The blog of Big Y Fly Co

Dry Fly For Trophy Trout

2012-01-25T08:37:00.000-08:00

Autumn, even the name sounds like ahh, is one of the best times to fly fish, especially to fly fish for trophy trout. And the best time to dry fly those big uglies of dry flies like Fat Albert, Chernobyl Ant, Madam X, and PMX. These and many other big ugly dries earn their oversized spot in your fly box this time of year.

As with all fish, metabolism of the trophy trout begin to increase and they feed more ferociously. And the bigger the fish are the more calories they will want to rise for a dry fly. Hence the success of big dries during the early autumn months. Trophy trout are also territorial, and the big flies are an invasion themselves, the following techniques can increase both the feeding strike and the aggression strike.

But trophy trout are wary, they didn’t get to be huge by taking foolish chances, so besides switching up the fly, switching the presentation is also necessary.
It might be counter intuitive to a fly fisher who has spent the summer softly landing size 16’s PMDs without so much as a dimple in the water. But when fishing these big flies go ahead and slap that fly on the landing. Much like throwing a popper to bass, the idea here is to get the trophy’s attention, especially if browns are in the area. Just the slap alone can cause an aggression strike. It is best if this can be done in some slack water, directly above a run, so the fly can be dead drifted through the run.
If the ‘slap’ is a borrowed bass technique, our second technique, skating, is a well-known steelhead technique. Fishing these big uglies lends itself perfectly to skating techniques. The goal of skating is simply to create a wake, like the ‘slap’ it is a technique to get attention, to cause a disturbance for maximum chances of enticing a strike.
It is easy to perform a skate after the ‘slap’. By ending your cast with the rod tips over the surface. Then instead of simply allowing a dead drift, begin to lift your rod tip which will pull the fly through the drift. This gives the fly the appearance of skating across the surface.
Other normal dry fly taboos can be broken when throwing the big uglies. Simply allowing drag is a subtle technique of causing a disturbance. Or try moving your rod tip toward the bank or the middle of the river, emulating an escaping food source. Small subtle strips also create a disturbance.
Traditional dry fly techniques will also catch fish in the autumn, but the above techniques will greatly increase your chances of catching trophy trout when the water and air begin cooling in the early autumn. The techniques are also fun and less taxing, a great way to break up your fly fishing experience.

Fly Fishing for Grayling

2011-12-02T08:28:00.001-08:00

Because they are denizens of Northern Latitudes; Grayling are a mystery to many fly anglers. Once available in Northern locales of the lower 48, with the exception of Montana’s Big Hole River they are now fairly isolated in a band of cold water rivers and lakes in the upper most reaches. They are called after all Arctic Grayling.

Grayling are most noted for their oversized dorsal fin almost a sailfish. They are a cousin of trout and share many physical characteristics; although their scales and color more resemble a mountain whitefish.
Behavioral traits of Grayling are very specific based on habitat. Most populations, though not all, are migratory, and return to spawning ground year after year. Unlike salmon, individuals will repeat the journey many times in their lifetime. Because of their frigid environs all cycles of their life are compressed and urgent.

Spawning is in spring; usually as early as possible and typically after spawning a down river migration occurs; where it is time to one thing. Eat. And eat they do, with a short summer; much feeding must be done before the cold hard winter shuts down their metabolism to the slowest of survival modes. And here is the nice part for trout fly rodders; the bugs, gear and techniques are all familiar. In fact by and large they are less finicky, easier to hook and when you are on the fish the action tends to last.

They are not a total cast in the farm pond; though they are wild fish. If there is a salmon population they will focus on eggs during the salmon spawn; and if smolt are present streamers are needed. If there are hatches enticing them anything that does not match it will most likely prove futile. They are focused eaters. Otherwise a generic Parachute Adams or Royal Wulff will entice rises with satisfying frequency. Mosquito patterns are always a good bet; given their predilection to be on these northern rivers.

