Fly fishing techniques vary with the season and the water shed.  Conventional upstream nymphing using a floating line, strike indicator, with natural imitations of caddis, stone flies and egg patterns can be effective in the spring, in spite of very cold water temperatures.

I'll generally carry two rods, one set up as a nymphing rig with a floating line and the other set up with a running line, slinky style sinker and an egg pattern. Most streams are very fast and the pools and runs are short. The running line rig is very effective at getting the fly down into these pockets quickly. I'll often fish two flies, usually a stonefly nymph and a trailing small egg pattern. In the fall, a swung fly works great, especially on the Brule. A sink tip line, short leader armed with a big egg sucking leech can draw some crunching takes.

The day will be spent wading and searching for fish. We'll fish the runs near gravel and pocket water seeking traveling and resting fish and avoid harassing fish on the redds. Steelhead, like Atlantic salmon, have preferred lies at various river heights, and there is no substitute for just learning these locations through experience. Sight fishing to individual fish, before they are paired up can be very effective and exciting. If a particular river seems devoid of steelhead, we will move and find better conditions.