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Summer steelhead flies: For the steel header summer is probably the favorite time of year. Fishing is usually done between the months of May and early November, so temperatures are warm to moderate, and the fish are aggressive. Multiple fish days are common when summer steelheading. Unlike winter steelhead, fish in the summer behave sometimes more like their juvenile offspring the trout. Summer steelhead will rise to take wet flies swung just below the surface. Fish will also go out of their way to annihilate a skated dry fly as well so the fly fisher may only need a floating line, and a handful of trusted patterns. One of the mistakes people make when beginning to fly fish for steelhead is they change their patterns to “match the hatch”. This is common with trout fisherman who switch over to steelheading. Instead of switching flies constantly until you get a strike pick a fly and stick with it. Keep fishing that fly, presenting it consistently over and over again through that run you are working. You are looking for an aggressive fish. Steelhead are predatory, and when provided an easy target they will grab it. When selecting a fly to fish with forget what you learned as a trout fisherman. Pay attention to water clarity, and the weather. With your fly selection you should be trying to capture the attention of the fish. To do this you need to be properly reflecting the light in the water. On bright and sunny days with clear water fish can be caught with dark patterns, but generally flies with small amounts of flash, and brighter colors fished on longer leaders seem to prevail. Colors like purple, red, and pink are good choices. My favorite time to be out fishing for summer steelhead is when temperatures are mild, and weather conditions are overcast. Fish are less spooky. Darker patterns tend to work such as blue/black, orange/black, and red/black. My two favorite rivers to fish for summer steelhead are the Clackamas and Deschutes. Over the years I have fished the classic patterns on these rivers with great success such as the Mack’s canyon, purple peril, and the green butt skunk. These patterns are tried and true, and do work. However I noticed that when fishing conditions were tough these patterns would fail me. I theorized it was because lots of people fish these patterns, and the fish may have been spooked by seeing these patterns repeatedly presented to them. So I returned to the vise, and started playing with different tying materials. Thinking outside the box I created my version of some of the classic steelhead patterns out there. Here are a few of those patterns for you to try and tie. These patterns have produced fish for me when conditions are both tough and good. Try tying some of these patterns and don’t be afraid to add your own touch to them to make them “yours”. Mack’s Canyon (my version). Click picture for Step by step instructions.
Orange and black are good color combinations for both winter and summer steelhead. This pattern works well in all weather conditions, but tends to work best during overcast weather conditions, or late in the evening when the sun comes off of the water. When tied in size 8 this pattern is my go to pattern for early summer fish when conditions are tough. Materials- Thread: Black 6/0 Hook: Alec Jackson size 5 to 1.5 or TMC 7999 size 8 to 2 Tag end: Gold oval tinsel. Body: Burnt orange and black uv ice dubbing. Rib: Gold oval tinsel. Hackle: orange guinea fowl. Wing: Black squirrel tail overlaid with orange calf tail Head: Black thread 6/0. Mack’s canyon red/black
Red is the first and last color to enter and exit the spectrum as light comes onto and off of the water. This is a good alternative to the orange/black Mack’s canyon when fishing in fading light. Materials- Thread: Black 6/0 Hook: Alec Jackson size 5 to 1.5 or TMC 7999 size 8 to 2 Tag end: Gold oval tinsel. Body: Red and black uv ice dubbing. Rib: Gold oval tinsel. Hackle: Red guinea fowl. Wing: Black squirrel tail Head: Black thread 6/0. Coal car. (Click picture for Step by step instructions.)
This is a good pattern to use on the Deschutes early and late in the day. The color contrasts in the pattern tend to reflect low light. Materials- Thread: Black 6/0 Hook: Alec Jackson size 5 to 1.5 or TMC 7999 size 8 to 2 Butt end: Pink and orange poly yarn Body: Black uv ice dubbing. Rib: Silver oval tinsel on the poly yarn then silver mylar over the ice dubbing. Hackle: Black saddle hackle. Wing: 6 strands of black krystal flash then black squirrel tail Head: Black thread 6/0. Undertaker (click the picture for step by step Instructions)
Traditionally tied for Atlantic salmon it transfers over well to summer steelhead fishing. A good pattern to fish late in the day as the sun fades. Materials- Thread: Black 6/0 Hook: Alec Jackson size 5 to 1.5 or TMC 7999 size 8 to 2. Lead: Either .025 or .010 depending on hook size or preference. Tag end: Fine silver wire Body: chartreuse floss, then red floss, followed by peacock ice dubbing. Rib: gold oval tinsel Hackle: Black saddle hackle. Wing: Black squirrel tail. Head: Black thread 6/0 Purple peril (click picture for step by step instructions)
Purple is the most versatile color to fish for steelhead. purple will work in all conditions and is a good choice to start off with. The purple peril is one of my most favorite patterns to fish with. Materials- Thread: Purple 6/0 Hook: Alec Jackson size 5 to 1.5 or TMC 7999 size 8 to 2 Tail: Purple saddle hackle Body: Purple ice dubbing. Rib: Silver mylar. Hackle: Purple guinea fowl. Wing: Red squirrel tail. Head: Black thread 6/0. Prism (click picture for step
by step instructions)
An excellent “come back” pattern on the Deschutes. This is in my top three for fishing the Deschutes. It seems to fish well when there is a lot of caddis activity on the water. Materials- Thread: Light Cahill 6/0 Hook: Alec Jackson size 5 to 1.5 or TMC 7999 size 8 to 2 Tail: Golden pheasant tail Tag end: Brassie wire. Body: Peacock herl. Rib: Brassie wire. Hackle: Natural grizzly hackle. Wing: Red squirrel tail. Head: Light Cahill thread 6/0. Green butt skunk (my version)
The green butt skunk is probably the most well known summer steelhead fly. Many anglers use it as their go to fly. I tend to fish more sparsely tied patterns so in my version I changed a few things, but it remains a fish catcher. Materials- Thread: Black 6/0 Hook: Alec Jackson size 5 to 1.5 or TMC 7999 size 8 to 2 Tag end: 4 or 5 wraps of fine silver wire. Body: Chartreuse poly yarn and uv black ice dubbing. Rib: Silver mylar. Hackle: Black saddle hackle. Wing: Black squirrel tail. Head: Black thread 6/0. Signal light (click picture for step by step instructions).
Named for a famous run on the Deschutes river this pattern fishes well in the fading light. I like to fish with it early in the season when aggressive natives have entered the rivers. With some slight modifications it is also a good winter pattern. This fly will work on any steelhead river. Fishes well on a sink tip. Materials- Thread: Black 6/0 Hook: Alec Jackson size 5 to 1.5 or TMC 7999 size 8 to 2 Tail: Purple saddle hackle Body: Chartreuse and orange poly yarn, followed by uv black ice dubbing. Rib: Silver oval tinsel followed by silver mylar Hackle: Purple saddle hackle. Wing: Six strands each of purple, wine, black, lime royal blue, and red krystal flash followed by a clump of black marabou. Head: Black thread 6/0. |
