Guides & Articles
Resource Articles
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Spey Tips & Leaders Series
Tips & Leaders SeriesOur Sink Tip Series cuts through the noise with practical, on-river guidance—clear explanations, simple setup logic, and real-world tips for choosing the right gear to keep your fly in the zone.
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Fly Cheat Sheet
Fly Choice: Cheat SheetA no-fluff cheat sheet for choosing steelhead flies by season, water type, and visibility so you fish with confidence and spend more time in the zone.
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River Ready Guide
Get River ReadyGuide to getting River Ready with official links for licenses, passes, river levels, regulations, and travel conditions for key Northwest steelhead destinations.
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Sandy River Guide
Discover the SandyWhether you are hiking into Oxbow Park at first light or floating from Dodge to Dabney with a guide, the Sandy offers a true Pacific Northwest steelhead experience.
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Guide to Spey Rods
Read the Spey Rod GuideA steelhead-focused buyer’s guide to Spey rods, with practical sizing tips by season, river type, and fishing style.
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A New Era!
Read the ArticleOf Steelhead Fly Fishing - Spey casting has reshaped modern steelhead fishing, changing how anglers cover water, build setups, and fish the swing with purpose.
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Structure + Angle
Depth Without SnagsThis guide is a practical system for fishing sink tips through real structure: boulders, ledges, uneven bottoms, and pushy seams — without turning every run into a snag fest.
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The Simple Tip Kit
Tips & Leaders Series | Part 5The goal is to cover three lanes: shallow, workhorse, and deep. If you can do that, you can fish a wide range of rivers and conditions without overthinking.
Posts | Spey, Skagit, Scandi
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Skagit vs. Scandi
Read the ArticleIf you fish steelhead with a two-hander, this question comes up fast: Skagit or Scandi? This guide keeps it simple and steelhead-focused so you can choose the right system with confidence.
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Modern Scandi Lines
Read the Scandi GuideA steelhead-focused look at modern Scandi lines from SA, Airflo, and RIO, with notes on feel, versatility, and where each shines on the swing.
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Moderrn Sink Tips
Read Modern Spey LinesSink tips come from a number of manufacturers in more configurations than you can shake a stick at. Just starting out, they can be mind-blowing (and not always in a good way).
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Choosing a Spey Setup
Read the ArticleA spey setup for steelhead does not have to be complicated. Learn the basics of rods, lines, grain weights, and tips for steelhead fishing.
Tips | Info
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Winter Steelhead Tips
Steelhead cold-water TipsCold-water steelhead tips for finding slower lies, fishing deeper with control, and dialing in fly speed during winter conditions.
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Loop or No Loop?
Hooking SteelheadYou are fishing well. Your steelhead fly is swinging through prime water, and you are sure the tug could come at any second. But when it finally does, are you ready for it?
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Tip: Fishing Short
Fish ShortSteelhead don’t always set up far out in the run. More often than many anglers realize, they hold in softer inside lanes where the current eases and the water feels comfortable.
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Dry Line Flies
Read Dry Line Fly GuideA steelhead-focused guide to our favorite summer dry line flies, from proven wet flies to skaters and smaller late-season patterns.
Lodges | Trips | Blog
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Speywater Lodge
Plan Your Speywater TripA classic Grande Ronde steelhead destination with two great formats — lodge trips and multi-day floats — plus some of the best Spey instruction in the Northwest.
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N. Umpqua Winter Guide Trips
Read the Winter GuideFeatured guided winter steelhead trip options on Oregon’s North Umpqua, including trip style, timing, and planning details.
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Book a PNW Guide
FInd a GuideFish with experienced steelhead guides who know the water, the conditions, and the little details that make the difference.
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Blog | Steelhead Dispatch
Read the BlogSteelhead-focused reviews, river insights, gear guides, and swing tactics from the SteelheadBum.com team.
