My fly fishing journey started walking the banks of small creeks in search of steelhead. When you talk among other fly fisher's, it is a challenge with great rewards. Now being about 50 footsteps on my home creek I have learned a vast amount of information stalking the river like a bald eagle soaring over a trout stream ready to take it prey.
This is exactly what you must practice fishing these creeks as water can be gin clear and we all know that if you can see fish they probably can see you. A stealth approach is much needed if you want to be successful on small creeks. Wearing clothes that blend yourself into the back ground is a great start to this method.
Shorter drifts, longer leaders, sometimes even lighter tippet up to 4x must be used as the fish can spook quite easily and can make your day a frustrating one. One thing I noticed a lot is the amount of false casting people tend to use while steelheading, which really isn't needed at all on these small creeks. I rarely have my fly line go behind me. This will keep you happy, the fly box full, and the line in the water.
Now how to work the water? I tend to use an indicator for the head of the larger pools, where I find the water usually to be deeper on most creeks. I will use a various amount of different egg fly patterns, as well as bead headed stone flies. A tandem rig of this variation is very deadly where regulations permit.
I will position myself usually upstream and let my fly (flies) drift down into the strike zone when the water clarity is at is clearest. Then I will lift and retrieve the line and work back into the drift again. Sometimes extra shot is needed to get the flies down into the strike zone. This method keeps you out of the fish’s sight and allows a very quite presentation. I keep my drifts very short, maybe hitting the middle of pool at times.
Now as for the tail out of the pool I usually swing, or use a stripping action to my presentation. Sometimes I will use a sink tip on my floating line to keep the fly in the strike a little longer. I will use a variety of Woolley Buggers, Zonkers, and Cone head Muddlers. Roll casts and short false cast where room is permitted behind to get those heavier weighted flies out there are what I like to use most to keep my approach less visible.
Line control is an important aspect to be successful as well. Keeping that fly line out of the fish’s sight is key and mending the line properly upstream or downstream when needed. A useful tool to follow is watch the current bubbles flow by and if your line is or indicator is travelling the same speed, you will have a proper drift.
Be persistent in your approach, sometimes that next cast is always the right one. Steelhead can be like humans, one more annoying comment or drift in a fish’s world can cause a strike.
