Northwest Fishing Reports

To you Steelheaders,
I've attempted a couple of different patterns for steelhead jigs and would like some feedback as I've yet to have any luck on any of the jigs I've tied in the past (although that could be simply due to user error). I thought these two turned out pretty well aside from the collars looking a little messy. Please let me know if you think they look acceptable or if I need to refine my patterns some more. (i.e. marabou too long, etc.). Oh, and they're both 1/8 oz.
Thanks.

They look fishy. Send some to me and I'll field test them.

I'll test 'em out for you too! Heheheh. Looks like they'll catch fish. If I can get 'em on a bead and an ugly rag of yarn, I think that a pretty lookin' jig should be just fine. You're imitating roe, and if you've ever seen a stray bit of roe drifting through the water it doesn't look pretty. Heheheh.

The lower one looks very similar to what I use (and it works really well most of the time)

They look good to me!

Thanks guys....I spent some time cruising steelhead jig pictures today and have some more ideas. I looked at pictures I took of my first jigs (which I thought looked pretty good) and realize my new ones look a lot better. I'll have to try a few more patterns. Hope they can catch something...or help ME catch something....lol.

I've heard good things about the "nightmare" pattern. Pearl white head, red body, and short black tail. (Crosscut rabbit strips work well for the tail.)
This is a good site: http://www.anglersadvantagetackle.com/jigs.html

Great job! I started tying my own jigs this last year and can proudly say I've landed 5 steelhead and a Dolley so far this summer all on my own jigs. I've experimented a little with the double bead just to see if I could do it. My only suggestion is on the double bead, if you can find a longer shanked hook you will be better off, you want that little extra space between the hook and the shank. Here are a couple I did to give you an idea of what I mean.

Hahaha, you guys have the nice looking jigs! Mine look like godzilla, but they catch fish just fine, so who knows? I'll put some pictures up later tonight.

That second one you did looks like the Yakima Baits jig with beads on it. I think its the rock walker or something like that??

Those ones catch fish, I don't see why yours wouldn't. Those colors look good, probably best in moderately turbid conditions. In clearer water I like to use cerise/purple, black, and blood red. They really like a cerise/black combo with a plamered saddle hackle on the collar.