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Great Lakes Steelhead

Great Lakes Steelhead

General Info: Skamania summer steelhead were once transplanted from our beloved Columbia River Gorge (home of Big Y Fly) to the Great Lakes. A fantastic seasonal fishery was created in just a few years. Steelhead now pour into the tributaries of Great Lakes tributaries every fall. From Michigan to New York, big runs of steelhead can be found close to major metropolitan areas. The most famous area is the area called "Steelhead Alley" in Ohio. It runs along the shoreline of Lake Erie to the inlet from Lake Ontario. Another very popular spot is along the Salmon River near Pulaski, NY.

While anglers on the Pacific coast tend to swing smaller flies for steelhead, Great Lakes steelheaders most often use a nymphing setup. Swinging a fly is still fairly popular in the Great Lakes, but nymphing is the name of the game. Many anglers also fish a trout streamer either under an indicator or with a tight line. The peak time to go is in October, but fish start showing up in September and can be found as late as ice conditions will allow. There is also a spring season where fish that "wintered over" in the rivers can be found heading back towards the lake.


Preferred Gear
Rods: 7-8 wt. rods. Many prefer a 9'6" or 10' rod, but 9' rods are still the most popular 
Reels: Large arbor, with solid drag system 
Lines: Weight forward, floating. Specialty nymphing lines for steelhead are a real plus

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  • Agent Onyx - Solitude

    $2.79
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    A steelhead nymph that produces! Great for off color waters.  Works well as stonefly or general attractor for trout too.

    $2.79
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  • Barr's Copper John Steelhead Rubberleg - Umpqua

    $4.40
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    Original price $4.40 - Original price $5.50
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    It turns out that steelhead love a copper john about as much as a landlocked rainbow trout, and that is a lot. This larger copper john features a h...

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    $4.40
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  • Beadhead Lifter - Solitude

    $2.79
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    The Beadhead Lifter is a great little egg fly that is super fishy Used mostly as a nymph, but it swings well too Available in #6 A sweet pattern d...

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  • Beadhead R.L. Cotton Candy - Solitude

    $2.79
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    The BH RL Cotton Candy is a sweet little egg pattern. Great for nymphing for steelhead or egg eating trout. Pattern developed by Tom Larimer

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  • Circus Caddis-Beadhead

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    One of the very best caddis impressions out there, if not the best. Use where ever fish eat caddis, or where ever caddis and fish co-habitat. A fa...

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  • Copper Swan - Solitude

    $2.51
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    A steelhead nymph that produces! Swings well too!  Works well as stonefly and caddis nymph for trout too. A tried and true pattern by Todd Osterson

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  • Crystal Meth

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      Another great pattern designed first for the Lake Erie steelhead. Very similar to the Sucker Spawn, but more reflective. Great for murky wate...

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  • Deep October Caddis Pupa - Umpqua

    $4.35
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    A quick-sinking Caddis Pupa that imitates an October Caddis extremely well. This fly works well on big trout as well as steelhead. Swing it in the ...

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  • Egg Lace Worm - Solitude

    $2.63
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    Dead drift it, or swing it. Both have been known to be effective. A big worm or leech that looks like it is attracted to an egg.

    $2.63
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  • Egg Larva - Solitude

    $2.79
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    Dead drift it, or swing it. Both have been known to be effective. A big worm or leech that looks like it is attracted to an egg. Tied on a red hook.

    $2.79
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  • Eggi Juan Kenobi-Beadhead

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    This hybrid egg/worm is gaining popularity at an alarming rate.  Better have a few in the box for when the fish are stubborn, or there is nothing...

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  • Eggstacy-Beadhead

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    Eggstacy chenille is an incredible material for egg patterns, it gives the fly a transparent look to it when wet. It is extremely easy to tie th...

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  • Estaz Stone

    $0.89
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    Steelhead have an affinity for stones, beginning as a juvenile. A bright thorax acts as an attraction. Also useful for trout. Stoneflies are a...

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  • Fish Skull Zonker - Fulling Mill

    $2.98
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    Great for all rivers with hopper action This fly moves like crazy in the water and attracts fish like no. The skull adds good weight and profile ...

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  • Glo Bug Red Dot

    $0.85
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    Fish love eggs. They will eat them indiscriminately. Not just steelhead and salmon either, every fish wil eat any eggs. Don't go to Alaska without...

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  • Glo Bug with Dot-Beadhead

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    A small bead head keeps this fly down where the fish are.  These patterns are especially effective for Erie Steelies

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    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
  • Glo Bug-Beadhead

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    The bead helps this pattern get down better, especially effective bouncing along river bottoms. There isn't a fish out there that won't hit an egg...

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  • Glow Wiggler

    $0.99
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    Hugely popular for great lakes steelhead, especially in the Michigan. Suggested to us from a Michigan fly shop as a great searching pattern and g...

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  • Hot Head Grub

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    A big ole grub pattern with a hot bead to draw attention.

    $1.12
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  • Lifter - Solitude

    $2.79
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    The Lifter is a great little egg fly that is super fishy Used mostly as a nymph, but it swings well too Available in #6 A sweet pattern developed ...

