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Steelhead wake fly

Above: A Skeena River steelhead caught on a dead-drifted Black Tube Bomber ™  Picture with courtesy of Mr Chad Black

Wake fly,  dry fly, and skating flies are fishing forms closely associated with fly fishing for steelhead. The way of fishing is only truly efficient when conditions and time are correct, but anglers will prepare and gear up for the climax of fly fishing with great anticipation. Some steelhead anglers would say: Fishing on the top – is the only proper way to catch this great fish.

Surface fishing for Atlantic salmon and sea-trout is a possibility during summer – But when low temperatures starts creeping up on angler in Europa and eastern Canada – salmon and sea-trout turn their attention away from waking and dead drifting flies – But steelhead can go ballistic on wake flies On a cold October mornings

top water fishing steelhead

Steelhead angler and Director of Wild Steelhead Funding with Native Fish Society: Mr Tom Derry Fish on the top for steelhead in British Columbia – Tom is using the Monster Tube Caddis steelhead tube fly.

Monster Tube Caddis Wake fly version

The Monster Tube Caddis steelhead tube fly. – A modern tube wake fly based on the riffling hitch tube fly system – where the leader is inserted on an angle in the tube as opposed to the front of the tube – See more details on the Monster Tube Caddis wake fly in our shop

Dead-Drifting Dry Flies for Steelheads

In alignment with the behaviour of all Salmonidae, steelhead-parr primarily focuses their attention upward for a significant portion of the season. Employing the technique of dead-drifting dry flies is a straightforward approach to enticing adult steelhead into striking.

Dry Fly Steelhead

Preferred fly patterns for dead drifting include renowned options such as Clark’s Stonefly, Wulff flies, Humpy, and Bombers.

Definition of Dead-Drift Fishing: This term describes a classic technique wherein anglers allow the fly to drift motionless on the river surface, in contrast to actively waking the fly.

The 1950s: The Steelhead Bee – Pioneering Dry Fly Pattern for Steelheads

Roderick Haig-Brown, a prolific author on sport and a devoted fly fisherman, is widely regarded as the true pioneer in surface fishing for steelhead. Mr. Haig-Brown made crucial discoveries related to steelhead fly patterns, laying the foundation for the development of steelhead wake flies and the corresponding fishing style we recognize today.

Dry Fly SteelheadImage Caption: A stunning hen fish caught using a Steelhead Bee, a fly pattern created by Mr. Roderick Haig-Brown from Vancouver.

 

 

Dry Fly SteelheadAbove Superior holding pool for steelhead on the Skeena River system – Big boulders and safety in the medium deep water will have the steelhead resting in these areas. A well-presented dead drifting dry fly or a slowly moving wake fly like the Grantham Sedge or Steelhead Beetle could bring the fish to the oily surface.  Picture with courtesy of Chad Black Nicholas Dean Lodge

Dead-Drifting a dry fly in one minute

Wake Fly for Steelhead: Mastering Surface Fishing

The steelhead, a notably surface-active member of the Salmonidae family, elevates fly fishing to its pinnacle when pursued on the water’s top layer. From summer well into autumn, steelhead display an aggressive response to flies skated or waked across the surface. Dedicated steelhead anglers have meticulously crafted fly patterns over decades, with these flies proving effective in both turbulent and calm waters. Notable wake fly patterns include the Waller Walker, Wag’s Walker, Pooldozer, Air B.C., The Ska-Opper, and The Grantham Sedge, among others. These patterns serve as a testament to the artistry and skill involved in enticing steelhead to strike on the surface.

Pulling flies in the surface is about creating a commotion – In some cases the wake could be the main attraction and the fly could literally be secondary

riffling hitch for steelhead

Utilizing Regular Flies for Riffling Hitch Technique

Dragging regular wet flies on the surface (Portland Hitch) or using tiny tube flies fished on an angle is a long-established technique for Atlantic salmon that works fine for steelhead. One could call Riffling Hitch fishing a quiet way of skating or waking a fly – but it would not be all correct as the actual presentation of the fly could be different on a steelhead river versus a salmon river – To see more on the riffling hitch technique see our pages on the subject. 

