# I need a steelhead course 101



## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

Is anyone interested?. I m looking for a crash course covering most the bases. Center pin, fly fishing, floats Indy fishing swinging streamers.
I'm pretty good at fishing but steelhead methods are lacking for me. Basically I need some demonstration time with rigging, casting various rods and a explanation on rod and set up for rigs. Skagit casting, casting center pins, mono rigs, the whole nine yards.
Shoot me a pm if you're interested.


----------



## PunyTrout (Mar 23, 2007)

One has to wonder if Brushy is posting this as a favor for a former M-S user. 


I think if I wanted to learn a thing or two about steelhead fishing I would ask @ausable_steelhead or @SJC for a lesson. 

Offer to build them a log cabin in return.


----------



## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

Haha, no this is for me. I have a AK trip planned for April and I just want to add some things to my line up trying to be flexible. I don't fish steelhead much, but I do catch a few every now and then. All the different rigs and methods intrigue me.


----------



## Shoeman (Aug 26, 2000)

brushbuster said:


> Haha, no this is for me. I have a AK trip planned for April and I just want to add some things to my line up trying to be flexible. I don't fish steelhead much, but I do catch a few every now and then. All the different rigs and methods intrigue me.


Alaska is a whole different animal.


----------



## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

Shoeman said:


> Alaska is a whole different animal.


Yeah I know, that's why I'd like to have a big bag of tricks.


----------



## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

From what I gathered for the river I'm fishing it's full of wood, the fish are wild, slow presentations work the best, and diversity can be key


----------



## riverman (Jan 9, 2002)

Spinners and spoons would be my choice. Easy to pack, easy to fish. Have fun!!


----------



## TroutFishingBear (Aug 31, 2007)

good ole number 5 blue fox for me. Or spawn. But you already knew these techniques…don’t complicate it too much.


----------



## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

riverman said:


> Spinners and spoons would be my choice. Easy to pack, easy to fish. Have fun!!


Yeah I'll take some of that. Things that really interest me though is the float fishing with jigs. Purple worms are killer on this river. Also long drifts with a float on a free Wheeling center pin work well, and I have read mono rigs on as fly reel work well also. I read about using stiff long butt sections tied into fly line. There's just just a bunch of methods that I'm not overly familiar with that I'd like to learn.


----------



## riverman (Jan 9, 2002)

Fwiw, running a float in high fast water is not much fun. Think I read you were going this spring so I would assume a good chance that will be the type of water with runoff you will be fishing


----------



## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

TroutFishingBear said:


> good ole number 5 blue fox for me. Or spawn. But you already knew these techniques…don’t complicate it too much.


No bait on this river, drifting beads and glo bugs. Yes I know how to fish them using some of our GL methods, just interested in other techniques.


----------



## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

riverman said:


> Fwiw, running a float in high fast water is not much fun. Think I read you were going this spring so I would assume a good chance that will be the type of water with runoff you will be fishing


Yeah, so the Situk levels do fluctuate, it takes alot to blow the banks out though, you can be fishing gin clear low and slow one day and green high water by evening and then back to clear and low the next day.


----------



## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

brushbuster said:


> Yeah, so the Situk levels do fluctuate, it takes alot to blow the banks out though, you can be fishing gin clear low and slow one day and green high water by evening and then back to clear and low the next day.


I think it's going to be real close to the pm fly water with the lower end much like the lower Ausable.


----------



## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

Tides also dictate water levels on the lower end as well.
Maybe I'm just getting intimidated by it, not ever being there or fishing it.


----------



## Sublime505 (Mar 19, 2013)

For the swing side look into one handed skagit. The OPST commando heads are nice. The 7.5 ft heads cast nicely with a 9’ rod. They come in light, medium, and heavy. Quick switch out allows you to cover different parts of the water column. You really only need 3 casts to cover most of the water. Single Spey snap t and a good roll cast.