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  • Lingerie Egg - Solitude

    $2.79
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    Lingerie Egg is a sexy little steelhead fly that has all the right curves Used mostly as a nymph, but it swings well too Available in Pink #4 A gr...

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  • Nuke Egg

    $0.85
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    Fish love eggs. They will eat them indiscriminately. Not just steelhead and salmon either, every fish wil eat any eggs. Very popular for Erie Stee...

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    $0.85
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    Original price $0.85 - Original price $0.85
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    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
  • Nymph n' egg

    $0.85
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    Sometimes you don't ask questions. Although many times it has been observed that nymphs eat eggs and fish eat them both. When you don't want to go...

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    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
  • October Phat Ass - Solitude

    $2.79
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    This sweet little pattern was developed as a steelhead fly, but has proven effective for trout as well. It can be fished on the swing or a dead d...

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    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
  • Princess Nymph Tungsten - Solitude

    $2.79
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    A steelhead nymph that produces! Swings well too!  Works well as stonefly ore general attractor for trout too.

    $2.79
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    Original price $2.79 - Original price $2.79
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    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
  • Pupa-Trator - Solitude

    $2.79
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    A steelhead nymph that produces! Swings well too!  Works well as caddis or general attractor for trout too.

    $2.79
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  • Salmon River MVP - Solitude

    $2.79
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    This simple fly has proven very effective for steelhead, both on the swing and under an indicator. It works great as an egg or flesh pattern for t...

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  • Sept'Ober Caddis - Solitude

    $2.79
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    Trout and steelhead love this little nymph pattern. It represents an October Caddis, but fish will gobble this down any time of year Fish it on th...

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    $2.79
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  • Shagadelic Stone - Solitude

    $2.79
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    It's shagadelic baby! This newer stone pattern is a great twist on a classic Kauffman stone. It's dubbed body will get buggier the longer it's f...

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  • Steelhead Brassie - Solitude

    $2.46
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    Great summer steelhead fly. When the water is clear and the fish are skiddish this is a great go to pattern. Small enough not to scare fish off,...

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    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
  • Steelhead Egg Dart

    $1.50
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    Excellent, versatile pattern, weighted head. You can fish this everywhere, swing it, dead drift it. Tied on stainless hook, saltwater ready. Exc...

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    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
  • Steelhead Stone

    $0.89
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    Steelhead have an affinity for stones, beginning as a juvenile. These patterns have a bright colored thorax that drives them to strike. Swing it o...

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    $0.89
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    Original price $0.89 - Original price $0.89
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    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
  • Stone Prince - Tungsten

    $1.22
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    A quick and dirty attractor fly that has worked wonders. A long time ago the boss took two of his favorite flies, (the prince nymph and pheasa...

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  • Sucker Spawn

    $0.85
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    This pattern is legendary;for the Great Lakes Steelhead. Fish eat eggs indiscriminately, this pattern originally imitated the egg sac of the sucke...

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    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
  • Trout Beads: BeadHooks

    $7.75
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    There is an endless supply of hooks on the market designed for specific fisheries. The TroutBeads BeadHook™ is the only hook ever that was tested,...

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    $7.75
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  • Trout Beads: BloodDotEggs

    $4.65
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    Trout Beads Blood Dot Eggs may be one of the most productive and realistic beads made. Trout Beads took their Mottled Beads and added a blood red ...

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    $4.65
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    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
  • Trout Beads: GlowBeadz

    $3.90
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    Current price $3.90

    Troutbeads Glowbeadz are a relatively new item from Troutbeads and are quickly becoming the go-to item in the Steelheaders box. Glowbeadz will glo...

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    $3.90
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    Current price $3.90
    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
  • Trout Beads: MottledBeads

    $3.90
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    Trout Beads Mottled Beads not only allow trout, steelhead or salmon fishermen to match the hatch, it also them a great fishing bead and jig bead s...

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    $3.90
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    Original price $3.90 - Original price $4.65
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    Current price $3.90
    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
  • Trout Beads: TB Peggz

    $7.75
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    TB Peggz double ended rubber pegs. Two uses per piece so you get 100 peg uses per 50 count package. Non abrasive so you don't scratch your leader ...

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    $7.75
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  • Trout Beads: The Alaska Selection

    $54.95
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    This selection of Mottled Beads was specifically chosen to "match the hatch" of spawning trout, Sockeye, Coho, Chum, Chinook and Pink salmon. The ...

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    $54.95
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    Original price $54.95 - Original price $54.95
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    $54.95 - $54.95
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  • Trout Beads: The Steelhead Selection

    $54.95
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    Original price $54.95 - Original price $54.95
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    Current price $54.95

    The Steehead selection is a mixture of MottledBeads of the top selling colors in Steelhead markets from the West Coast to the Great Lakes. Packag...

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    $54.95
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    $54.95 - $54.95
    Current price $54.95
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  • Trout Beads: TroutBeads

    $2.95
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    TroutBeads were created to mimic the different stages and colors of a fish egg from freshly laid to completely spawned or washed out. These are t...

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    $2.95
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    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
  • Wire Worm

    $1.12
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    A very popular midwest pattern. Great larger and heavier worm pattern. 

    $1.12
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    $1.12 - $1.12
    Current price $1.12
    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.

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