Steelhead BomberBulky Waking Flies for Steelhead: The Impact of Materials

In the realm of conventional steelhead wake flies, the incorporation of voluminous, buoyant materials such as deer hair and EVA-foam (Ethylene-vinyl acetate) is a common and effective practice. The substantial size and buoyancy of these materials play a crucial role in creating a pronounced wake as the fly moves across the water’s surface.

Famous versions of the Bomber have been honed into shape to perform well on the surface – when fished across the river.

Steelhead wake flies on tube

Innovative Tube Wake Flies for Steelhead Fishing

We’ve revolutionized the approach to crafting steelhead wake flies by introducing the riffling hitch tube system into known and new steelhead patterns.

Why Tube Flies? 

At Fishmadman, we specialize in tube flies designed for surface and sub-surface fishing. Scandinavian anglers widely embrace tube flies, a preference we share due to their versatility and ease of use. These flies enable precise presentations of large and small patterns, accommodating various water flow conditions.

A Simple Solution for Wake Flies 

Say goodbye to intricate hitch knots and the need for technical expertise on knot positioning concerning hook slope and river flow. With our adaptation of the riffling hitch system, all you need to do is thread the leader through the hole in the tube’s belly and attach a hook of your choice, and you’re ready to start your fishing adventure.

Our Journey in Steelhead Surface Fishing: 

As devoted surface anglers, we recognize the significance of attention to detail and styling in local waters. With over a decade of collaboration with anglers across North America, we’ve successfully developed more than a dozen exceptional steelhead tube wake flies. These flies have gained popularity among guides and steelhead enthusiasts in the North West. (Explore some of these flies here)

steelhead fly design on tube

Rusty Brown Bomber tied on tubeTube wake version of the Bomber.

It is said that Mr E. Smith designed the first Bomber pattern in the 1960s. Mr Smith designed the fly as a commotion fly to fish Atlantic Salmon in the Miramichi River in New Brunswick. The fly pattern proved very successful on salmon and soon spread to steelhead anglers in the West, who changed the overall design to enable it to wake better. Some even shape their Bomber to work with a dive and pop-up motion.

Right: The Rusty Brown Bomber conceived by steelhead guide John Hazel in 1979. A favourite Bomber pattern with many steel headers – Here, done the Tube Bomber way.

Moss Turd steelhead flue To make Bombers perform better/differently when used as a wake fly, West Coast anglers may also tie their Bombers with sparse or simply no hackle at all

Bomber-influenced wake flies like; Moose Turd – Cigar Butt – Purple Bomber – Air B.C are chosen versions for commotion fishing

Photo:  The famous Moose Turd wake fly by Bill McMillan – done the Fishmadman way on our Riffling Hitch Tube – The arrow show`s the entrance hole for the leader. This is a dependable way of getting a fly pattern to pull to the surface and wake.  Big and long wake fly patterns benefit much from this transition – like the tube fly fitted with a small wide gape hook (like a Rusty Brown Bomber Riffling Hitchcoarse fishing carp hook) – will weigh less than a conventional fly tied on a long shank hook – furthermore, tube fly patterns do not have leverage issues that so often is associated with flies tied on bigger single hooks. The fly wake´s effortlessly and look vibrant on the surface. The tube allows for multiple choices of hooks and hook settings.

Right:  Our version of the classic steelhead fly, the Rusty Brown Bomber, Tied on our Riffling Hitch tube

Babine River style Bombers

Babine bomber fly

We have been fortunate to work with some longtime steelhead anglers on a new Bomber project – producing unique versions of the Bomber styled for rivers like; The Bulkley, Skeena, Kispiox and the Babine.

Above: The Green But Bomber  wake fly

Brown Bomber skater

These two Bomber wake patterns were designed to fit our riffling hitch tube system by steelheader Mr Loren Irving from Oregon.  His fishing inspired the fly composition and styling partners Mr Frank Cammack and Mr Jim Bussard, two veteran steelheaders from Oregon.

Above: The Brown Bomber wake fly

Blue Bomber for steelheads smurf Bomber

 Above: A favourite Bomber colour both for steelhead and Atlantic Salmon: The Aqua Blue Bomber wake fly

Wake and skate fly with a very different approach

Skaopper - wake fly by Scott HowelThe Ska-Opper

Some top water flies for steelhead are made to plough through the surface. Some are made to create a moderate wake; others, like the Ska-Opper or Quigley’s Dragon Gurgler, are designed for a more active life on the surface: bobbing, making a wake and spitting water.

