Northwest Fishing Reports

I'm new to steelhead fishing. I caught a nice steelhead by accident. and I've never had a better fight. after that fight I've wanted to get into steelhead fishing. i need help. best kind of rod? reel? and flies? that are affordable. thanks in advance.

Cabela's has a great line of two handers for very inexpensive prices. I'd go with their 8 wt spey rod. Temple Fork rods are the next step up, very reasonably priced for what you get, the Deer Creek switch rods are awesome. If you're going to go the route of buying new gear, I'd go with a two hander, or at least a switch rod that can do both. You're going to want distance and you're going to throw big flies and heavy sink tips. If you go the switch route, Rio just came out with a brand new switch line suitable for throwing sink tips, it's pretty darn neat. Get a couple of the MOW sink tips from Rio, and stalk up on big intruders in dark colors and pink, black purple...

If you want to nymph, a lead eye marabou in pink or orange, a dropper to a nuclear egg or a bead under an indicator is the way to go. Careful though, that's a whole bucket of trouble if you ask fly fishermen about nymphing. Casting indicator rigs on a two hander is so much more fun. It depends on the water you're going to fish as well, big water like the SKy or Skagit begs for a spey rod, small streams like the Green or the Nooch are suitable to one handed casting.

thank you so much. this will defiantly be of use to me