Great Lakes Steelhead
General Info: Skamania summer steelhead were once transplanted from our beloved Columbia River Gorge (home of Big Y Fly) to the Great Lakes. A fantastic seasonal fishery was created in just a few years. Steelhead now pour into the tributaries of Great Lakes tributaries every fall. From Michigan to New York, big runs of steelhead can be found close to major metropolitan areas. The most famous area is the area called "Steelhead Alley" in Ohio. It runs along the shoreline of Lake Erie to the inlet from Lake Ontario. Another very popular spot is along the Salmon River near Pulaski, NY.
While anglers on the Pacific coast tend to swing smaller flies for steelhead, Great Lakes steelheaders most often use a nymphing setup. Swinging a fly is still fairly popular in the Great Lakes, but nymphing is the name of the game. Many anglers also fish a trout streamer either under an indicator or with a tight line. The peak time to go is in October, but fish start showing up in September and can be found as late as ice conditions will allow. There is also a spring season where fish that "wintered over" in the rivers can be found heading back towards the lake.
Preferred Gear
Rods: 7-8 wt. rods. Many prefer a 9'6" or 10' rod, but 9' rods are still the most popular
Favorites: Big Y Boss, TFO Pro III, Redington Vice, Orvis Clearwater
Reels: Large arbor, with solid drag system
Favorites: Orvis Battenkill Disc, Big Y General, Lamson Remix, Redington Behemoth
Lines: Weight forward, floating. Specialty nymphing lines for steelhead are a real plus.
Favorites: Rio Elite Indicator, Scientific Anglers Mastery Anadro
Filters
- 1264505 (0)
- 1264595 (0)
- 1266545 (0)
- 1270198 (0)
- 1270400 (0)
- 1270702 (0)
- 1283006 (0)
- 1283023 (0)
- 1283028 (0)
- 1283029 (0)
- 1289825 (0)
- 1325109 (0)
- 2767378 (0)
- 3012099 (0)
- 3054056 (0)
- 3330929 (0)
- 3516776 (0)
- 5475326 (0)
- 6209919 (0)
- 6235339 (0)
- 6693255 (0)
- 6695812 (0)
- 6828519 (1)
- 6828549 (0)
- 6828552 (0)
- 6828558 (0)
- Alaska (1)
- Argentina (0)
- Arizona (0)
- Arkansas (0)
- Atlantic Salmon (0)
- Attractors (0)
- Baitfish/Sculpin (0)
- Bass (0)
- Beadheads (1)
- Beads (1)
- Best Trout Flies (0)
- Brown Trout (0)
- Caddis Flies (0)
- Caddis Larva (0)
- California (0)
- Carp (0)
- Chile (0)
- Coho/Silver Salmon (0)
- Colorado (0)
- Czech/Euro Nymphs (0)
- Egg Patterns (2)
- Florida (0)
- Fulling Mill/Orvis (0)
- Georgia (0)
- Great Lakes Steelhead (3)
- Hex (0)
- Hexagenia and Big Drakes (0)
- Idaho (0)
- Lake Flies (0)
- landlocked salmon (0)
- Leeches (0)
- Louisiana (0)
- Maine (0)
- Maryland (0)
- Mayfly Nymphs (0)
- Michigan (0)
- Minnesota (0)
- Missouri (0)
- Montana (0)
- New Jersey (0)
- New Mexico (0)
- New York (0)
- New Zealand (0)
- North Carolina (0)
- Nymphs (0)
- Ohio (0)
- Oregon (0)
- Other Branded Flies (1)
- Pacific Steelhead - Summer Run (0)
- Pennsylvania (0)
- Pyramid Lake (0)
- Salmon & Steelhead (2)
- Salmonflies/Stoneflies (0)
- Sea Run Cutthroat (0)
- Smallmouth Bass (0)
- Solitude (0)
- Steelhead Fever (1)
- Steelhead Nymphs (2)
- Stonefly Nymph (0)
- Streamers (0)
- Swinging Flies (0)
- Tennessee (0)
- Texas (0)
- Trout Beads (1)
- Tungsten Flies (0)
- Umpqua Flies (1)
- Utah (0)
