Here is the scenario. Low clear water; maybe low cold clear water. The steelhead are there but they are alert to any movement they might detect along the riverbanks. They may or may not be actively feeding on loose eggs tumbling along the river bottom. You know that you can drift an egg or a nymph through little pockets and grooves that are likely to hold a fish, under a curtain of bubbles or enough depth so that you can’t see the fish – and hopefully the steelhead won’t see you as you approach.
Tie on a Low Water Wiggle Egg, give it 4-6 feet of leader under your indicator, and drift it through the nooks and crannies that should/could be holding steelhead. Set up if that bobber makes so much as a quiver, and hope for the best.
Jay Nicholas
February 2012
Best Steelhead Egg Patterns – Low Water Wiggle Egg
Thread: Lagartun 95 D Fl. Orange
Hook: TMC 2457 #8
Tail: Hot Tipped Crazy Legs
Butt: Fl. Flame Ultra chenille, standard
Bead: Hareline Plummeting Tungsten Bead, gold – 3/16” or Fl Orange
Body: Hareline Medium Carded Chenille – Fl. white
Egg Veil: Hareline Egg Yarn – Salmon Egg
Hi there!
I just wanted to comment on this post and the website in general. This is one of the best sites I have found for fly fishing and fly tying! It is incredibly informative and fun to look through. I finally caught my first few steelhead fly fishing last fall and also using spawn sacs. I definitely want to try one of these “bee” flies. I hope to practice tying a few of these flies from this site to try around the Great Lakes region. Keep up the good work! Give my site a look through if you want.
Thanks!
RB