reveal a convenient divided storage area.

For those of you looking for the supreme fly tying bench there is the Willow Run Fly Tying Desk The Willow Run Desk provides you with an organized space to tie the perfect fly from storage drawers to ample working space. This piece also makes a great writing desk. Made from birch and finished with cherry veneer and cast bronze drawer pulls, it folds down to become a rustic piece of furniture that will suit any room. This desk is constructed of solid Pine Wood and will last for generations.

 

 Find your Fly Tying Bench Now!

Much of the time you will need to go wading if you plan on having success at steelhead fishing. You do not have to be a fearless wader but you do need to be comfortable with your wadding skills. Even you veterans out there with many years under your wading belt will need to use extra caution during the spring where the flows are extreme. If you are new to the sport of fly fishing I would recommend not wading out in water over your knees until to become familiar with wading in the current and just how much force the water can generate and how to keep a stable footing. For those who do not wish to wade, casting from the boat is also an option.There will be times where you need to casts well over 100 feet so practice when ever you have a chance. It is also import to be able to read the water or at least have some one that is capable of reading water. It is important that you are on the best casting side of the river before you start.

Fishing is done with rods from 6-8 wt, sinking lines, and a reel with a good drag system. The North Central Idaho Clearwater native steelhead are notorious for their size and power, testing the anglers ability and tackle on every blistering run. Steelhead are resting fish when they have returned to their home river to spawn so you must present your fly immediately in front of a fish if you are going to entice him into striking. The Main Clearwater River is large and having the ability to wade deep heavy current over very slippery ledge rocks as well as the ability to cast 90′ feet are among the reasons for this rivers difficulty. The upper section is much more fly fisher friendlily and the South Fork of the Clearwater is among my favorite rivers to fly fish for steelhead these B-Run fish are known for their size and often weigh in at over 20 pounds.

Get a good night’s rest you will need it if you are going to be wading most of the day, and put your wet waders on your boot dryers so when you wake up the next day you have nice warm waders to put on. I don’t believe there is any thing worst then to roll out of bed and have to stick your foot into a wet soggy boot and it will drain your energy much faster also.

It is always a good idea to check the flows for your favorite river; you can check the flows of most river systems by taking advantage of information available on the Internet. The United States Geological Survey, USGS, is the agency responsible for posting real time data related to the affects that weather plays on our river systems (you and find them at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis).

By: RR Smith
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