Salmon River Indicator Setup: Andy Ellis's Steelhead Kit

Swinging a two-hander gets the headlines, but a lot of Salmon River steelhead are caught under an indicator. It is the most consistent way to put an egg in front of a fish, run after run, in cold winter water.

We asked Andy Ellis what he tells anglers who walk in looking for a steelhead indicator setup for the Salmon River. His answer is simple: get the length and weight right on the rod, put your money into the rod and line, rig heavy, and fish eggs. Here is the full kit.

The Rod: A 10-Foot 7-Weight

Andy's go-to for indicator fishing is a 10-foot 7-weight. The Salmon River is bigger water, and you are constantly reaching across seams and cross currents to get the perfect drift. Add a fully extended arm to a 10-foot rod and you have a lot of reach to manage your line.

The extra foot pays off in the fight too. A 10-footer tends to have a softer tip than a 9-footer, so when a big fish is on and you are fishing slightly lighter tippet, the rod is more forgiving and protects the connection. A 10-foot 8-weight works, but Andy finds a 7-weight plenty.

Unlike a spey setup, you do not need one specific rod here. Get the right length and weight first. Then pick the price point that fits:

Orvis Clearwater 10' 7wt as the entry option.
Orvis Recon 10' 7wt as Andy's pick. You are not breaking the bank, and it is still a very good rod.
Sage R8 Core or Orvis Helios D 10' 7wt if you want to go high-end and maximize performance.

The Reel: Machined, Not Cast

Andy advises to go with a fully machined reel. Salmon River temperatures get low, and cast reels are not the most durable option. If you take a tumble wading and your reel hits a rock in the cold, there is a good chance a cast reel dents, cracks, or breaks, and your day is over. A machined reel holds up to that much better.

You do not need to break the bank. Andy's pick is the Lamson Guru, a fully machined reel without the premium price.

The Line: Scientific Anglers Anadro

The only line we recommend for this is the Scientific Anglers Anadro, in whatever weight matches your rod.

The Anadro is built specifically for indicator fishing, with a very long taper. That taper does two things. First, it roll casts well, which matters because on the Salmon River you often have trees at your back and cannot make a traditional cast. Second, it makes mending easy. You can mend over and over to stay in the drift and slow your flies down, and there is no hinge point between the running line and the front taper.

The Anadro comes in three versions. All three have the same indicator-focused taper. The differences are the surface and the coating:

Amplitude Anadro (textured). The best performer. The textured surface floats the line very high, which makes long mends, line control, and roll casting a heavy rig noticeably easier. It also gets the more durable AST Plus slickness coating. Expect a light zipping sound through the guides.

Amplitude Smooth Anadro/Nymph. The middle ground. The same AST Plus coating in a smooth, quiet line. It does not float quite as high as the textured version, but it still mends beautifully.

Mastery Anadro. The budget option and a proven line for the price. It uses the standard AST coating, which wears faster than AST Plus, so over time the line will start to stick to the water and get harder to mend.

Leader and Indicator: Rig Heavy

Andy fishes the heaviest leader he can get away with. There are steelhead-specific leaders out there, but a lot of the time he just runs a 7.5-foot RIO Powerflex Plus in 0X to 2X. He ties that to a tippet ring, then runs fluorocarbon off the ring to his fly, whether that is a pegged bead or an egg pattern.

The tippet ring earns its spot: if you break off, re-rigging is quick. The indicator sits above the ring. And the heavier leader helps everything turn over when you are roll casting, which on this river is most of the time.

The Indicator: OROS

Andy likes OROS indicators, usually in medium, and large if the water is high. The reason is strike detection. You can set an OROS up two-tone, white on one side and pink on the other. Not every take buries the indicator. Sometimes a fish just nibbles and the indicator rotates. When you see the colors flip, set the hook and you will often feel a head shake. Air-Locks work too, but with a single color you lose that subtle signal.

Flies: Eggs, Almost Every Time

Nine times out of ten, Andy is fishing an egg fly or a pegged bead under the indicator. Some anglers fish stoneflies and small nymphs, but eggs are what he trusts.

Blue egg patterns are a standout. When in doubt, Andy fishes blue up there.

The Steelhead Hammer is a good option too. It looks like a stonefly with an egg collar, and Andy has caught fish on it up there. Round out the box with a few staple egg patterns and an egg-sucking leech or two.

Accessories

Net: Fishpond Nomad Mid-Length Boat Net

This is the best choice for the Salmon River. You get the boat net basket, which is very deep and keeps a big steelhead from flopping out, and it lets the fish lie flatter, which is healthier for it. The handle is short enough to tuck into your wading belt behind your back so it does not tangle. The extra length over a hand net matters too: fighting a fish alone on a 10-foot rod, it can be hard to get it into a short net. If you cannot get the boat net, a regular Nomad Mid-Length is fine. The boat net is available in store only.

Waterproof Pack

Andy recommends a waterproof pack for the Salmon River. You never know what the weather will do, so you want somewhere to keep extra layers dry and your gear protected. His personal pick is the YETI Panga backpack. The Fishpond Thunderhead packs are good too. 

Forceps

Always carry a good pair of forceps for getting hooks out, so you do not have to get your hands wet in the cold to do it.

Gloves: Simms Wool Half Finger

Keeping yourself warm and comfortable keeps you on the river longer. Andy's pick is the Simms Wool Half Finger Glove.

Tips Before You Go

Dress for the cold and prioritize your comfort. The warmer you are, the longer you will fish.

Do not be afraid to fish the same run twice. If you fish a run in the morning without touching a fish and you walk past it again on the way out, fish it again. Steelhead move up and down the system all day, so a run that was empty at 10 a.m. may hold fish in the afternoon.

And when you are done, go to the diner in downtown Pulaski and order the spicy jalapeno bacon.