----------



## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

Sublime505 said:


> For the swing side look into one handed skagit. The OPST commando heads are nice. The 7.5 ft heads cast nicely with a 9’ rod. They come in light, medium, and heavy. Quick switch out allows you to cover different parts of the water column. You really only need 3 casts to cover most of the water. Single Spey snap t and a good roll cast.


Yeah I do have that set up, still trying to learn some of the casting techniques


----------



## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

Sublime505 said:


> For the swing side look into one handed skagit. The OPST commando heads are nice. The 7.5 ft heads cast nicely with a 9’ rod. They come in light, medium, and heavy. Quick switch out allows you to cover different parts of the water column. You really only need 3 casts to cover most of the water. Single Spey snap t and a good roll cast.


Have you tried nymphing and Indi fishing with the floating head?


----------



## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

If you know how to use a baitcaster, that is a really effective way to float fish, without investing in centerpin equipment. If I was going to make an initial investment in one, or the other, I would probably opt for baitcasting rig. I cast my lot with pinning a long time ago, and it works well. Having a drag, and more than 1:1 retrieve ratio comes in real handy in the fast flows @ Alaska. Our rivers are tame in comparison. 

Go hang out at 6th St, east side, most any morning that isn't -10*, and not blizzarding. You can learn a ton about float fishing there, in a couple hours. To be clear, someone will be there @ -10*, and in blizzard conditions. But there are more people there in more favorable conditions, to ask questions of.


----------



## Sublime505 (Mar 19, 2013)

brushbuster said:


> Have you tried nymphing and Indi fishing with the floating head?


No you’ll have to switch out to a scandi taper if you want to indi fish. You loose all ability to mend when the head is 10-12’. Not saying you couldn’t huck a indi rig with a skagit, but it will be a lot of YMMV. I think Rio makes a switch chucker line that was made it handle indi rigs as more of a do everything line.

Personally I’d swing for the show. Seems to me that all the salmon species up there are way more aggressive. I would look up some Senyo and Jerry French patterns.


----------



## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

Sublime505 said:


> No you’ll have to switch out to a scandi taper if you want to indi fish. You loose all ability to mend when the head is 10-12’. Not saying you couldn’t huck a indi rig with a skagit, but it will be a lot of YMMV. I think Rio makes a switch chucker line that was made it handle indi rigs as more of a do everything line.
> 
> Personally I’d swing for the show. Seems to me that all the salmon species up there are way more aggressive. I would look up some Senyo and Jerry French patterns.


That was my initial plan, but only using my floating head to try and Indy fish. Then I came across an article where a guy uses a mono rigs tied to his fly line. Basically it's a 30 plus foot leader that he uses for Indy fishing. 25 foot but section of Maxima chameleon 20# test 2ft mid section of 12 # and the rest is a tapered tippet. The leader is long enough so the fly line doesn't go through the guides. Seems quick and easy but I never used that system.


----------



## Scotts98rt2 (May 4, 2021)

Pixie spoons in pink, lots of black flies, meaning streamer.


----------



## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

Here's a clip. It seems most guys are drifting down in a boat floating beads and glow bugs. This guy is using mono in a fly reel for long drifts away from the boat. I'm currently working on rigging my packraft with a anchor and a rod holders. Waiting on parts to arrive in mail.


----------



## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

Scotts98rt2 said:


> Pixie spoons in pink, lots of black flies, meaning streamer.


Yeah I have lots of pink and dark streamers.


----------



## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

brushbuster said:


> Here's a clip. It seems most guys are drifting down in a boat floating beads and glow bugs. This guy is using mono in a fly reel for long drifts away from the boat. I'm currently working on rigging my packraft with a anchor and a rod holders. Waiting on parts to arrive in mail.


Looks like the guy might be using OPST Lazar line in his reel.


----------



## Shoeman (Aug 26, 2000)

From what ai gathered back in 2000, most of the food is roe and smolts. Not much insect/ nymph activity. What do I know? 

