I started using barbless hooks and let me tell you it makes fishing more fun. It forces you to use the rod more carefully and keep that line tither. The release is way easier as well.
I keep the barbs on. Sometimes I fish for keeps, and if I decide not to I can just crush the barbs on the flies I plan to use before I leave the house.
Thanks Tim, easiest instruction on tying sucker spawn I've seen. Despite the name it was only a couple of years ago that I was told it actually imitates the spawn of the sucker. I thought it meant the fish (steelies) were suckers for this pattern, you know like a "Mickey" Finn! Now I know both are right. Thanks, there's tons of suckers in my favorite trout stream, I'll give these a try. Perfect music for the theme of this video by the way. 👍😰
It is an egg pattern. Find suckers spawning, look for trout downstream from them, make a cast to get a drag free drift and you're in business. All that said, I've caught trout on them when there isn't a sucker in sight, so maybe you could called it an attractor. Anyway, they work.
Serious question for you steelheaders out there....have you encountered a day where a sucker spawn pattern out-fished a glow bug of the same color and size? I am compiling some (admittedly anecdotal) research about steelhead fishing and one of the questions I am trying to answer is whether pattern or color is more important. So if you are one of those guys that makes a living on the river, or just fishes a lot, I would love to hear if you found a pattern that performs better than another pattern of the same color. Thanks
I know this is an old comment, but, steelhead are usually very picky, and it's best to have multiple colors of multiple patterns on hand. You never know until you get to the creek what they are hitting on, and sometimes it can be just one or two different colors and/or patterns
