Hey guys, I'm fairly new to the fly-fishing world, but quickly becoming addicted as I keep learning more and more about it. Here is my question: I was tying some flies with my buddy the other day and we were wondering why fishing with egg patterns is so popular/accepted during steelhead runs etc., but fishing over other types of spawning trout is obviously a no no.

I've never fished with egg patterns, and I steer clear from fishing around trout during spawning, but I just wanted some guidance on what you guys think. Thanks in advance for the info.

I can't talk for the steel head guys but I do fish egg patterns when the suckers are spawning and I don't mind fishing during trout spawning either. I just don't fish over spawning trout and I'm very careful where I walk. Heck, one of my favorite times to fish rainbows is March (maybe not this year because it may be over by now) when they are spawning. Others may disagree and you may get more opinions than you want, but I say to each his own. There are even purists who don't think fishing with anything other than a dry fly is acceptable.

This sport is supposed to be fun.

1. There is some social stigma to fishing over actively spawning steelhead. As in, paired up and on the redd. This occurs in the shallows in the spring. The females don't generally feed but are easy to snag, and the males will defend the redd, not out of hunger but out of aggression. This makes it unsporting to many. Fishing with egg patterns to running or holding fish is very different, they are not in the act of spawning, and are generally eating out of hunger. If that had a stigma, then you couldn't fish for steelhead at all in the tribs.

2. Steelhead, in PA, do not reproduce very successfully. Oh, I know there's a few wild ones. But 99% are stocked fish and spawning is largely unsuccessful, the population is supported by the stocking program. That's why the stigma is considerably stronger with wild fish, where the population depends on spawning success.

3. Egg patterns are used commonly in non-steelhead situations. Rainbows especially seem to love em, I think eating eggs is genetically imprinted on them. They can be very effective for browns too, though, especially wild and holdover browns while other fish, such as rainbows or suckers, are spawning nearby. It's just that with rainbows, it seems to work any time of the year, whereas with browns, it only works when the egg is matching a natural food supply.

Nicely stated Pat and couldn't agree more with point #3.

Fox and Pcray, thanks for the quick responses and great info. You clarified the subject for me. I'll have to try some eggs! Tight lines.

one of the most effective and productive ways of fishing pa's wild trout streams this time of year is locating pods of suckers and fishing just below them with spawn/egg patterns.i will be fishing north central pa streams from thurs to mon this week and that is the primary tactic i will be using.folks would not believe the number of fish camping out downwater of these sucker pods...spend some time looking for these and you may find yourself in a productive zone...there may even be a large fish or two just below them.