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If you fish for trout or steelhead in any part of the world whatsoever, it is essential that you carry an egg fly in your box! Every trout and steelhead eat egg pattern flies. Eggs in general are a very high-protein food source for these fish, and oftentimes are the only thing that they will eat. 

Here are the top 7 egg fly fishing flies we recommend:

Nuke Egg, Light Roe

Nuke Egg – Various Colors

Size – #8-12

Popular Colors: Light Roe  /  Peachy King

Nuke Eggs: This is a newer style egg pattern fly. Some of the yarn is left loose around the eggs to resemble the skin that hangs from real eggs which gives it a lot of movement. A great egg fly for trout, salmon and steelhead.

Blood Dot, Peachy King/Flame

Blood Dot – Various Colors

Size – #12-16

Popular ColorsLight Roe / Flame – Baby Pink / Flame

The Blood Dot is an egg pattern fly originally designed for Great Lakes steelhead fishing. It also works well on Pacific Northwest rivers.

Glo Bug, Baby Pink/Flame Dot

Glo Bug –  Various Colors

Size – #10-14

Popular ColorsOregon Cheese/Flame – Cotton Candy/Flame

This is the ultimate egg fly. Glo Bugs are fished all over the world to catch steelhead, salmon and trout. This deserves a spot in everyone’s vest for sure when steelheading.

Sucker Spawn, Orange

Sucker Spawn – Various Colors

Size – #10-16

Popular Colors – Rose / Orange / Bright Pink 

This is one of the most well-known egg pattern flies, especially in the Great Lakes region – originally tied to represent an egg cluster for steelhead. It’s tied with angora yarn to provide movement.

Blood Line, Burnt Orange/Flame

Blood Line – Various Colors

Size: #10-14

Colors – There are 14 colors to choose from. Match an egg pattern fly to the hatch of your river.

Most Popular – Baby Pink/Flame – Burnt Orange/Flame – Peachy King/Baby Pink

Clown Egg

Clown Egg

Sizes – #8-14

This is THE egg pattern. Glo Bugs are fished all over the world for Salmon, Steelhead, and Trout. This fly deserves a spot in everyone’s vest especially when on steelhead water. Very good choice for some California rivers.

Crystal Meth, Bubblegum

Crystal Meth – Various Colors

Sizes – #10-16

Colors – Bubblegum / Light Pink

The Crystal Meth is another egg pattern fly that was originally designed for the Great Lakes steelhead fishing. The flash this pattern makes is especially effective in off-color water. A great fly for steelhead and trout alike.

So, we know that steelhead eat eggs because that is what is flowing down the river during a spawn. Yet there are many other egg pattern flies that can induce a strike prior to the spawn. These patterns are based on the actual insect life that dwells in these rivers and becomes a food source during the cold winter months. 

 

Volume 2 will go into the Dead Drift Bugs that are so important in every tackle box when targeting steelhead, for west coast or east coast -style fishing. Again, just another way to target these amazing anadromous rainbows that enter our rivers so we can connect with their journey and feel their power.

 

Fish on my Friends….And always tight lines!