- Vermont (0)
- Washington (0)
- West Virginia (0)
- Wisconsin (0)
- Worms (0)
- Wyoming (0)
- Yellowstone National Park (0)
- Black (26)
- Black Nickel (1)
- Black/Blue (2)
- Black/Chart (1)
- Black/Olive (1)
- Black/Orange (4)
- Black/Pink (2)
- Black/Red (2)
- Black/Yellow/Chart (1)
- Blood Roe (1)
- Blue (3)
- Blush Roe (2)
- Brown (12)
- Brown/White (1)
- Cerise (3)
- Cerise Egg (1)
- Chart (1)
- Chart/Chart (1)
- Chart/White (1)
- Chartreuse (20)
- Chartreuse/White (1)
- Chartreuse/Yellow/Black (1)
- Cheese (1)
- Copper (3)
- Copper/Black (1)
- Cotton Candy (3)
- Cream (1)
- Dark Roe (4)
- Dirty Roe (1)
- Egg Yolk (1)
- Fl. Orange/Yellow (1)
- Flo. Orange/Yellow (1)
- Glow Roe (3)
- Gold (2)
- Golden (5)
- Gray (1)
- Green (1)
- Grizzly (1)
- Hot Cherry (1)
- Hot Cherry Roe (1)
- Light Blue (1)
- Light Blue/Red Dot (1)
- Light Roe (1)
- Mandarin Roe (1)
- Mango Egg (2)
- Midnight Fire (1)
- Montana Roe (3)
- Natural (3)
- Natural Roe (3)
- Olive (18)
- Olive/Black (1)
- Olive/White (1)
- Orange (13)
- Orange Clear (1)
- Orange Pearl (1)
- Orange/Chart (1)
- Orange/Yellow (1)
- Oregon Cheese (2)
- Peach (1)
- Peach Fuzz (2)
- Peach Pearl (1)
- Peach Roe (1)
- Peachy King (1)
- Peachy King Roe (2)
- Peacock (1)
- Pearl (1)
- Pink (13)
- Pink Pearl (1)
- Pink/Chart (1)
- Pink/White (1)
- Purple (9)
- Purple/Chart (1)
- Purple/Orange (1)
- Purple/Pink (1)
- Purple/Red (1)
- Red (11)
- Red/White (1)
- Ruby Roe (2)
- Salmon (1)
- Salmon Pearl (1)
- Shrimp Pink (1)
- Shrimp/Apricot (1)
- Silver (2)
- Steelhead Orange (1)
- Steelhead Orange/Red Dot (1)
- Sunrise Yellow/Black Dot (1)
- Tan (2)
- Tangerine (2)
- Trans-Orange (1)
- Trans-Pink (1)
- Trans-Red (1)
- Trans-White (1)
- White (12)
- Yellow (3)
- Yellow/Green/Brown (1)
- Zebra (1)
-
73 in stock
Barr's Copper John Steelhead Rubberleg - Umpqua
$4.40Original priceOriginal price $4.40 - Original price $5.50Original price$4.40 - $5.50Current price $4.40| /It turns out that steelhead love a copper john about as much as a landlocked rainbow trout, and that is a lot. This larger copper john features a h...
View full details$4.40Original priceOriginal price $4.40 - Original price $5.50Original price$4.40 - $5.50Current price $4.40| /Value must be grater than or equal to 1. -
1249 in stock
Steelhead Hammer-Beadhead
$0.86Original priceOriginal price $0.86 - Original price $0.86Original price$0.86 - $0.86Current price $0.86| /Excellent pattern where ever you are targeting steelhead. Popular in BC, Alaska, Great Lakes, Pacific coast. Has become a go to fly in very little...
View full details$0.86Original priceOriginal price $0.86 - Original price $0.86Original price$0.86 - $0.86Current price $0.86| /Value must be grater than or equal to 1. -
41 in stock
Trout Beads: GlowBeadz
$3.90Original priceOriginal price $3.90 - Original price $4.65Original price$3.90 - $4.65Current price $3.90| /Troutbeads Glowbeadz are a relatively new item from Troutbeads and are quickly becoming the go-to item in the Steelheaders box. Glowbeadz will glo...
View full details$3.90Original priceOriginal price $3.90 - Original price $4.65Original price$3.90 - $4.65Current price $3.90| /Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
Sort by