The Better Prom Dress
Steelhead react very differently to flies on different days. There’s a ton of theory about Steelhead behavior from experts of all kinds. Most of this is based on personal experience, some of it is science and some of it is pure BS.
The only real way to know what exactly is working for the particular fish on the particular day, in the particular water your fishing, it to hook it. And now we are in the hardest part about this whole thing. We all ave our stand by patterns that we trust, but there comes a point where they fail us.
I have been fortunate enough in 12 years of guiding to see a lot of weird Steelhead behavior, and have seen many times, the fly that should work get snubbed. There are times and spots where I could spot fish holding, place my client up river to fish down to it, and i would be down stream, standing on the rowers seat of the boat watch the whole thing unfold. I have seen a ton of flies that should be the ticket, get totally ignored. Often times I would see the fish move away from it, and once the fly passed, go back to it’s holding lie.
At A Loss
This is a tough spot for a guide to be in, and doesn’t leave you with may options. I go for the fight or flight approach. We have a fish who isn’t aggressive enough to eat the right fly, how about the wrong fly. Enter the Outer Limit intruder…the wrong fly. Big, flash, obnoxious, and impossible to ignore. The fish will either spook, or attack.
We have nothing to loose and everything to gain, which is a great spot to be in really. That’s when you really start learning about catching steelhead, because that’s when you try new things.
I have personally witnessed Steelhead move over 5 feet to smash this fly that ignored the “right” fly.
I have seen them chomp this fly and shake their head before ever feeling the hook, like a stray dog with a steak in order to kill it, and has landed some of the biggest, hottest fish in my guiding career. While it’s rare I ever start with big, flashy flies like there, and most of the time they are the wrong fly, there are times where the wrong fly will save the day and give you an experience you’ll never forget. Enjoy!