Grayling need to be managed carefully as they are slow growing and lay surprisingly few eggs compared with their cousins. Management of them has been successful in Alaska, Canada, Sweden and elsewhere guaranteeing their fisheries will last for generations. Combined with some ruggedly breathtaking scenery these fish are definitely worth every fly fisher’s time at least once in a lifetime.

Smallmouth Bass in the Summertime

2011-10-21T10:33:00.000-07:00

Smallmouth Bass in the middle of summer offer some of the best action in the heat of the day. While most species we tend to target morning and evening the smallies can be coerced to ‘play’ all day. Not that this is the easiest time to catch these agreeable fish; it is the easiest fish to catch during the day this time of year. And the techniques employed can be used anytime.

It might be counter-intuitive, but even in the heat of the day top water techniques will often catch the largest fish of the day. Most likely though it will require some perseverance and precision; to entice strikes. These hot day smallies will be hunkered down and a tad on the stubborn or even lazy side. They will be seeking out shelter from helpful undercuts, snags, low lying shade trees or structure. It can be shocking the shallowness these fish are comfortable in. The precision though; required to get them to leave their comfort can be maddening. A cast just a few inches too short will like not tantalize them. To compound the problem a well placed to water offering often is ignored for what may seem like eternity. A great cast is most often followed by no action whatsoever. And then comes the mental debate of whether to let popper or diver sit, strip, or pick up entirely and try somewhere else. It is not uncommon to decide to pick up your bug, just to have it by a lurking bass.

The bass can be scattered and many a bassy looking spots can be simply void of fish for whatever reason. Returning later in the day, to water previously void of fish can prove productive. Whether it is sunlight, underwater activity, or bass logic, bass will re-locate and set back down. If after exhausting all top water locations and options and well placed clouser minnow or bananarama drifted through deep seams or swung through a tail out especially those that offer nearby cover can be productive; the same parameters apply though proximity is crucial.

When a strike does occur let the bass help you in the hook set. Many a fish are lost on pre-mature sets by the angler. Allow the fish to turn before setting the hook, like their pre-strike movement their strike is bound to be less energetic and a too quick or vicious set will just rip the fly away. As with all things this time of year patience and perseverance are key.

Fly Fishing in Seattle

2011-08-25T09:00:00.001-07:00

Seattle is a beautiful city, a city known for great coffee, progressive music, and headquarters to hi-tech companies. Seattle is also known for its rain, lots of rain, and for being surrounded by a whole lot of water. And with water comes fish and with fish comes the fly fisher.

While the steelhead runs on infamous rivers like the Skykomish are well documented, there are many opportunities that are within a stone’s throw of Pike’s Place that go under fished every day. If you are willing to think past trout and steelhead, you literally have year round fishing in a major metropolitan area; just do not leave your raincoat at home.

The Sammamish River which flows through downtown Redmond (perfect if you have business with a certain iconic software publisher) has been re-engineered from the formerly engineered ugly laser straight thoroughfare to a more natural flowing connector of Lake Sammamish and Lake Washington. Teeming with rising smallmouth, whitefish and a decent population of cutthroat.

Green Lake is another urban favorite with lots of smallmouth, some rainbows, and browns. The relatively new sport of fly fishing for carp is receiving some play here as well, look for tailing carp.

Or grab a paddle craft and hit the arboretum. You can rent a canoe from U of W around flinging poppers wherever looks bassy; which you don’t have to paddle too far to find.

The Cedar River has been a management nightmare for WDFW but when it is open there are trout and big trout at that. The river is managed to protect sockeye and steelhead and fishes differently from when it opens usually in June to when it closes usually around Spetember 1. Bit streamers are always a good bet, move upriver as the season progresses and fish deeper as the season moves on as well. After the sockeye arrive fish below them with egg patterns. The trout can be quite big upward of 20” or more.