We used mostly muddlers, much like my goby patterns. Guide insisted on tipping them with a chunk of shrimp. (Not your option).


----------



## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

Shoeman said:


> From what ai gathered back in 2000, most of the food is roe and smolts. Not much insect/ nymph activity. What do I know?
> 
> We used mostly muddlers, much like my goby patterns. Guide insisted on tipping them with a chunk of shrimp. (Not your option).


Did you go for steel head or salmon?


----------



## Shoeman (Aug 26, 2000)

Early August


----------



## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

Leech and Mouse patterns work well in AK. Chuck and Duck using Climax line is pretty popular. Beads take tons of fish. Orange beads probably take more than all other colors combined.


----------



## SJC (Sep 3, 2002)

I have fished steelhead in a few Alaska streams on several occasions. I used some of the same methods and the same gear that I use here and always did well. So well, in fact, that I was accused of using roe on a no bait stream by a guide who could not believe that I was not employing some type of bait because he had "never seen anyone hook that many steelhead, that fast, without using bait".

Steelhead are easy to catch. I've found the Alaskan steel to be almost identical to ours, maybe even more gullible. If you are proficient at reading water: pick it apart, figure it out, focus on what you know and catch fish.


----------



## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

SJC said:


> I have fished steelhead in a few Alaska streams on several occasions. I used some of the same methods and the same gear that I use here and always did well. So well, in fact, that I was accused of using roe on a no bait stream by a guide who could not believe that I was not employing some type of bait because he had "never seen anyone hook that many steelhead, that fast, without using bait".
> 
> Steelhead are easy to catch. I've found the Alaskan steel to be almost identical to ours, maybe even more gullible. If you are proficient at reading water: pick it apart, figure it out, focus on what you know and catch fish.


I have caught just about every fish in Alaska over the years on fly gear, never went Steelie fishing there. For some reason steelies just intimidate me, probably because I just don't fish them that much.


----------



## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

Also, was just wanting to try out different methods instead of just relying on my simple Indy fishing with a fly rod.


----------



## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

This video is the upper part of the river I'll be on


----------



## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

I think for this trip, I'll just pick up a center pin reel and use it on one of my 9 wts, load up spare spools on my fly reel with some Lazar line running, bring a floating line spool, and my skaggit spool. I may wind up getting a bait caster just to dink around. I should have a little bit of diversity for different situations.


----------



## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

My wife took us to AK for a week for my 50th birthday. We were fishing the Brooks River, below the falls. She hooked a nice Rainbow, that was well over 30". She had a 9 1/2 foot 9 weight IMX flyrod blank, built for spinning, bent into the cork. That fish literally spooled her, and the line broke at the knot for the hook (thereby not leaving 150 yards of 10# Maxima waving in the current). Those wild fish just plain pull *hard*. And they run *fast*. Do not try light tackle on them. 6# line has no place in that game.


----------



## tincanary (Jul 23, 2018)

Fishndude said:


> My wife took us to AK for a week for my 50th birthday. We were fishing the Brooks River, below the falls. She hooked a nice Rainbow, that was well over 30". She had a 9 1/2 foot 9 weight IMX flyrod blank, built for spinning, bent into the cork. That fish literally spooled her, and the line broke at the knot for the hook (thereby not leaving 150 yards of 10# Maxima waving in the current). Those wild fish just plain pull *hard*. And they run *fast*. Do not try light tackle on them. 6# line has no place in that game.


My brother-in-law lives in Oregon and he has told me the Pacific run steelhead are very, very hard fighters compared to their Great Lakes cousins. He says our fish can be outright lazy, but those sea run fish are something else.


----------



## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

Fishndude said:


> My wife took us to AK for a week for my 50th birthday. We were fishing the Brooks River, below the falls. She hooked a nice Rainbow, that was well over 30". She had a 9 1/2 foot 9 weight IMX flyrod blank, built for spinning, bent into the cork. That fish literally spooled her, and the line broke at the knot for the hook (thereby not leaving 150 yards of 10# Maxima waving in the current). Those wild fish just plain pull *hard*. And they run *fast*. Do not try light tackle on them. 6# line has no place in that game.


