Chrome Flies

[SBecker]

We have a thread asking for your best steelhead tips. How about a thread on your favorite steelhead flies? Pictures would be nice. I don't tie as of yet, but would be interested in seeing what everybody else uses. Is that wrong of me? lol

 

[bam]

It's worth it if you plan on fishing for steelhead more than once a year. Cheap vise, bobbin, thread, whip finisher and a bunch of yarn will set you back $30. You can tie 100 sucker spawn/glo bugs for an extra $10 in hooks. Initial investment into 100 flies is $40. After that, you're looking at $15 in material/hooks per 100 flies and each one should take you less than a minute after you become proficient

 

[Bruno]

Getting Ready is part of the fun. Fly tying saves you no money. I think it just allows you to hide in the man shed for hours.

Here is where I am so far - streamers tonight.

 

[bam]

It can save you some $ if you fish a lot, but more than likely it's just another money pit.

If you stick to tying standard nymphs, streamers, midges and egg flies it will save you money but I have more useless materials than I know what to do with.

 

[sandfly]

I love the way some say they have useless material (bam) send it to me, I'll always have a use for materials. part of this hobby (?) afliction is to gather useless materials. one reason I had to start a shop to thin out some of my stuff...LOL...

 

[sandfly]

flies:

 

[ezpickins]

I know they're not exciting but I've been having the best luck with these two egg patterns:

 

[afishinado]

Sandfly wrote:
I love the way some say they have useless material (bam) send it to me, I'll always have a use for materials. part of this hobby (?) afliction is to gather useless materials. one reason I had to start a shop to thin out some of my stuff...LOL...

Nice stonefly pattern Sandy. I bought some wire in a craft store in different colors and use it for a SF abdomen like the one in your pic. You're right, there's a whole bunch of materials that can be used to tie flies. Mixing and matching and experimenting is part of the fun of the whole thing.

 

[albatross]

EZ,

I too have a lot of luck with steeler eggs and anything light blue.

 

[Ramcatt]

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[flipnfly]

really nice ties ramcatt

 

[sandfly]

afish,
I use swannandaze for the abdomen on my stone flys, can be colored or will show colors from under neath.

 

[sandfly]

Also like dyed jelly cord on my caddis patterns:

 

[sandfly]

eggy-stone

 

[afishinado]

Nice Sandy...fish candy!

 

[sandfly]

A few more done with swannundaze:

 

[boss_steb]

sandfly, what size are they....and what size tubing do you use?

I prefer very simple loosely tied heuvos, cream caddis, and a slump buster for something meaty..jaybo41 took a great picture of this fly for our steelhead swap last winter...

 

[sandfly]

Boss,
Its not tubing but a "D" shaped material from the 70's. Swannundaze, i bought one of the few remaining supplys out. A little stiffer than the modern stuff but the colors are perfect. caddis are 14-110, stones are 12-4.

 

[dano]

Finally decided to try my hand at tubes.

I've had good luck with similar patterns tied on conventional hooks so I tied a few using 1" and 1/2" long 3/23" dia. copper tubes.

 

[ryguyfi]

Here's my steelhead egg box. Most are left over from last year, but I have started to tie a few to replace the holes. I have single eggs on the right. Egg colored with salmon dot, blue with pink dot, all salmon, and blood red in order from most productive to least for me. On the right is mostly sucker spawn. Chrystal meth on top, and yarn on the bottom. I will tie a few more dozen to get the season started, but that box should last me for a while unless I give a bunch away again.


I also tie some basic nymphs, mainly princes and hares ears, with the occasional black stone and keep those in my nymph box. And also have olive bead eyed buggers and white marabou streamers in my streamer box. I keep it fairly simple and am usually pretty productive up there. I hope to make a trip up in a few weeks, but Halloween has been an annual trip for me. That starts the prime season IMO.


Ryan