Do Steelhead really notice Flies?

[Giuga10]

I've been really exited to get my first Trout on the fly but everytime I've gone I've been skunked. I know fly fishing is a great way to get these amazing fish (judging by the pics and vids I see on this forum alone) but I've never actually seen Steelhead feeding on flies or even show interest when mine drift right by them.

I was out a couple days ago fishing a Hendrickson (matching the hatch) on clear waters (the trout could easily see the fly) and the steelhead wouldn't even twitch when the fly drifted right by their faces. I tried fishing the fly, dry and wet with no luck.

I've always been sceptical because of my lack of success because it doesn't seem practical that a big steelhead is going to go out of it's way to eat a little Hendrickson (or whatever fly your using). Is there something I'm missing? Do I just suck? Should I be using a larger fly? Does mathcing the hatch go for Steelhead as well (that's why I mentioned Hendrickson's)? Or are steelhead a harder fish to catch on the fly?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[salmotrutta]

If I could sum up my advice in one word for this time of year on the fly for steelhead.."dusk".

 

[point defiance]

If you can see them then they can see you. Alot harder to catch but not impossible😜

 

[NADO]

A small fly like that takes a lot of skill to present poperly. When starting out streamers, bead head wooly buggers and san huan worms are a lot easier to fish as presentation is less important. Same goes for float fishing.

 

[Rain-Bow]

Have you tried the pools? They hold way more fish than the shallows and the fish are more likely to bite. Over 99% of steelhead that bite are not seen by anglers.

 

[remyboy1]

not to mention on a good day these boys are harder to catch than haileys comet...bass , pans etc would have inhaled a small stapler if you tossed it in the water

 

[[email protected]]

spooked and easily visible fish are hardest to catch, you'd need a flawless presentation for these fish

 

[remyboy1]

come I will show you how HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

 

[[email protected]]

come I will show you how HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Madriverfisher]

come I will show you how HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

lets not go there lol

 

[remyboy1]

for real.

 

[ChaseChrome]

Only if you find the strike zone...

 

[salmotrutta]

not to mention on a good day these boys are harder to catch than haileys comet...

So not true!

 

[jshannon]

Take a stream sample to find out what is in the water you are fishing. Match what you see then make sure you are getting the fly down into the strike zone. If you are not losing some flies you are not fishing deep enough.

tightlines

 

[pdriegen]

Great thread.

@Guiga10: I'm in the same place you are. While I fully acknowledge that I'm no pro, I would have thought I'd get at least something by now. I'd be happy with a strike at this point! The problem I'm finding is that I'm beginning to doubt my abilities. And just like you, I'm running into the same questions: Is it the wrong fly? Or is it bad presentation? What to do to fix it? Do steelhead even feed or do they just sit around and snap at stuff that bothers them?

I suppose I'm being kind of stubborn about sticking to the fly when I suppose float fishing or even spinning might yield better results, but I really want to learn this!

Great advice from the responses too! It's appreciated!

 

[[email protected]]

if you're having issues getting the fly down deep enough, attach a tiny split shot above the fly

steelhead most definitely eat, they are very aggressive feeders, they not only need the food energy to get up the rivers, but also the energy to get back down and in good enough shape to return to the lake

 

[salmotrutta]

Tip:

A flyfishing steelhead and multispecies guide told me 2 years ago, while fishing an east trib, which he had fished everyday from Feb through to April, that he would be lucky to get a single fish from sun up to evening.

Evening, however, he'd get 5+ fish in the last hour or so before dark...

Personally, I have done barely any fishing in March and early April..maybe 3 outings..but I have witnessed the evening bite throughout the year for steelhead..

After a rain, or a fresh run, or untapped/unspooked fish, can be readily caught at any time of the day

But the ones that have already been in there, already been caught, and are chilling underneath the banks during the day...come out at dusk and will strike much more readily at that time.

 

[RobH]

You are not in a match the hatch situation as once in the river, steelhead for all intends and purposes discontinue eating. Think more in terms of how the fish see your fly rather than what they see.

 

[salmotrutta]

You are not in a match the hatch situation as once in the river, steelhead for all intends and purposes discontinue eating. Think more in terms of how the fish see your fly rather than what they see.

Rainbow parr/smolt must eat to become steelhead, and as steelhead, they do not forget how to feed in the tribs. Match the hatch if you can! Whether that be the fly du jour, or worm!

 

[RobH]

Yes, of course they eat as juveniles and in the lakes but on the return journey up to spawning, like most anadromous fish, they don't feed. Imprinting or a memory recall from their time in the river as a juvenile may be triggered by the return to that environment but they will not actively feed until after they've spawned. Aggression, recall and curiosity are the most accepted reasons for why pre-spawn fish take a fly so it makes more sense to make sure that they can see your fly rather than be overly concerned about what they may be keyed in on like one would in a trout fishing scenario. That's not to say it doesn't make sense to stick to the forage found in that particular river but it shouldn't be your first concern. Clarity, depth, overhead cover from the trees or the sky should play a more important role in your fly selection in terms of profile and color.