Fish where the fish are. Remember, winter steelhead move a lot! Far more than there summer counterpart .
These are general statements...
Sometimes playing the water is half the battle. When the river has been dropping and clearing for 'awhile', fish the hole. If the river is 'fresh' on the drop or rise, fish the heads and tails
Weighted flies will help you get down but some of the flies I see now days are waayyyy too heavy. Use the tip to get you down,,,,not HUGE dumbbell eyes on your fly.
Fish the correct terminal gear for the type of water you are fishing. That means if you need a heavier tip based on depth and flow, put it on. Conversely, if you need a lighter tip, then put it on. Many of the runs we fish do not require as heavy a tip as you think. Although getting down is important, SCRAPING bottom the entire time is non-productive.
Depending on the time of day and river pressure; I would always suggest fishing the run with as light of tip as possible so as to swing the fly into the beach (Early morning and low pressure)
Really big flies catch fish...and they are 'kinda cool', but , BIG isn't always GOOD. Remember, fish see far better than we give them credit. I will have to admit, 5 inches of Black and Blue can elicit a serious crush that keeps you coming back for more! I guess it all depends on the mood of the fish.
