This is the show that got me into fly fishing a handful of years ago! I'm a better overall angler for it, not just fly fisherman. I tell ya what though, more so than the fishing I find the videos very relaxing. In terms of editing, narration, the videos have a calming nature to them.
I think people underestimate how big the great lakes are and what they are really like. Lake superior gets to around 1300 ft deep. I've seen waves at 26 ft. Hit the lift bridge in duluth. These bodies of water are inland freshwater seas.
I really like your show and content but I wish that you wouldn't have filmed the spot where you did you could have picked a river that was less fragile and was more well known in the area. But anyways tight lines all good vibes here.
If it floats the weight of the nymph its a bobber not an indicator. Also, if it can't spool you and run towards the salt, it ain't a steelhead. No need for heavy drag either, just a good palm...
as far as that "not real steelhead" nonsense goes. They are freshwater steelhead. Great Lakes steelhead. They are from the same strain of Pacific steelhead. People don't need to be so ridiculous. Everyone knows they don't touch salt. Who gives a $#!T? =)
Steelhead that live in the ocean have to survive a much tougher environment and then run up much more challenging rivers. They become chrome and tough, giving them the name steelhead. Lake run bows or 'tinheads' are a prized catch but a giant step down from the real thing. The fact that almost all of them are caught under an indicator rather than on the swing says a lot about the fish as well.
I am not sure why this is such a contentious point for Great Lakes guys. The term steelhead isn't used to refer to their size, their fighting prowess, their value as a game fish, their worth, etc. It simply refers to anadromy, meaning a rainbow that spends some portion of it's life in saltwater. Even if it's just a small portion. On the west coast, we have rainbows that are barely estuarine, may run only 14-16 inches long, but are steelhead simply because they have spent a small portion of their life in saltwater. I still don't understand why GL "steelheaders" get so defensive about defending the term. Alaska also has some tremendously large lake run rainbows that spend most of their life eating baitfish (primarily sockeye fry and smolt) in lake like Iliamna, Kukalek, and Naknek, that only return to moving water for a small period of the year to eat salmon eggs and again in spring to spawn. Rainbows of Lake Taupo in NZ have a similar life history. Those fish aren't called steelhead and neither should the GL fish because they lake a life history that includes saltwater. What's wrong with having the world's most impressive lake-run rainbow fishery and calling it what it is?
@@stephendurkee16 I don't think there's a formal definition of steelhead. These fish came from PNW strains and behave the same in their environment. Nothing wrong with calling them steelhead. No idea why people get worked up when referring to them as such.
@@markevans2579 you should have a problem with the guide not the host buddy. He pays for a service in an area he’s not familiar with, guide doesn’t know how to fish the rapids and takes client to a creek. Who’s fault?
@@zooski1516 Isn't it all crown land up there and provincial park? Not familiar with the spot.. But I know the majority of steelhead rivers in the area are all crown land. Very rare to find private property up there.
hey Bob we had started this trip as a two handed episode but as you know sometimes swinging flies can be challenging and when you want to get a show you do what you have to. The majority of my clients now swing flies whether it be steelhead, salmon and trout.
Bob the majority of our clients are Spey Fisherman but as we all know sometimes swinging flies can be challenging. But we have great rivers for swinging flies.
It's a tailing glove meant to give added grip on the fish when bringing it in. Most tailing gloves can do more damage to the fish than a bare hand but this one is designed to minimize that.
its to get a better grip. He mentions that the kind he's using doesn't remove the slime, but generally the healthiest landing method for the fish is to use your bare hands that have been wetted.
Not "steelhead" but I get that if you don't have ocean run rivers you would want to claim them as such. Still, pretty country and fish. I fish for steelhead and they fight much harder than what I was seeing and they are larger in most circumstances. They also seem to be less active than these lake run fish. Don't get me wrong, I would love to go after these fish if I ever move inland!
There's nothing inaccurate about calling them steelhead. Came from the strain in PNW. Anadromous is the term that describes splitting their lifetime between salt and freshwater.
This is the show that got me into fly fishing a handful of years ago! I'm a better overall angler for it, not just fly fisherman. I tell ya what though, more so than the fishing I find the videos very relaxing. In terms of editing, narration, the videos have a calming nature to them.
Bill Spicer is the Bob Ross of fly fishing. If Im feeling down, I just throw on TNFF
I think people underestimate how big the great lakes are and what they are really like. Lake superior gets to around 1300 ft deep. I've seen waves at 26 ft. Hit the lift bridge in duluth. These bodies of water are inland freshwater seas.
Superior is the 3rd largest lake in the world.
Great episode guys. Thanks for yet another quality show.
Another great show Bill ! I lost all the steelhead I fished. Someday I will land one.
