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[purplehelmet]

Excited?  What are good patterns for this period--it'll be my 1st fly-only season where I'll actually be fishing & not sitting on the sidelines crying clutching my drift-rod!

[dennyman]

Depends on what you are using for a  fly rod (eg. single hander or spey), and what you are comfortable casting. You could use flies with large dumbbell eyes to non weighted flies. The flies could range from a simple Spratley, General Practitioner, Intruder all the way to a bunny leech. Hopefully the river, will stay in good condition for a couple of weeks till the freshet hits. I have also attached a link to a site which shows colored photos of flies that can be used for either Steelhead or Salmon.

http://www.adiposflytying.com/aboutus.html

[purplehelmet]

What are your personal faves during the time?  Or is it just the usual classics?

[dennyman]

I will be using G.Ps, bunny leeches , and popsicle style flies. Colors will vary from black, blue to red/orange combinations, and pink.

[younggun]

its getting warm in chilliwack the glacial run off is going to colour her up bad. So it might not even be fishable.

[purplehelmet]

lets hope weather permits, thx...

[RalphH]

don't get your hopes too high. The May opening is mainly the bone MOE has thrown to Fly Anglers who'd like a flly only regulation on a local steelhead river. Its worth while but not that great. As the month goes on the water conditions deteriorate and most of the fish available are kelts.

[Dave]

RalphH is correct on both counts.  One, this is indeed just a bone offered to fly only guys, and two, last May the river went out on the 4th.
IMO, the river upstream of the Vedder bridge should be closed to all angling March 31, to protect spawning steelhead.  Then fly only downstream of the Vedder bridge till April 31, when the entire river would close till July 1.  What a dream

[HOOK]

I like your thinking Dave  but how about fly only for April AND May 

[younggun]

too many spawners in may

[jetboatjim]

there are plenty of fresh fish in may...

[tnt]

we have got chrome bright does in May on a regular basis.... granted you will get the odd colored or kelted fish but there is plenty of decent fish around right through....this years low snow pack and cooler temps will keep the water in good shape as well.....

[Dave]

Most certainly, fresh looking, chrome steelhead can be caught in May.  But the majority I have caught and seen during this time period, over about 50 years of fishing, have been gravid fish.  That is, fish that are very, very close to spawning.  An indication of this physiological condition, apart from the obvious distended bellies, is the ovipositor in females - a fish close to spawning will show a tube about 1 cm long protruding from the anus. 

I'm with younggun here - let em spawn in May.