Left: The Ska-Opper: A modern Skate/Popping fly by steelhead guide Mr Scott Howell – Here done on our Riffling Hitch tube. 
Buy the Ska-Opper wake fly tied on a tube Buy salmon & steelhead flies

steelhead on wake flyPhoto by Mr Adam Tavender

See the Ska-opper in use

Steelhead-beetle fly

The steelhead Beetle

The Steelhead Beetle is a wake fly pattern devised by Mr Rob Brown, a well-known angler in Terrace, BC. Here tied the Fishmadman way on our Riffling Hitch Tube – A wake fly that will work in rougher waters.

Buy Steelhead Beetle tied on tube Buy salmon & steelhead flies

Grease liner skater fly harry lemire

The Grease Liner

A classic steelhead wake fly pattern designed by Mr Harry Lemire in 1962. This pattern was once everybody’s favourite fly and a “must-have wake fly” in the fly box – but over time, flies that wake with greater ease were to substitute the Grease Liner.

We tie the Grease liner on our Riffling Hitch tube, and you will find that it wakes as well as any modern wake fly.

See fly in E-shop Buy salmon & steelhead flies

Grantham Sedge Medium

The Grantham Sedge, a fly to create a small wake

Here we have made a version of the superb Grantham Sedge wake fly – Designed by Mr Ron Grantham – Fly is tied on our Riffling Hitch Tube. The tube will allow the hook to be turned in various positions facing down, up or on an angle allowing for different hook-up options.

The Grantham sedge wake fly works brilliantly in the back end of the pool way into the slick glide with a tiny wake  Buy salmon & steelhead flies

Quigley's Dragon Gurgler wake fly tied on tube

The Quigley’s Dragon Gurgler

Mr Bob Quigley originally devised the Quigley’s Dragon Gurgler wake fly. We have designed this version on Hitch Tube together with steelhead anglers from BC.

See fly in shop Buy salmon & steelhead flies

The Monster Tube Caddis

The WAKE version of our Monster Tube Caddis – A special design we have perfected over the last years – Developed for steelhead fishing – but has also proved to work for salmon in lakes and rivers – A unique caddisfly imitation designed to bring curious fish to the top. Buy the wake Monster Tube Caddis here Buy salmon & steelhead flies

wake fly The Flashback Bug

The FlashBack Bug

Steelhead anglers have been fishing this new wake fly pattern on different rivers in British Columbia and Oregon since the summer of 2014, and the results have been great. It was later named The FlashBack Bug.

We have tied it in 3 sizes similar to flies tied on # 1 – 4 – 8 hooks
It features our Riffling Hitch tube system and wakes perfectly in rough and calm water.

See fly in shop Buy salmon & steelhead flies

See how we tie the Grantham Sedge On Tube

Nicholas Dean LodgeRead more about top-water tactics for steelheads.

Written by top water pro and camp manager; Chad Black from Nicholas Dean Lodge, Situated in the Lower Skeena Region. Terrace, BC, Canada. Chad Black and some of the guides from the lodge have helped us make our wake fly series –
 
Check out the tube wake flies we do  Buy salmon & steelhead flies
Read Chad Black’s advice

The Glitter Bug greenUse small bugs for fish hiding in slow water

Bugs are small miniature salmon and trout flies, mostly made with a deer hair body, tied on # 8 – 12 single hooks. Either low-water salmon hooks with an up-eye or stronger down-eye trout fly hooks. It is a fly designed to be fished as a so-called dead-drifting fly on the surface. Just below the surface or across the river as a form of hitch/commotion fly, bugs may be fished below the surface as a traditional wet fly or as a comotion fly in slow pools
Fishing bugs in slow water

Hiding in slow pools

Salmon and trout hiding out in a slow pool like those fish seen in the image above is not an uncommon site for anglers pursuing trout and Atlantic salmon in river. They are typically uninterested fish, but if new fish enter the pool or weather conditions change, some fish may wake up and grab your fly.

Retrieving the fly

A spot like this demands that you put some movement into your fly, and I think bugs are some of the best flies you can use in such a place. Tiny flies with deer hair bodies seem to have the right balance in the water column, allowing you to make a good stop-and-go presentation and letting the bug hang in the water column for a short while in between pulls.

Read more on Bugs and bug fly fishing on our blog here

 

 

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