Yeah I've been spooled quite a few times up there.


----------



## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

Fishndude said:


> My wife took us to AK for a week for my 50th birthday. We were fishing the Brooks River, below the falls. She hooked a nice Rainbow, that was well over 30". She had a 9 1/2 foot 9 weight IMX flyrod blank, built for spinning, bent into the cork. That fish literally spooled her, and the line broke at the knot for the hook (thereby not leaving 150 yards of 10# Maxima waving in the current). Those wild fish just plain pull *hard*. And they run *fast*. Do not try light tackle on them. 6# line has no place in that game.


Everything I have researched on the Situk nothing less than 10 lbs.


----------



## SJC (Sep 3, 2002)

I have caught steelhead a stone throw from the salt with sea lice still attached and they fought just like the fresh runs I catch right next to the lake here. I used the same tackle I use here. Nothing really giant with the biggest being high teens. I did have my hands full with some and got my ass kicked a few times, but that's why I fish steelhead with the gear I do. The stretches I fished had mostly moderate to slow flow. Current speed, water depth, etc make a huge difference on what type of gear you can land fish with. The resident rainbows I fished in a bunch of AK rivers are totally different. If you tied the same size steel and Kenai rainbow tail to tail, the rainbow would kill the steelhead. The first time I fished the Kenai back in the mid 90's, I hooked a large rainbow on a flesh fly and after almost taking my rod on the bite and one six foot jump, the fish went instantly into my backing and snapped my 8# max leader with a loud crack, but not before ruining my knuckles with the reel handle. At that point in my life, I had already caught thousands of steelhead, salmon and stream trout and had never had my ass that thoroughly kicked. Best part was that in four days of fishing, I saw like 3 other fisherman. Now it's bumper boats. I wish I had a time machine...


----------



## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

SJC said:


> I have caught steelhead a stone throw from the salt with sea lice still attached and they fought just like the fresh runs I catch right next to the lake here. I used the same tackle I use here. Nothing really giant with the biggest being high teens. I did have my hands full with some and got my ass kicked a few times, but that's why I fish steelhead with the gear I do. The stretches I fished had mostly moderate to slow flow. Current speed, water depth, etc make a huge difference on what type of gear you can land fish with. The resident rainbows I fished in a bunch of AK rivers are totally different. If you tied the same size steel and Kenai rainbow tail to tail, the rainbow would kill the steelhead. The first time I fished the Kenai back in the mid 90's, I hooked a large rainbow on a flesh fly and after almost taking my rod on the bite and one six foot jump, the fish went instantly into my backing and snapped my 8# max leader with a loud crack, but not before ruining my knuckles with the reel handle. At that point in my life, I had already caught thousands of steelhead, salmon and stream trout and had never had my ass that thoroughly kicked. Best part was that in four days of fishing, I saw like 3 other fisherman. Now it's bumper boats. I wish I had a time machine...


I can definitely relate to the time machine. I first started fishing the kenai peninsula in the late 70s through the 80s, I don't even bother going to that region of Alaska any more. I'd much rather do the remote trips I do now and even then you can run into people.


----------



## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

This trip was just a spare of the moment trip something to bide the time while I wait to go to Aniak.


----------



## 2stix-and-a-string (Feb 11, 2020)

brushbuster said:


> I think it's going to be real close to the pm fly water with the lower end much like the lower Ausable.


Don’t forget…… elbow to elbow fisherman.
Unless you’re flying in away from the smack.


----------



## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

2stix-and-a-string said:


> Don’t forget…… elbow to elbow fisherman.
> Unless you’re flying in away from the smack.


Most of what I read you can get away from the crowd on the Situk


----------

