Wet Flies & Nymphs

Steelhead are very opportunistic, perhaps more than any of the other salmonids. In the Pacific Ocean, steelhead feed on baitfish, pelagic worms and squid. When they feed on nymphs in the rivers, some anglers think the steelhead re-adapt to what they first experienced in the early stages of their life when they were juveniles in the rivers? At that point in time they eat insects and crustaceans. West Coast Steelhead have traditionally been caught swinging a wet fly. In recent years, nymphing has become more and more popular. Most anglers think they attack the wet flies out of pure aggression. The early steelhead flies came from early Atlantic salmon fly patterns which are primarily attractor fly patterns. The downstream swing is the basic west coast Summer steelhead method used to present them. Fall run steelhead will also take wet flies well at times. It’s best to fish water that’s above 40 degrees and it’s usually best under low light conditions. We have a large selection of the most popular wet flies used for steelhead. Most steelhead nymph flies imitate stonefly nymphs. Some flies imitate caddisfly larvae and a few, mayfly nymphs. Steelhead fresh out of the ocean holding in pools in the river waiting to spawn will usually eat the nymphs and larvae imitations.