# First steelhead fly setup



## dlancy (Feb 14, 2008)

Over the summer I decided to get my first steelhead fly setup. A close friend, who I would call a diehard expert, sold me one of his older 9'6 7wt setups. A perfect starter for me. I have little experience fly fishing and just have been doing research online for the past few months. The reel already had some solid backing and i recently purchased some rio 7wt floating line. I plan on mainly dead drifting because that is what I have been doing on my spinning gear the past few years. 

A few questions, first is floating line best for dead drifting? Typically how much weight should be added to my leader in a normal flow to get the fly to the fish? Am I able to strip streamers with this setup? After my floating line I have currently put on a tapered leader, do I still need to add tippet below that before my fly? 

Still real new to the fly game, so sorry if some of these questions are dumb.


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## mdogs444 (Aug 29, 2012)

1. Yes, floating line is what you want. Typically WF (weight forward). 
2. You should use a tapered leader. For steelhead, you can use anywhere from 8-12lb. Bigger is just fine.
3. You will put on about 4ft-6ft of tippet at the end of the leader, and always use a smaller diameter tipper than what your leader is. For example, 12 lb leader, 10 lb tippet. This will allow you to cut and change flies without reducing the length of your leader. 
4. When dead drifting, the weight will depend on your fly setup and the flow/depth. If using an indicator and single fly, like a wooly bugger, you'll use split shots - most likely 1 or 2, about 12 and 24" above the fly. This will keep the fly down, and remember to mend the line. It also helps to use weighted flies, like beadhead/conehead buggers and eggs to add extra weight.
5. yes, you can still throw streamers and strip with this setup. You'll want to put on a versileader at the end of the fly line, and then attach tipper to the versileader. Its a heavier sinking line for streamers. A 7' sinking versileader is perfect - and the sink rate will depend on the flow of the water and how heavy your fly is.http://www.rioproducts.com/fishing-leaders/versileader/trout-versileader/


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## dlancy (Feb 14, 2008)

mdogs444 said:


> 1. Yes, floating line is what you want. Typically WF (weight forward).
> 2. You should use a tapered leader. For steelhead, you can use anywhere from 8-12lb. Bigger is just fine.
> 3. You will put on about 4ft-6ft of tippet at the end of the leader, and always use a smaller diameter tipper than what your leader is. For example, 12 lb leader, 10 lb tippet. This will allow you to cut and change flies without reducing the length of your leader.
> 4. When dead drifting, the weight will depend on your fly setup and the flow/depth. If using an indicator and single fly, like a wooly bugger, you'll use split shots - most likely 1 or 2, about 12 and 24" above the fly. This will keep the fly down, and remember to mend the line. It also helps to use weighted flies, like beadhead/conehead buggers and eggs to add extra weight.
> 5. yes, you can still throw streamers and strip with this setup. You'll want to put on a versileader at the end of the fly line, and then attach tipper to the versileader. Its a heavier sinking line for streamers. A 7' sinking versileader is perfect - and the sink rate will depend on the flow of the water and how heavy your fly is.http://www.rioproducts.com/fishing-leaders/versileader/trout-versileader/



Thanks so much for that information! This helps out a lot. I did get the weight forward line, so that's good. I also have built up a nice collection of beaded and conehead wooly buggers, so like you said that will add some weight to my setup. I will also be using an indicator and running a tandem with a nymph or egg pattern. 

It's good to know that I can still strip streamers with my setup. I'll check the rio versileader out. 

Thanks again for all of the information mdogs.



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## lowhole4trowt (Feb 1, 2014)

Shot patterns and amounts are dictated by the different runs or currents you are fishing so it's tough to say. I would drop my rig in front of me and see how quickly it sank in the current then add or subtract depending on that. You don't want half your drift to be spent waiting for your presentation to get down but don't wanna anchor it into the rocks and snag every time either...just takes some adjusting.

I liked to be able to switch from indi fishing to swinging or stripping quickly and usually only took a few swings through each run every now and then so I never really went to sink tips or whatnot (although they are much better for swinging or stripping). I would just tie about 2 ft of tippet onto a 10 foot leader and then add shot to the leader until I could feel myself bumping bottom consistently through the swing..then take a shot or two off to keep it just up off bottom. Again that changes with every run you fish but it was easier to switch just pop off the indicator and tie on a new fly/add shot. Some bigger weighted flies in slower water you may not need this at all as they will get down just fine but in faster runs or wider rivers it might help.


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## dlancy (Feb 14, 2008)

Ok ya that's a good idea also. When I'm on the river it would be nice to be able to do both presentations by just taking off the indicator, add shot and change flies. 


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## dlancy (Feb 14, 2008)

I'm looking at tippet sizes online, which one or two would be recommended? 


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## mdogs444 (Aug 29, 2012)

Not sure which brand you are using, but I stay away from Fluoro. Most of the waters in OH are relatively stained, so theres not much to gain. I've been doing this a long time and never used fluoro here.

When using regular woolys or dual nymph rigs, I use Rio in 2x, 3x, and 4x. When swinging streamers, I use Maxima in 10 or 12lb.

In stained water, you can use as thick/heavy as you want and it isn't going to matter much.


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## iggyfly (Jun 30, 2012)

I don't even use 4x anymore. But yes what mdogs said


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## ztkaz (Sep 25, 2013)

mdogs444 said:


> Not sure which brand you are using, but I stay away from Fluoro. Most of the waters in OH are relatively stained, so theres not much to gain. I've been doing this a long time and never used fluoro here.
> 
> When using regular woolys or dual nymph rigs, I use Rio in 2x, 3x, and 4x. When swinging streamers, I use Maxima in 10 or 12lb.
> 
> In stained water, you can use as thick/heavy as you want and it isn't going to matter much.



