Steelhead Colours

[btree]

So, having had no success catching the fish of a thousand casts (and I've made a few more than a thousand casts in search of the elusive fish), I was wondering if there some sort of formula for choosing the basic colours for steelhead?

I get it that in general, the lower the water, the smaller the pattern and also the less colourful the fly, and that for cold water you gotta get right down in front of their noses, but in warmer or warming water, you can swing it a bit higher in the water column.

I also understand that the wisdom goes that purple is the go-to colour if you're at a loss, but the more cloudy the water, the bigger the fly.

All that being said, what decision making processes do you veterans go through before choosing your fly.

water colour?
water temperature?
weather?
sun light vs cloudiness?
season?

Or does any of that matter - is it all presentation?

Or more specifically, anyone out there had success on the Kalum or Copper in Spring?

I've done a lot of reading, but would like to learn more.

Thanks

[SalaR]

Hi Ben..
It's not unusual to consider that different colours for some different watersheds. But here are the 4 Main colours that ARE in my fly box all the time. BLACK<DId I say BLACK...and White,Pink,Orange! Combinations in those colours will produce fish anywhere. Then of course you can expand into the Purples,Blues,Chartreuse,Olive,Red and so on.
Then you have to consider the sun light,rising water,falling water,Cold water ...have to go to work but will expand on this..
C

[btree]

Ya, I have a wide assortment of the basic colours - blacks, purples, a few blues, reds, pinks in various shards, orange and all sorts of mixes, even olive greens and chartreuses. And I've got 3" popsicles down to size 6 GPs, but I'm still a bit of a huck and hope when it comes to figuring out what might be a reasonable choice to tie on the end for a season, watershed, water clarity etc.

Any way, will await further elaboration on the decision making. Freshwater trout are so much easier - just see what's coming off the water.

Hi Ben..
It's not unusual to consider that different colours for some different watersheds. But here are the 4 Main colours that ARE in my fly box all the time. BLACK<DId I say BLACK...and White,Pink,Orange! Combinations in those colours will produce fish anywhere. Then of course you can expand into the Purples,Blues,Chartreuse,Olive,Red and so on.
Then you have to consider the sun light,rising water,falling water,Cold water ...have to go to work but will expand on this..
C

[btree]

Grrr, still can't figure out that "insert image" thing - I thought I had it but then it didnt work. Trying to insert them from my FFBC photo album...

So as you can (or at this point can't) see, I have lots of the usual colours. But nothing in WHITE...is it that important of a colour?









I've even got a few more boxes of intruders in the usual colours and blends, plus a nice little box of scottish style spey flies from that Shewey book. All A.J. size 1.5 and 3 and a couple size 6 black G.P.s

[geoffvl]

Wondering if we could start up a thing on fly colours again.

What size and colours would you use in different situtations?

Gin clear water?

High murky water?

Bright sunny day?

[btree]

Ya, I'd like to know as well since I've taken two trips to Terrace and have put in a total of 7 days on the water without a steelhead. All I had to show for it was some holes in my waders and a very sore shoulder. The experience got me to buy a spey rod though.

So ya, the usual questions follow

water colour? (gin clear to glacial blue with 2' visibility to tannin stained)
water temperature?
water level? (falling water, rising water, high water, low water)
sun light vs cloudiness?
season?
watershed?

I'm not asking for your go to fly, just if there is any sort of logic to what you choose based on conditions.

I'm also assuming that a full moon and tides have an influence on fish activity... but that's another topic

[hugh s]