Love the quality of the footage, I don't even fly fish...just yet.
glad you let your guide fish, you'd never me into it. ever fished the Gunnison gorge colorado
I really like your show and content but I wish that you wouldn't have filmed the spot where you did you could have picked a river that was less fragile and was more well known in the area. But anyways tight lines all good vibes here.
Very nice thanks.
Where is 0:59 in the intro filmed? It's incredibly beautiful.
Chilean Patagonia. If you search our channel using "chile" you can watch the show we shot there.
If it floats the weight of the nymph its a bobber not an indicator. Also, if it can't spool you and run towards the salt, it ain't a steelhead. No need for heavy drag either, just a good palm...
Did you go up by houghton?
Anything made by cotton will take off the fishes protective slime.
Use rubber.
as far as that "not real steelhead" nonsense goes. They are freshwater steelhead. Great Lakes steelhead. They are from the same strain of Pacific steelhead. People don't need to be so ridiculous. Everyone knows they don't touch salt. Who gives a $#!T? =)
They re really called adfluvial trout. And they re not the same strain, but yes same species
Steelhead that live in the ocean have to survive a much tougher environment and then run up much more challenging rivers. They become chrome and tough, giving them the name steelhead. Lake run bows or 'tinheads' are a prized catch but a giant step down from the real thing. The fact that almost all of them are caught under an indicator rather than on the swing says a lot about the fish as well.
I am not sure why this is such a contentious point for Great Lakes guys. The term steelhead isn't used to refer to their size, their fighting prowess, their value as a game fish, their worth, etc. It simply refers to anadromy, meaning a rainbow that spends some portion of it's life in saltwater. Even if it's just a small portion. On the west coast, we have rainbows that are barely estuarine, may run only 14-16 inches long, but are steelhead simply because they have spent a small portion of their life in saltwater. I still don't understand why GL "steelheaders" get so defensive about defending the term. Alaska also has some tremendously large lake run rainbows that spend most of their life eating baitfish (primarily sockeye fry and smolt) in lake like Iliamna, Kukalek, and Naknek, that only return to moving water for a small period of the year to eat salmon eggs and again in spring to spawn. Rainbows of Lake Taupo in NZ have a similar life history. Those fish aren't called steelhead and neither should the GL fish because they lake a life history that includes saltwater. What's wrong with having the world's most impressive lake-run rainbow fishery and calling it what it is?
They are the same strain they were originally steelhead eggs taking from bc and placed in the great lakes
@@stephendurkee16 I don't think there's a formal definition of steelhead. These fish came from PNW strains and behave the same in their environment. Nothing wrong with calling them steelhead. No idea why people get worked up when referring to them as such.
What month of the year is this filmed?
end of April
Private property they shouldn't have even been there now no one is allowed there thanks new fly Fisher
@@markevans2579 you should have a problem with the guide not the host buddy. He pays for a service in an area he’s not familiar with, guide doesn’t know how to fish the rapids and takes client to a creek. Who’s fault?
@@zooski1516 Isn't it all crown land up there and provincial park? Not familiar with the spot.. But I know the majority of steelhead rivers in the area are all crown land. Very rare to find private property up there.
Barbless?? It should be like that..yeahh...it was not...
Ever "bean"? did he mean ' been'?
That's canadian for "been"
hoping to see more videos steelhead on the swing, rather than nymphing techniques.
hey Bob we had started this trip as a two handed episode but as you know sometimes swinging flies can be challenging and when you want to get a show you do what you have to. The majority of my clients now swing flies whether it be steelhead, salmon and trout.
Bob the majority of our clients are Spey Fisherman but as we all know sometimes swinging flies can be challenging. But we have great rivers for swinging flies.
What switch rod and line did he use? I think they may have forgotten to mention it in the episode
why even use a glove when you still are using a bare hand on the main section of the fishes body?????
Good question! If its to protect the fish why not two gloves
It's a tailing glove meant to give added grip on the fish when bringing it in. Most tailing gloves can do more damage to the fish than a bare hand but this one is designed to minimize that.
its to get a better grip. He mentions that the kind he's using doesn't remove the slime, but generally the healthiest landing method for the fish is to use your bare hands that have been wetted.
So its easier to tail the fish. Its not used to protect the fish, only to get a better hold on the tail.
Trout*
Not "steelhead" but I get that if you don't have ocean run rivers you would want to claim them as such. Still, pretty country and fish. I fish for steelhead and they fight much harder than what I was seeing and they are larger in most circumstances. They also seem to be less active than these lake run fish. Don't get me wrong, I would love to go after these fish if I ever move inland!
Rodney W. They fight harder out in the big lake
@@taylorchevalier9735 uh no they do not.
There's nothing inaccurate about calling them steelhead. Came from the strain in PNW. Anadromous is the term that describes splitting their lifetime between salt and freshwater.