It's a wonderful time of year in the PNW! The sun is shining and summer steelhead are making their way up the Columbia. Is there anything better than the first dry line fish of the season!? We think not! With this in mind, what characteristics make up a great early season wet for summers?
* Color - Early summers like bright flies. Hot butts and flash tend to be very good things. Purple is always a sound choice, but early returners seem to REALLY like purple. Have some more muted patterns to use as comeback flies, but don't be afraid to go bright.
* Size - Go big! Or small! Size doesn't really seem to matter all that much. Anything in the #3-#7 range will work well. Bump up in size if the river you're fishing has some color.
* Hook - Hooks are mission-critical to success when swinging flies for steelhead. Even when the bite is at its very best, opportunities can be rather fleeting. If at all possible, run a wet fly with a heavier wire hook at this time of year. The Sno-Cone seen above is tied on an Alec Jackson Steelhead Iron. It's a notably stouter wire than most standard steelhead hooks, and has a very low chance of straightening out on a fish. Early summers tend to go absolutely ballistic and having a stout hook can definitely save the day!
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"The Gorge"
Gorge Fly Shop Team - 541.386.6977
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