Best Flies for Steelhead: Top Patterns to Help You Land More Fish

By: FishUSA Staff

October 23, 2024

Steelhead are known for their incredible fighting ability and elusive nature, making them a challenging adversary to catch on the fly. Choosing the correct fly based on your location and conditions can significantly up your odds of getting to tangle with a giant steelhead. Whether you're fishing the rivers of the Pacific Northwest or the Great Lakes region, having the right flies in your box is essential. Here are some of the best flies for steelhead that work in a variety of conditions.

Best Flies For Steelhead

Egg Patterns

Woolly Bugger

Intruder Fly

Hare's Ear Nymph

San Juan Worm

Zonker

Comet Fly

Prince Nymph

Spey and Dee Flies

Final Thoughts

Best Flies For Steelhead

Egg Patterns

Egg patterns are a must-have when targeting steelhead, especially during the spawning season. Steelhead often feed on salmon eggs or even those of their own species, making these patterns incredibly effective. Popular choices include the Glo Bug, Nuke Egg, Sucker Spawn, and Blood Dot Egg. Popular sizes include anything from an eight to a fourteen. Larger sizes are more effective in larger tributaries or dirtier water. Colors range from natural looking shades of orange and pink to gaudy and bright colors like chartreuse. Reach for the bright colors in stained water and the natural in clear conditions. These patterns all do an excellent job of representing drifting eggs.

Woolly Bugger

The Woolly Bugger is one of the most versatile flies for steelhead. Its undulating action in the water mimics a variety of prey, including leeches, minnows, and aquatic insects. Black and olive Woolly Buggers are popular choices, especially when fished weighted to reach near the bottom in deeper pools. Shades of white are also popular when fishing around baitfish like shiners. Wooly buggers are incredibly versatile and work well dead drifted under an indicator, swung, or even stripped in front of aggressive steelhead. Sizes six to ten are the most commonly used.

Intruder Fly

The Intruder Fly is a go-to pattern for steelhead anglers, particularly those who prefer Spey casting. This fly features a large profile and flowing materials that imitate baitfish and attract the attention of aggressive steelhead. Intruder flies are often tied in bright colors like pink, purple, blue, and black, and work well in both clear and stained water.

Hare's Ear Nymph

The Hare's Ear Nymph is an effective choice when steelhead are feeding on nymphs and other aquatic insects. Its natural appearance and versatility make it a great fly to use in various water conditions, but especially when the water is low and clear. This nymph is most effectively fished dead-drifted under an indicator and in tandem with other flies like egg patterns. Check your local regulations to make sure tandem rigs are legal in your region.

San Juan Worm

The San Juan Worm is simple yet incredibly effective, especially in low water when steelhead may need some enticing to get them aggressive. Steelhead will often key in on this easy meal, making the San Juan Worm a perfect choice when the bite is tough. Popular colors include red, pink, and brown.

Zonker

The Zonker is another streamer pattern that steelhead find hard to resist. With its lifelike motion in the water thanks to a rabbit strip material on the top, the Zonker imitates baitfish and leeches, which are common prey items for hungry steelhead. White, olive, and black Zonkers work particularly well when fished in deeper pools or slow-moving runs where steelhead tend to hold. Popular sizes include tens and twelves. Similar to the wooly bugger streamer, the zonker works well dead drifted under an indicator, swung, or stripped.

Comet Fly

The Comet Fly is a classic steelhead pattern, particularly effective in the Pacific Northwest. This fly is designed to ride low in the water column and works well when swung through deep pools. The bright colors and contrasting materials make it a great choice for attracting steelhead in both clear and murky water and triggering their aggressive nature.

Prince Nymph

The Prince Nymph is another essential nymph pattern for steelhead. Its peacock herl body and biot tails give it a natural appearance that mimics stonefly nymphs and other aquatic insects. This nymph works well dead-drifted under an indicator or fished as part of a tandem rig with an egg or streamer pattern. Check your local regulations to make sure tandem rigs are legal in your region.

Spey and Dee Flies

Spey and Dee Flies are traditional patterns used in Spey casting for steelhead. These flies have long, flowing hackles and are tied with a sleek, elegant design. Patterns like the Green Butt Skunk and Lady Caroline are classics that continue to produce results. These flies work well when swung across current, especially in larger rivers.

Final Thoughts

When it comes to steelhead fishing, having the right flies can make all the difference. From egg patterns and streamers to nymphs and traditional Spey flies, these patterns will help you target steelhead in a variety of water conditions. Be sure to carry a selection of these top flies in your box to increase your chances of landing these prized fish.

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