Steelhead fly help

[kayo]

Need some advise on tying a new steelhead fly to use on the Boise river.
Right now I'm using the Mickey Finn which works quite well, but need to add
some new patterns to my fly box. What are some of your best steelhead patterns that you all use?

thanks
Kayo

[Hardyreels]

Hi kayo,

I'm a believer in the 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' catagory, if your flies are working well you should perhaps stick to things that are similar in construction. For instance, the Black Nosed Dace and the Thunder Creek Minnow patterns are built very much in the same fashion as the Micky Finn but I 'll offer more patterns as well. This is a thread I placed in the AK. forums. Flies for AK. Salmon & Steelhead Fishing Although many of the patterns are a little more advanced than entry level tying they do not have to look picture perfect to fool a fish. They all look quite different once they are actually being used and I find the darker patterns better for trout. Here we have only rainbow / steelhead trout so the flies end up catching both along with char as well. depending on how well you tie and what you have on hand for materials you may end up making lots of substitutes for materials and taking short cuts to get it done. Some of these same flies have been catching fish for a long time in all the rivers and creeks where steelhead are found. I am a big fan of The Freight Train, Thor, and The Skykomish Sunrise if a little color is needed.

Hope you catch some fish,

Ard

[kayo]

Thanks Ard, will start tying. Hopefully pictures of fish and flies to come..
One more question: Is it more effective to use a dropper fly on the steelhead fly or does it make it loose its action?

[Hardyreels]

I have found that Nine Three pattern to be particularly good for these fish whether you make the blinged up versions that I tie or rely on the original pattern. You can find the original Nine Three pattern with an internet search or in many streamer patterns books. The ingredients are pretty simple; silver tinsel, white buck tail, olive green & black saddle hackles and you're on your way. I don't know that the jungle cock eyes make any difference but have always used them. When I first started tying streamers I bought some capes and have always added them to the flies. They may not help with catching fish but have always made a fly look really cool. That's part of what draws us to the big wet flies, looking cool...................

Here's one (Nine Three) right before it went fishing.

[IMG][/IMG]

I thought it looked cool so I took that picture, I was fishing for trout & grayling that day and the fly caught them.

[Tracker12]

I fish the Erie tribs a lot for steelhead. Here egg patterns rule but I do real well with hares ears, prince nymphs, stone fly's and a killer for me during low and clear water conditions is nothing more that a peacock body with partridge hackle wet fly fished deep.