sharpen your hook
Do you sharpen your hook on a regular basis?   A fish's mouth is hard and tough.  Although steelhead often hit like a freight train, they can also take super subtly.  Just as light as a tip-tap is sometimes all you feel.  Take a look at Tip #1 here for clarification. A sharp hook can mean the difference between just getting...
wooly bugger
The wooly bugger is one of the easiest and most effective flies to tie for a vast number of fish species.  I demonstrate how to tie a wooly bugger and provide a few tips on general tying instruction.  Watch the video to see how the wooly bugger is tied. Materials for the Black Wooly Bugger Tail:  Black Marabou Body:  Black...
shock loop
  The power of the take of a steelhead is, well...... Powerful.  It can really blow you away if you aren't ready.  Hell, it can really blow you away if you are ready.  I've talked about a few techniques already that will help you hook and land more fish -  see the Open Clinch Knot and Bow to the fish. The...
fly fishing terminology
“Hey (in a super quiet voice)...... I think I just had a TIP.” I make sure to not move a step and put the same exact cast back on the fish. It swings slowly across the river and then……. another TAP. “shhhhhit! I just had a tap”, as I quietly mention to my buddy fishing 100 meters downstream. Again -...
open clinch knot
The open clinch knot has probably helped me hook more fish than any other knot.  Super simple to tie and strong, the open clinch knot does two big things - It gives your fly more action and keeps your fly from getting tangled up. Click on the video below to see how the knot is easily tied.  The big trick...