Big Y Fly Fishing Blog

Littlebrightmarkets. vs Big Retail Brands: What You’re Really Paying For Ever wonder why you’re paying $1–$7.50 for a single fly at a big box retailer—but can get the same pattern from us for under a buck? We get asked that all the time. And here’s the short...

MPX vs. Premier Gold vs. Hydros Trout: Which Fly Line Should You Actually Fish? Choosing a fly line these days is like picking a craft IPA—too many options, and they all claim to be the best. But when it comes to trusted, all-around trout lines, three names consistently dominate:Scientific Anglers...

Dry Fly vs. Nymph: How to Choose the Right One for the Day Fly fishing gives you endless options—but when it comes to dry flies vs. nymphs, the choice can make or break your day on the water. Dry flies offer visual excitement and surface strikes, while nymphs will consistently...

This started off as a review and comparison between the Sage R8 Salt and the Orvis Helios D.  I fished those two rods extensively for bonefish and triggerfish on a recent trip to Christmas Island.  They were both so nice, I needed to write a review or two. Back at...

Christmas Island is an intimidating place.  Its often the farthest, most remote place that most fly anglers have ever gone, and may be the only place like it that many anglers will ever go.  Its a gateway to extreme travel, and its a big trip to prepare for, especially if its your first time doing something like it.  We stayed at Sunset Horizon Lodge, which is booked through Fly Water Travel.  Even if you are staying at one of the other four outfits on the island, this should all be relevant and be useful in helping you prepare for this trip.

The Multi-Fly Rig for Stillwater Fly Fishing Lake fly fishing, or stillwater fly fishing, can be challenging for those accustomed to river fishing. Without the varying currents, it might seem slow and uninteresting, but lake fly fishing can enhance your enjoyment by adding new dimensions to your fly fishing passion....

The Bull Trout: A Noble Salmonid in Peril The Bull Trout, indigenous to Western North America, was once celebrated as the greatest of all Salmonids. However, it began a rapid decline in the 1930s. Early naturalists praised the Bull Trout for being the most active and handsome of the trout,...

Seattle is a beautiful city, renowned for its great coffee, progressive music scene, and as the headquarters of numerous high-tech companies. It’s also famous for its rain and being surrounded by water, which naturally attracts fly fishers.

While the steelhead runs on well-known rivers like the Skykomish are well-documented, there are many lesser-known opportunities close to Pike Place Market that are often overlooked. If you’re willing to explore beyond trout and steelhead, you can enjoy year-round fishing in this major metropolitan area—just don’t forget your raincoat!

Steelhead are a fascinating and complex species, and entire volumes have been written about them. This article aims to provide a concise overview, but for those seeking more detailed information, we recommend reading one of the many excellent books on the subject or fishing with an experienced steelhead angler. If you’re feeling adventurous, going out alone can also be a great way to learn, but gleaning information and techniques from experienced anglers or guides will cut down your learning curve significantly.  

For those of us that grew up fishing in the Northwest decades ago, the fishing scene was different.  Steelhead were something you chased occasionally.  Maybe a trout trip every year to the Yakima, but many of us grew up fishing lakes out of a float tube.  The "basin" lakes of...

Above the mighty and famous Snoqualmie Falls, the frantic fast-paced salmon fishery of the lower river slows to a halt and gives way to an easy-going set of trout streams.  The upper forks of the Snoqualmie River are intimate, fun little trout streams.  Most folks fish the Middle or South Forks, but...