And finally there are beaches, with sea-run cutts not far from shore. Alki Beach is a favorite and easy access. Find likely spots like structure, or run-offs after rain or look for bird activity or mottled sea floor that baitfish school in. Sea runs are not overly particular; most baitfish imitations work well, and they can be caught close to shore. There are other species to target as well including salmon, and fishing can be done year round.

Learing to Spey Cast

2011-07-04T08:37:00.000-07:00

Heading to the big water to fish for big fish? Check out these videos for some basic spey csting pointers. If you have not attempted spey casting you are in for a treat, long, powerful casts allow you to efficiently cover more water, and give you plenty of rod to battle big aggressive fish

Three Nymph Rig for Stillwater Fly Fishing

2011-04-08T13:45:00.000-07:00

Lake fly fishing, or these days stillwater fly fishing, can prove difficult for those that spend their time on rivers. Without the varying currents it might be also seem slow and uninteresting, but the fact is lake fly fishing can increase your fly fishing enjoyment, by adding new ways to pursue your fly fishing passion.

By using a two or even three fly set up, it can add to your lake success, and add to your fishing skill. One of the skills to be improved is casting an ultra-long leader. For the uninitiated this will require some casting time. You can practice at home or a nearby park, to adjust your movements before hitting the water. One of the advantages of lake fishing; you can almost always find a spot where back casting is possible without obstruction. For a three fly set up a 20’ leader is optimum but practicing with a 12’ leader and moving up in stages as your skill allows will lessen your frustration.

When you feel you are ready to try nymphing a three fly set up, rig the flies as follow; (some prefer fluorocarbon in lakes.) You can tie 10’ of flouro after your fly line; then tie another 5’ section to the end of that leader using a blood knot. From one of the blood knot tags tie a fly about 4” away from the leader. Longer tags will result in increased tangling; shorter tags will result in less realistic movement. Repeat this process 5’ lower, and then add a third fly at the end of that piece. That puts your flies at 20 feet, 15 feet, and 10 feet from the end of your fly line. The point fly (on the end) should be the heaviest of the three and lighten up as you go.

For casting the extra leader, lift up off the water with a tad more oomph; apply a little jerk to get that last fly off the water with enough momentum to carry it all the way back. At the backcast make sure everything has had just the right amount of time to straighten all the way out before bring them forward.

Use a floating line and apply Gink or Mucilin to the first 5’ to keep it on top of the water; so it won’t spook the fish. It also acts as a strike indicator; in lakes strikes can be subtle.

One last tip is to at all times keep your stripping hand in contact with the taut line, never let your line go slack, as you will miss strikes. Master a figure 8 retrieve or hand twist retrieve, keep it slow to start. You can vary speeds until you find one that works. Keep your rod tip down parallel to the water, focus on the end of the line and set the hook on any twitch by flicking the rod to the side. Chances are it was nothing; chances are there will be a lot of nothings; but you will miss that strike without this constant attention. Stillness is of importance during stripping, if you move your rod tip you will definitely miss strikes.

Fly Fishing Orlando

2011-02-03T08:55:00.000-08:00

If you are a parent of young children or in a position that involves conventions, chances are you will find yourself in Orlando; a wonderful world of chaotic shuttles, theme parks, and hotels. A perfect vacation spot that you will probably want to getaway from for a day or two during a weeklong stay, so don’t forget your fly rod.

Like almost anywhere else in Florida, you are a stone’s throw away from excellent fly fishing opportunities, some world class. Also like anywhere else in Florida, the list of species inhabiting this water is staggering, the crème d’ la crème is the Largemouth Bass. The state was seemingly made for this species, which is everywhere. (Except maybe the Rivers of America around Tom Sawyer’s Island, but I’m not even sure about that.) Co-habitating with the headline species are in no particular order, a plethora of sunfish species (complete with local nomenclature) bluefish and bream. There is also, on the St. John ’s River a population of striped bass, while small by New England standards, packing a 3 or 4 wt. rod, though and the fight is substantial. Also on the St. John’s is a nice run of American Shad starting in January and running through spring break. (Convenient.)

