My first steelhead on a fly!

WindKnot

WindKnot

Steelhead
Got a text the other evening from a friend who had an open seat on his drift boat. He was targeting summer steelhead on a well-known west side stream with a robust hatchery program. I've caught a fair number of steelhead on gear, but always wanted to get one on a fly. Problem is I am a trout/bass fisherman and my fly rods are all light. I brought my 5 weight with a fast sink tip line, which I love swinging rivers for trout, with and hoped for the best. I asked my friend what colors work there and he said black and orange. I knew just the fly. Tied a few up on some of the stoutest hooks I had.

A few hours into the trip, after landing some cutthroat and other smaller fish, my rod went down with that unmistakable throb of a big fish. Was wading at the time, and the fish went on one long downstream run and I chased it. After that we played a game of me getting it fairly close, then the fish running way out again. I just hoped my 8.5 lb leader and barbless hook would hold. My buddy thankfully had a net, and after what seemed forever, we got it in. The fish was missing it's adipose (and oddly it's dorsal fin too), so I took it home to eat. Put a tape to it at home and was just a hair under 30". Really fun experience for me, just wanted to share some stoke here.
IMG_3962.jpg

My hook was a little bent after the fight.
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Well done. Good for you!
 
That’s awesome! The only “first” fish I really remember was my first Steelhead. Caught it on a fly that looked almost identical to yours😀
 
WindKnot said:
Got a text the other evening from a friend who had an open seat on his drift boat. He was targeting summer steelhead on a well-known west side stream with a robust hatchery program. I've caught a fair number of steelhead on gear, but always wanted to get one on a fly. Problem is I am a trout/bass fisherman and my fly rods are all light. I brought my 5 weight with a fast sink tip line, which I love swinging rivers for trout, with and hoped for the best. I asked my friend what colors work there and he said black and orange. I knew just the fly. Tied a few up on some of the stoutest hooks I had.

A few hours into the trip, after landing some cutthroat and other smaller fish, my rod went down with that unmistakable throb of a big fish. Was wading at the time, and the fish went on one long downstream run and I chased it. After that we played a game of me getting it fairly close, then the fish running way out again. I just hoped my 8.5 lb leader and barbless hook would hold. My buddy thankfully had a net, and after what seemed forever, we got it in. The fish was missing it's adipose (and oddly it's dorsal fin too), so I took it home to eat. Put a tape to it at home and was just a hair under 30". Really fun experience for me, just wanted to share some stoke here.
View attachment 21762

My hook was a little bent after the fight.
View attachment 21763
Click to expand...

If you return to that stream on a sunny day fish a darker or tomatoe red fly. I don't consider steelhead super picky but I've had slow days turn into fast ones with the red fly. I typically tie it with orange under and red over top.
 
How to submit a steelhead report:
  1. Say that it is from a hatchery.
  2. Say that it is from a hatchery, in another way.
  3. Just to be sure, find another way to mention that it is from a hatchery.
  4. Add a photo.
😂

Nice fish. Congratulations!
 
We used to have a bunch of these threads every summer.
 
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