TYPICAL FLY ROD SET UP
1. Leader and Line set-up; Depending on the conditions of the river or tributary you are fishing, your line should be weight forward, either floating, or a medium to fast sink, with at least a 9' ft. tapered or knotted leader. Line weight for the avid Steelheader is between 6/8wt., and my preference is a 7wt. WF Floating, with a 9'ft. 6lb tapered leader.
2. Tippet size and weight; Once again, I can't stress the importance of current conditions of the water you are fishing, and in order to maximize your results, you will need several different sizes. For stained water my tippet choice is between 2-3ft. long, 2X 6-8lb., slightly stained I'll drop to a 4x 6lb. and clear water will find me switching to 5x 4.75lb test. If you don't have a medium to fast sink line, then you will need some weight to get your Fly Down to the fish. You can use between 1-3 #6 non-leaded fly weights, depending on the depth of the water, and fly choice. (i.e. bead head woolly bugger, etc.)
3. Rod and Reel Choice; My preference is an ORVIS Helios 10'ft 7" 7wt. Fly rod, and 7wt. Battenkill LA Big Game Fly reel. However, any 6-8wt Fly combo should suffice if you apply the above mentioned "terminal tackle." and you maintain the Balance of weight between; Rod-Reel-Line-Tippet.
TYPICAL SPIN-DRIFT SET UP
1. Line weight, and set up for Drifting Bait, i.e. "spawn sacks, minnows, jig and maggots." When 'Drifting Bait' with a bobber, your bait should be about 6-10' feet from your bobber, depending on the depth of the pool or riffle your drifting through, with three (3) split shot. For Clear Conditions, I recommend using lighter line, (4lb) for Clear water, (6lb) for stained, and (8lb) for murky water! Place your first split/shot about 12" to 18" inches from your bait, and the second about 2' feet from that one, and the last one 2' feet above that one! Simple yet very effective for Steelhead, no matter what type of bait your drifting in!
Please keep in mind, how LONG you play your fish. Lake Erie Steelhead are one of the most sought after 'Sport Fish', and not as tough as the name. So if you intend to Release your catch, it is just as important that you properly land, and then release it as quickly as possible. To insure the future of our great Steelhead resources! Here are some other "Tip's to Remember," after you hook-up and net your catch, if at all possible, try to keep your catch in the water at all times. If you play your Steely for any length of time, it is equally important that you properly revive the fish, before just throwing, or as I've sometimes seen, kicking it back in! Gently hold the fish upright in the water, facing up-stream until it swims off by it's own means.
Fly fishing line weight is ranked from 1 to 15, with 1 being the lightest and 15 the heaviest:: Lighter lines are suited for delicate presentations and for casting light flies:: Heavier lines are best for casting large, wind-resistant and heavy flies:: Line weight is the easiest to select since this should be matched to your rod and reel:: Fly fishing requires a balanced system so match the reel and rod. If you don't, you will hurt your casting accuracy and efficiency:: A 5 weight reel matches up with a 5 weight rod, so it follows that you should select a 5 weight line::
Some manufacturers give a leeway by saying you can go one above or below this, say a 4 weight or 6 weight line with a 5 weight reel and rod. If you want to be safe, though, match the line, rod and reel exactly. Your fly fishing line weight should also be selected based on the fish you want to catch. You'll need line weights from 1 to 7 lbs for lighter fish such as pan fish and most trout. Bass need a little heavier weight, from 7 to 9 lbs. Larger freshwater and saltwater fish take the heaviest lines--an 8 to 15 lbs
Line taper:: To help you cast more efficiently most fly lines are tapered. This taper varies in weight, diameter and thickness over the length of the line. There are five main types of taper, each to meet a specific purpose. The taper is listed as an abbreviation by the manufacturer, with the usual abbreviations included in the following discussion:
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Weight-forward (WF) taper:: These are the most popular and the best choice if you are a beginner. The first 30 feet or so of line is heavier because of its tapered front end. The rest of the line is thinner and is known as the running line. The weight-forward line helps with long casts and better precision even in windy conditions.
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Bass bug/saltwater (BBT) taper:: This taper is much like the weight-forward design except that the front section does not run as long. This design helps with heavier flies, hence its use for catching feisty bass or bigger saltwater fish.
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Double taper (DT):: DT fly lines are preferred by seasoned fly anglers. These lines work especially well in making delicate presentations on small- to medium-size rives since the belly is at the center, with both ends gradually tapering. This makes the line highly economical too because when one end wears out, you can turn the line around and use the other end. This line won't cast as far or provide as much wind resistance as a weight-forward line.
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Shooting taper (ST):: ST lines cast farther than other lines so they are designed for fast-running rivers and in extreme wind conditions. The line portion (front section) is stout and short to form a casting loop. Most anglers attach a shooting line on the running line using monofilament, braided line or a very fine diameter fly line.
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Level (L) taper:: These lines are uniform in diameter throughout, making them the most economical. If you are a beginner don't try to save money this way. Level taper lines are the most difficult to cast so they really are best used by seasoned veterans, primarily for fly fishing with live bait.
Density:: How your line behaves on the water depends on its density or line type, which affects its buoyancy. With different types of line available, consider buying an extra spool when you purchase your reel. That way you can spool various types of line and switch lines to meet conditions. There are four choices, and each carries an abbreviation, included below, to identify its density:
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Floating (F) lines:: These do as they say--they float on the water's surface. Floating lines are good for beginners since they are easier to cast and handle.. Floating lines also are a must for dry flies, but they can also work with wet flies, nymphs and streamers that are fished several feet below the surface.
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Intermediate (I) lines:: These are a little denser than water so they sink slowly to present a fly just below the water's surface. These lines work well in shallow, weedy lakes and in choppy waters where you want your line to stay below the choppiness.
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Sinking (S) lines:: These lines do the opposite of floating lines--they sink. They are designed for deep lakes and deep, fast-flowing rivers. Some manufacturers also put a Roman numeral after the S to show how fast their line sinks in inches per second. For example, an S II line sinks about two inches per second. These lines are best for wet flies, nymphs and streamers at a constant depth.
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Floating/Sinking (F/S) lines:: These combine the two characteristics--the five foot-- to twenty foot tip or front portion sinks to present the bait while the balance of line floats on the water. Manufacturers display the depth and speed that the front part of the line sinks. This floating/sinking line gets your fly down while helping you maintain control, so it's good for fish such as salmon and steelhead.
If you are a beginner, select a highly visible color--yellow, orange, lime green and some shades of tan. These colors are easier to see on the water when you cast so you can more easily recognize and correct any casting mistakes. For sinking lines, you should go with something that's less visible to fish such as brown, olive, dark green or black. Backing:: Fly lines need a thin, high-visibility line tied between the reel spool and back end of your fly line. This generally comes in 20-pound to 30-pound test, with 20-pound suggested for fly line weights less than 8 and the 30-pound test for use with 8-weight line or higher. Backing performs three critical functions: This adds length to your fly line, which typically runs only 90 feet .This then helps you land big, strong fish that run with your line. Experts suggest that use at least 100 yards of backing but up to 200 yards for longer-running fish and saltwater fish. This also keeps your reel spool full, making line retrieval faster and minimizing line recoil.