Boy btree thats quite a list, I will run through it in the order you have listed.
Water colour-- Certainly 2' of visibility is enough although I prefer more 4' plus as this opens up the options for line choice -- floating or sinking.
Water temperature-- I think mid fifties farenheight is ideal but success is certainly possible above and below this number. For example a favourite Vanisle river for summer fish in June generally is around 42F fish can be caught both on floating line with small wet fly just subsurface or with sink tips and larger flys, the latter approach likley to be more successful although fish may also be tempted up to skating flys under these conditions.
Water level-- I prefer high and falling or medium flows.
Sun versus cloud-- I prefer cloud or fishing water that is in shade if it is sunny, that being said fish may be caught in either situation.
Season--Summer and fall fish are likley to be more responsive due to more favourable water temps.
Watersheds--In the north many to choose from the Bulkley being one of my favourites the Copper at terrace can be good in the fall if it is in shape as can the mainstem Skeena. On Vanisle we are dealing with smaller fish numbers and reduced runs especially on the east coast.
Taking this information please remember that steelhead are generally quite receptive to many different approaches over the discussed range of conditions. As far as fly pattern and colours are concerned I feel that if you choose a selection of the proven patterns with a choice of sizes and colours in the selection you will be good to go. I personally limit my fly choices to a few I have confidence in and feel at no disadvantge with this smaller selection as I feel that presentation and selection of water to be fished is of more importance than any one pattern or colour. Hope this helps.

[btree]

Thanks for the reply. Much of your wisdom I've run across else where and I do attempt to apply, but my concerns about the aforementioned conditions were only in regards to matching fly colour and size to said conditions. I have a good idea of what conditions are best, but not much of a clue of whether to toss out an orange or pink fly opposed to a dark black or purple one if the water is, for example, high with low visibility due to glacial till, or any other condition listed. So I'll reply in sections to your reply...

Boy btree thats quite a list, I will run through it in the order you have listed.
Water colour-- Certainly 2' of visibility is enough although I prefer more 4' plus as this opens up the options for line choice -- floating or sinking.
yep, I know this, but what choices for size and colour do you make when looking at different visibilities - I assume big for low vis and small for 4'+ vis, but what colours? Dark for clouded water? Dark for 4+ vis? Bright if you want? Do oranges and pinks show up well in clouded water with less than 3' vis?
Water temperature-- I think mid fifties farenheight is ideal but success is certainly possible above and below this number. For example a favourite Vanisle river for summer fish in June generally is around 42F fish can be caught both on floating line with small wet fly just subsurface or with sink tips and larger flys, the latter approach likley to be more successful although fish may also be tempted up to skating flys under these conditions.
Ok, yep, same as with trout, but do you, for example go with blue if it's less than 50F or is that more for less than 42F in the dead of winter?
Water level-- I prefer high and falling or medium flows.
Yes, but with higher flows, do you go with larger more colourful flies?
Sun versus cloud-- I prefer cloud or fishing water that is in shade if it is sunny, that being said fish may be caught in either situation.
Ok, but does the maxim "bright day, bright fly; dark day, dark fly" apply?
Season--Summer and fall fish are likley to be more responsive due to more favourable water temps.
But are there generally more productive colours for summer or winter? Dark for summer? Orange and Pink for winter? When should I use white?
Watersheds--In the north many to choose from the Bulkley being one of my favourites the Copper at terrace can be good in the fall if it is in shape as can the mainstem Skeena. On Vanisle we are dealing with smaller fish numbers and reduced runs especially on the east coast.
Taking this information please remember that steelhead are generally quite receptive to many different approaches over the discussed range of conditions. As far as fly pattern and colours are concerned I feel that if you choose a selection of the proven patterns with a choice of sizes and colours in the selection you will be good to go. I personally limit my fly choices to a few I have confidence in and feel at no disadvantge with this smaller selection as I feel that presentation and selection of water to be fished is of more importance than any one pattern or colour. Hope this helps.

It certainly helps, but is not exactly what I was looking for...

[geoffvl]

I was casting on the fraser today again. Put a big fuschia bunny leach on to see how casting a heavy fly feels. I held it under the water and as soon as I put my hand in past my wrist I couldn't see the fly any more. So that was less than 6 inches.

I took out some different colour flies and did the same thing and Orange seemed to be the most visible, then fuchsia and then black.

[Bukwas]

Up here in Skeena country this is my #1 pattern, in colder water I might use the same fly in pink.

Color and pattern aside, the most important thing is confidence......without it you are going home skunked. When fishing I expect a fish on every cast...... It never happens like that. But fishing methodically,and with confidence, is going to catch you alot more fish.