48 



ROD & CREEL 



CHAPTER XT. 

 FLY FISHING FOR STEELHEADS 



WHENEVER the water is in proper condition and there 

 are steelheads in the river, they can be taken on the 

 fly and there is no fish that swims that will give bet- 

 ter sport. Unfortunately so many of our rivers on the mainland 

 are just a bit too coloured for a fly when these fish are running ; 

 though the Little Lillooet, Stave and sometimes the Capilano 

 and Seymour creeks are exceptions. The Cowichan on Vancou- 

 ver Island is the best of the lot, as it is always clear except 

 after extraordinary freshets. 



For this work the rod and tackle are just the same as that 

 used for fiy-fishing for salmon. 



The best all-round fly is a large Grouse and Claret tied on 

 5/0 hooks with the Silver Doctor and Jock Scott next in order 

 of morit. 



The actual method of fishing is very similar to fly-fishing 

 for salmon, except that when you have thoroughly covered a 

 piece of water with one or more flies, it is seldom much use 

 going over it again for a few hours. Also you should fish a 

 pool or reach right down to the very end and fish the tail of the 

 pool with twice the care you do the head. In addition, there 

 are often spots in swift water that should be fished; wherever 

 there is a big boulder there is liable to be a steelhead lying 

 behind it. 