So you say don't use Fluro but you've never used it? 

& Dustin I just buy vanish 10-8 pound line and tie straight to the fly line which has a loop. to much time to tie up tapers leaders for a "better" cast. Also cheaper.


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## iggyfly (Jun 30, 2012)

If im swinging I have 12" 25# chameleon looped at both ends. Then roughly 24" of 12# maxima ug or 16# fluoro, looped at one end for easy change of tippet. 

For indicator its 21" 30# chameleon, 14" 25# chameleon and 7" 20# chameleon looped at both ends. Then 4 to 6 ft of 15# maxima ug for adjusting indicator, looped at one end, micro swivel at tippet end. Never use lower than 8# tippet personally. 2x to 3x on tandem.rig.

Thats my preference thus far. Not too complicated. Indicator leader is only complicated because of the.butt section, but I feel it helps turn over the heaver junk on the end.


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## mdogs444 (Aug 29, 2012)

I use Fluorocarbon trout fishing in PA, CO, and MT, but no, not for steelhead. The prime time to fish steelhead in Ohio is when the water is stained. We do not have too many crystal clear days, so it is completely pointless to use Fluoro and pay 4x as much for a single spool. It serves no purpose. Steelhead are not as picky an finicky as native rainbows out west.



ztkaz said:


> So you say don't use Fluro but you've never used it?
> 
> & Dustin I just buy vanish 10-8 pound line and tie straight to the fly line which has a loop. to much time to tie up tapers leaders for a "better" cast. Also cheaper.


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## dlancy (Feb 14, 2008)

What knots are best to use from backing to fly line, fly line to leader, leader to tippet? Nail knot? 


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## mdogs444 (Aug 29, 2012)

Nail knot for back to fly line. Most fly lines should already have a loop at the forward end of it. If not, use a nail knot with the fly line folded over itself and secure w/ mono to create a loop. Leaders should already be looped on the back end to create a loop to loop connection. Use a surgeons knot to tie the leader to the tippet.


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## dlancy (Feb 14, 2008)

Thanks! 


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## MadMax1 (Aug 27, 2012)

mdogs444 said:


> I use Fluorocarbon trout fishing in PA, CO, and MT, but no, not for steelhead. The prime time to fish steelhead in Ohio is when the water is stained. We do not have too many crystal clear days, so it is completely pointless to use Fluoro and pay 4x as much for a single spool. It serves no purpose. Steelhead are not as picky an finicky as native rainbows out west.






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## MadMax1 (Aug 27, 2012)

MadMax1 said:


> Posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire



Sorry - that last post was blank... Anyhow, I meant to comment about the floro leader . Aside from it''invisible' underwater qualities, wouldn't it provide much better resistance to abrasion when drifting across rocks on the bottom all day? I totally understand the argument of it being pointless paying the extra money to use in stained water.


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## mdogs444 (Aug 29, 2012)

MadMax1 said:


> Sorry - that last post was blank... Anyhow, I meant to comment about the floro leader . Aside from it''invisible' underwater qualities, wouldn't it provide much better resistance to abrasion when drifting across rocks on the bottom all day? I totally understand the argument of it being pointless paying the extra money to use in stained water.
> 
> 
> Posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


Not really. Fluoro is much more brittle line than standard mono, and does not have the stretch qualities than mono has. In my opinion, fluoro has much better usage in trout fishing for native species that are picky and presentation is critical - such as using small 16-20x dry flies. 

With that being said, whether you use fluoro or mono, a few drags on the rock to take a small notch out of the line will result in line break no matter which one you select.


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## AC_ESS (Nov 15, 2008)

Does anyone have photos of these rigs?


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## ztkaz (Sep 25, 2013)

AC_ESS said:


> Does anyone have photos of these rigs?



YouTube, no one is gonna show you there seceret tricks on here. I learned from research and time on the water. YouTube steelhead float fishing or steelhead fly fishing which ever you prefer to try or even center pinning.


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## AC_ESS (Nov 15, 2008)

I have been youtubeing I have been watches redsflyoutfiiters. When you you guys talk about your rigs its foreign. I have to see how its rigged up. If your using two flies or a fly and a sac where do you tie the second fly or sac too? The hook kind of like a stinger when you jig for walleyes?


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## BigBadBrad (Feb 10, 2012)

AC_ESS said:


> I have been youtubeing I have been watches redsflyoutfiiters. When you you guys talk about your rigs its foreign. I have to see how its rigged up. If your using two flies or a fly and a sac where do you tie the second fly or sac too? The hook kind of like a stinger when you jig for walleyes?


I tend to agree. Granted, I usually end up doing a bunch of reading to figure out what everyone is talking about, but it'd be much easier just to have a mental picture of what's being explained.


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## creekcrawler (Oct 5, 2004)

I like to try to keep is simple.
I swear by the braided leaders. Fly line - braided leader - 4-5 ft of 8-10# test tippet.
I've had the braided leaders last for an entire seaon, just keep replacing the tippet.
For a two fly rig, just tie off more tipped/leader at the bend of the hook of your first fly and tie the second about 18-24" below the first.


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## mdogs444 (Aug 29, 2012)

BigBadBrad said:


> I tend to agree. Granted, I usually end up doing a bunch of reading to figure out what everyone is talking about, but it'd be much easier just to have a mental picture of what's being explained.


To add a second fly, take a 12-24" piece of tippet, tie one end on the fly, the other end to the hook of the first fly. I prefer to use improved clinch knots for both ends.


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