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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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  • Coming soon

    Sept'Ober Caddis - Solitude

    $2.79
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    $2.79

    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
    $2.79 - $2.79
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    $2.79
    Coming soon
    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
  • Coming soon

    Shagadelic Stone - Solitude

    $2.79
    $2.79 - $2.79
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    $2.79

    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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    $2.79
    $2.79 - $2.79
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    $2.79
    Coming soon
    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
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    Soft Hackle Caddis

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    Caddis are some of our favorite bugs to fish and for good reason they are extremely effective. This variation is a great trout and steelhead patt...

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    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
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    Spawn Sac

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    One of the best patterns for steelhead; west coast; great lakes or wherever else you might cast for a sea-run. Tied on super strong black salmon ...

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    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
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    Spring Wiggler

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    A fantastic fly for Great Lakes Steelhead, and a great dragonfly imitation as well.

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    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
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    Steelhead Blood Dot

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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.
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    Steelhead Brassie - Solitude

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    $2.46

    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.
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    Steelhead Egg Dart

    $1.50
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    $1.50

    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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    $1.50
    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
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    Steelhead Hammer

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    Excellent pattern where ever you are targeting steelhead.Popular in BC, Alaska, Great Lakes, Pacific coast. Has become a go to fly in very little ...

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    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
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    Steelhead Hammer -- Fulling Mill

    $3.22
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    $3.22

    One of today's to pattern when going for steelhead. Available in a range of colors and sizes to ensure success This is a standard in Great Lakes S...

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    $3.22
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    $3.22
    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
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    Steelhead Hammer-Beadhead

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    Excellent pattern where ever you are targeting steelhead. Popular in BC, Alaska, Great Lakes, Pacific coast. Has become a go to fly in very little...

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    $0.89
    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
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    Steelhead Mysis

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    Great Lakes are chock full of Mysis shrimp Some estimate Steelhead diet's might consist of up to 70% of these creatures. Steelies affinity for t...

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    $0.89
    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
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    Steelhead Stone

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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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    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
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    Steelie Golden Stone-Beadhead

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    Steelhead have an affinity for stones, beginning as a juvenile. These have a shiny body, and great rubber leg action. Also useful for trout. ...

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    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
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    Stone Prince - Tungsten

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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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    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
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    Stone Wiggler

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    $1.12

    Steelhead have an affinity for stones, beginning as a juvenile. These patterns is tied in tandem style, allowing the fly to wiggle in the water a...

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    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
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    Sub Golden Stone-Beadhead

    $0.89
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    $0.89

    What? Is that a new stone pattern? You bet it is, if you are like us you are counting down the days until the next Salmonfly and Stonefly hatches...

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    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
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    Sucker Spawn

    $0.85
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    $0.85

    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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    $0.85
    $0.85 - $0.85
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    $0.85
    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
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    Sucker Spawn-Beadhead

    $0.89
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    $0.89

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

    View full details
    $0.89
    $0.89 - $0.89
    $0.89 - $0.89
    $0.89
    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
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    Sucking Stone Fly

    $1.50
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    $1.50

    Fish it dead drift, down deep. Then feed it on the swing. Often works when others fail. Produces strikes throughout the range of steelhead. Leathe...

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    $1.50
    $1.50 - $1.50
    $1.50 - $1.50
    $1.50
    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
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    Trout Beads: BeadHooks

    $7.75
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    $7.75

    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
    $7.75 - $7.75
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    $7.75
    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
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    Trout Beads: BloodDotEggs

    $4.65
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    $4.65

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

    $3.90
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    $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
    $3.90 - $4.65
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    $3.90
    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
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    Trout Beads: MottledBeads

    $3.90
    $3.90 - $4.65
    $3.90 - $4.65
    $3.90

    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
    $3.90 - $4.65
    $3.90 - $4.65
    $3.90
    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
  • Coming soon

    Trout Beads: TB Peggz

    $7.75
    $7.75 - $7.75
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    $7.75

    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
    $7.75 - $7.75
    $7.75 - $7.75
    $7.75
    Coming soon
    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
  • Coming soon

    Trout Beads: The Alaska Selection

    $54.95
    $54.95 - $54.95
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    $54.95

    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
    $54.95 - $54.95
    $54.95 - $54.95
    $54.95
    Coming soon
    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
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    Trout Beads: The Rocky Mountain Selection

    $54.95
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    $54.95

    We call this the "Rocky Mountain" selection which is great for ALL of the lower 48 tributaries to "match the hatch" of trout, suckers, Whitefish a...

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    $54.95
    $54.95 - $54.95
    $54.95 - $54.95
    $54.95
    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
  • Coming soon

    Trout Beads: The Steelhead Selection

    $54.95
    $54.95 - $54.95
    $54.95 - $54.95
    $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
    $54.95 - $54.95
    $54.95 - $54.95
    $54.95
    Coming soon
    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
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    Trout Beads: TroutBeads

    $2.95
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    $2.95

    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
    $2.95 - $2.95
    $2.95 - $2.95
    $2.95
    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
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    Twenty Incher Rubber Legs

    $0.89
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    $0.89

      The standard Twenty Incher is a renown pattern for catching both trout and steelhead. Its known as a great prospecting nymph pattern and a sto...

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    $0.89
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    $0.89
    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
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    Twenty Pound Stone

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    $0.89

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    $0.89
    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
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    Veiled Caballero

    $0.85
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    $0.85

    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
    $0.85 - $0.85
    $0.85 - $0.85
    $0.85
    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
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    Wire Worm

    $1.12
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    $1.12

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

    $1.12
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    $1.12
    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
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    Wired Stone-Beadhead

    $0.89
    $0.89 - $0.89
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    $0.89

    Stonefly nymphs live in clean moving water, and are an important feeding source for both trout and steelhead. Use this pattern in faster moving wa...

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    $0.89
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    $0.89
    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
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    Y2K No bead

    $0.85
    $0.85 - $0.85
    $0.85 - $0.85
    $0.85

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

    View full details
    $0.85
    $0.85 - $0.85
    $0.85 - $0.85
    $0.85
    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.
  •

    Y2K--Beadhead

    $0.85
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    $0.85

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

    View full details
    $0.85
    $0.85 - $0.85
    $0.85 - $0.85
    $0.85
    Value must be grater than or equal to 1.

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