Steelhead flies

[PennKev]

How do you intend to use the rubber band or string to secure the indicator to the leader? Substituting it for the o ring?

 

[mkoloch]

boss_steb wrote:
Slumpbusters in Olive and White from John Barr...

Tied up my first ever slumpbusters last night. Very neat and easy fly. I tied using natural color hair to start. So now I'll move into the olives, whites, etc...I have two questions regarding this fly.

1) I seem to have trouble getting the conehead on the hook without messing up or having to completely crimp the barb. Do others have this problem? Maybe I just have the wrong combination hook style/size and cone size?

2) I did experiment with other combination of tinsel/flash for the "body". Has anyone (which I am sure it has been done) modified this pattern? I could see a chart. straight tail and white "head" or even an olive back and white head. Something to resemble the emerald shiner?

 

[jayL]

I use streamers all the time for trout and steel. 90% of the time, it's slumpbusters.

I have found that using chenille bodies is the easiest way to add variety and color to your patterns. Yellow seems to be a killer color for big browns, so I often use that for bodies. I'll also twist yellow and brown strands of chenille together and use that.

Green and yellow twisted together with a strand of red twisted in near the head, with olive fur makes a great brook trout imitation.

As for the barb-
It's often hard to get the conehead on without crimping the barb. I fish barbless, so it doesn't bother me. If you want to keep your hooks barbed, I'd recommend getting a different brand hook. Mustads seem to be the worst for beadheads. Some coneheads also have a little notch on the inside for threading over the barb.

 

[mkoloch]

Jay,
Thanks for the reply. I believe you'll find me throwing SB's on the river tomorrow morning for bronze! I tied up two with estaz bodies, WOW, that gives it some serious flash. I like the chenille idea too...

I can see me playing with this pattern and really liking it!! Come on Erie!

 

[ryguyfi]

PennKev,

To use a rubber band or string (just tie it in a loop) just fold it over the leader like a taco, and put one side through the other and pull tight. You can even double it through for a tighter hold. Now you have a loop of string or a rubber band on your leader and you can naturally attach your O ring from your indicator on there. This will keep the kinks out of your leader. (or so I've been told) I'm going to try it out soon.


Ryan

 

[Heritage-Angler]

Having fun at the tying bench...

 

[JackM]

Different materials, similar idea:

 

[jayL]

Me too.

I added the extra thread wraps at the bend. Gotta go traditional sometimes.

 

[ryguyfi]

emerald shiners??? :-D

 

[Millertime]

Jack,

I went another direction when I tied my emerald shiner clousers.

Does the pink represent gills??
Or just something you found that works better??

Also, it looks like you have a pretty big set of eyes.
Do you like fishing with that much weight??

I used a smaller dumbbell on my tie.

Anyone else have other opinions on these questions a response would be great. Feel free to add to this. I need to learn. lol.


I will post my emerald shiner on here in a few days I don't have time in the next day to take and post a pic.

THANKS!

 

[JackM]

I'm an impressionistic tyer....

The barbell eyes were packaged and marked extra-small. They were the smallest available. I don't think the weight will be too much for a streamer. I tied the worm material in to represent either gills or a bleeding baitfish. Only the steelies will know if it looks like either.

 

[ryguyfi]

What kind of hooks do you use for your egg flies? I use a typical scud hook for my single eggs. I have never bought egg hooks just because I don't want that many different styles of hooks in my box. I use scuds for all single eggs, and sometimes a typical nymph hook for some SS's. How about you guys?

 

[jayL]

Whatever's handy and has a big enough gap.

 

[Heritage-Angler]

ryguyfi wrote:
What kind of hooks do you use for your egg flies? I use a typical scud hook for my single eggs. I have never bought egg hooks just because I don't want that many different styles of hooks in my box. I use scuds for all single eggs, and sometimes a typical nymph hook for some SS's. How about you guys?

Most of mine are tied on 2457 Tiemco scud hooks. but some of the bigger ones are tied on egg hooks. I can't seem to easily find egg hooks smaller than sz 14, so it's scud hooks for the little ones. One of my co-workers at the Bean fishes Erie a lot, and he says I should tie them down to a size 22! NFW !!! If they won't eat size 18 eggs, they can look elsewhere. I tied up a pack of those little Otter's soft eggs, but the smallest was on a sz 20 hook.

Another hook I like to use is an Eagle Claw L042F in a size 14. I used to use them all the time for spawn sacks back in the day, and still have a bunch left from then. They have a long, offset point that really holds the fish on, even with a mashed down barb. They're not too much cheaper than fly hooks though - something like $5 per 50 hooks. The smallest I find are size 14's now.

 

[bjkaledas]

"STAYING THE HELL AWAY FROM ALL THE IDIOTS IN THE FROG WATER"

What exactly does "frog water" mean? I have heard that a few times and am not familiar.

 

[jayL]

Slow water.

 

[bjkaledas]

Thank you.

 

[ryguyfi]

You have to understand the thing about steelhead is they're working really hard to get to the place they are. So they rest in the "frog water". They are not actively feeding, and usually very lethargic. I love the fast water with steelhead. Find some riffles and fish them or the top of a pool. That's where the fish are feeding. I'd rather fish over 5 in the riffles, than 100 in the frog water.

 

[bjkaledas]

"You have to understand the thing about steelhead is they're working really hard to get to the place they are. So they rest in the "frog water". They are not actively feeding, and usually very lethargic. I love the fast water with steelhead. Find some riffles and fish them or the top of a pool. That's where the fish are feeding. I'd rather fish over 5 in the riffles, than 100 in the frog water."

I completely agree. I love going to the Legion park, but I never actually fish the Legion hole. I fish below it in all of the riffles. That's is where the fishing is hot.

 

[ryguyfi]

How has everyone's success been with chrystal meth. I have had very little in the past. It may be one of those flies I just don't have that much confidence in. I've heard both sides of the fence that they are great, and that they stink. What's everyone's prospective on the drug fly?