STEELHEAD TRIBUNE POLL

STEELHEAD TRIBUNE POLL:  FAVORITE WINTER STEELHEAD FLIES?

Written By Deschutes Angler Fly Shop Crew

We held our inaugural Steelhead Tribune Poll.  We think the Poll turned out fantastic!  We want to thank all of our readers whom voted! Out of the 37 readers who participated, an overwhelming majority picked MOI Fly (My Own Invention) as their Favorite Winter Steelhead Fly.  We partially expected this because if one is a Fly Fisherman, the creativity and satisfaction one gets from building, imagining and then catching a fish on a MOI Fly sometimes trumps over all others.

We don’t know how many readers would like to share their MOI Fly’s but we encourage you too so we can post the lovely, not so lovely or downright crazy MOI’s in a fun post for all viewers to see and garner inspiration from.  Please send photos (preferably .jpg / .tif / .png – sized between 800 x 800 and 1500 x 1500) to: 

admin@deschutesanglerguides.com

HAZEL TUBE FLIES FOR WINTER STEELHEAD

Casting Big Flies For Winter Steelhead

Most of us here at Deschutes Angler Fly Shop love fishing larger flies in the Winter for Steelhead, not because they can be more potent, but because they allow us to create and tie flies which exhibit movement i.e. articulation, that we know the Steelhead can't resist. The key with Big Steelhead Flies has been finding the right materials to make them come to life.  Flies which hold a large profile and are still fairly easy to cast are optimal for Winter Steelhead Fishing. There are so many Winter Steelhead Flies on the market right now with lots of fantastic characteristics but most feel like wet towels when you try to cast them (ex. MOAL Leech). Finding the balance between materials, weight, bulk, size and cast-ability is a difficult proposition.

Tube Fly System And Materials That Work The Best?

Along with Amy, the majority of the Guiding Crew and Staff at Deschutes Angler have been tying Winter Tube Flies.  Pro Tube Fly System has given us a unique platform for creative fly tying.  All the parts of the Pro Tube Fly System fit together like Legos - easy, fun and convenient when tying multiple Tube Flies.  While tying the Pro Tube Steelhead Flies, we utilize materials like Barred Ostrich Plumes, Rhea Plumes, Golden Pheasant, Amherst Head and Finn Raccoon which pulsate in the water with bulk, but without unnecessary water absorption.  These Tube Flies are also great to tie because you have multiple weight and head options.  For instance, if one prefers, dumbbell eyes can be substituted in place of the Tube Fly System weights.  Another advantage of the Tube Fly is that it utilizes a short-shanked hook.  When casting a Steelhead Tube Fly, the hook stays in line with the body of the fly.  The advantage being, it is very unlikely that the angler will foul hook his own leader, as he can easily do when casting an articulated Intruder Style Fly.  With these short-shanked hooks, fishermen can play their fish without fear that a long-shanked hook is working its way loose with every jump and head-shake.

Stay tuned for more on the Pro Tube Fly System and these Winter Steelhead Tube Flies.  We will be putting up a few video's in the next few days to show how we tie these magical fruits.

Beautiful Steelhead Tube Fly Tied By Amy Hazel

Beautiful Steelhead Tube Fly Tied By Amy Hazel