Howdy Stilly-fishers,

I need to get out on the N. Stilly and flyfish as soon as possible before I go POSTAL! What patterns, hook sizes, colors are doing well and where? I have a Sage 8wt SP as well as a 5wt RPL and lots of fly-tying stuff and am going absolutely stir-crazy at work and home! I HAVE TO GO FISHING NOW!!!!! Please advice so I don't become a front-page story!!!

Thanks heaps for any info!

Flygirl

Check this link out.
http://www.flyfishsteelhead.com/howisfishing.htm

I don't know if you looking for more general information, but there are some good books out there. One called "Steelhead Waters" is not bad. It's by Bob Arnold.

Hope it helps

The water below Deer Creek is only occasionally clear enough to fish yet, so you'll have to fish above Oso and probably above the claybanks at Steelhead Haven. The run below the mouth of Boulder River has always been a favorite of mine though I haven't been there yet this year and it seems to be gradually filling in (it requires a crossing that can be dicey unless the water is down). Assuming average clarity for this time of the year I'd be using 4's and 6's and have always found blue to be a good color this early. A Blue-Butt Spade (natural deer hair tail, dubbed kingfisher-blue butt, dubbed black body, and grizzly hackle) has worked for me in the past, and I also tie it in green-butt and orange-butt versions, it's simple and effective.

[This message has been edited by Preston Singletary (edited 06-13-2000).]

I just looked at the USGS site and the North Fork Stilly gauge near Arlington is over seven feet. It's dropping fast but I wouldn't consider it fishable until it comes down to five feet. It looks like Sunday's rain did a job on us.

AAARGH.....Foiled again!!! Hopefully the past couple days of kind-of sunny weather has helped out.

Thanks for the great information, I usually end up catching something on the smallish side with a #14/16 mosquito and have missed too many strikes with a bead head Prince or a flashier variation of an Olive Willy. Now that I'm newly armed with a heavier rod, I'm ready for most anything!

Flygirl