For the most leisurely and easiest day of fishing; go to the Econlockhatchee River. An easy stream side path through the state forest is filled with sunfish, the fishing is easy enough for your little mousketeers, and so is the walk. A small 3 weight is plenty, generic nymphs work as does anything with rubber legs.

For more challenging and rewarding (hopefully) fishing, the Upper St. John’s is hard to beat. Besides the aforementioned striped and largemouth bass, a stocker called the Sunshine Bass also call this home. There are a few canoe rentals, a little paddling an assortment of woolly buggers and you’ll be on your way, to a nice excursion in between theme parks or presentations.

DIY Everglades

2011-01-25T07:03:00.000-08:00

Been thinking about getting out of dodge and heading somewhere warm? A do it yourself trip to the Evergladesis easier than you think and full of great uncrowded fishing through March. Costs can be minimal with camping and renting a kayak.

Some online resources: DIY Adventure: Snook in the Everglades

DIY Everglades thread

Everglades Fly Fishing

Fly Fishing Florida Bay

Winter Steelheading on the West Coast

2011-01-21T06:58:00.000-08:00

Fly fishing for winter steelhead on the West Coast takes a healthy dose of determination, perseverance, patience, and on any given cast, luck. There are few short cuts, fewer guarantees, and perhaps days, well, you might just have well gone to work. But it is an experience, an adventure, and growing in popularity.

Several things make winter steelheading a challenge unlike any other in fly fishing. Of course there is the weather, always, always, always be prepared, watch you wading closely, one wrong step at best will shorten your day. Since winter steelhead travel a fraction of this distance as their summer counterparts, weather also means coastal storms, and mountain storms. Storms mean abrupt changes in water levels and clarity. Get to know your river(s) intimately. Large rivers with glacier water can take a week to clear up, while small tributary creek can be fine the next day. Larger rivers also can carve new channels after a particularly large storm, changing the very bed you wade on.

Besides weather the days are shorter, which puts a premium on fishing efficiently. For many fly fishers this means covering as much water as possible. But steelhead are creatures of habit and tend to lie in the same water year after year. (Unless their favorite holes have been changed by aforementioned storms). While travelling steelies are caught, holding steelies are where the action is. A good steelie hole will produce more fish on a stretch of river, than all the rest of the water combined. Because of the lack of daylight hours, a good steelie hole on a big river will most likely be choked with guides, making access to these cherished spots competitive. But tributary creeks and medium sized rivers offer some great fishing for those willing to find it. They also allow for smaller rods 8 weight or 9 weight or even smaller with a stout tippet.

To identify holding spots, one must think like a steelhead. They are a model of conservation, biding their time until water levels, temperature, and internal conditions match up for them to arrive at their spawning beds. They need resting water, tail outs of classic trout riffles, or holes with gravel bottoms work well. Rapids above and below this sweet water is ideal, a place to pause before and after the strenuous task of passing fast water. Look for cover, hanging tree branches (look for flies in them too), a large boulder or two. And if there is an upriver tributary not too far, you have got all the makings of great steelie water. Heck even two of these features is worth a cast or two.

When the rains come, what is bad news for the large rivers can be good news for the smallest of creeks, allowing the steelie to feel more secure with the additional flow. Once the stained water passes this can be some of the best few days of fishing. In fact if you can learn a river system, complete with tributaries you will find yourself knowing exactly where to go on any given day. The nuances you learn will greatly increase your success. And that will pay dividends year after year. For flies use bright colors when the water is turbid, carcass flies, bunny leeches, General Practitioner work well. For some reason smaller patterns work better in the coldest days, black woolly buggers is a standard go to pattern all winter long.

Sulphurs

2010-12-07T11:17:00.000-08:00

Like some other popular nomenclature, Sulphur actually covers an umbrella of hatches, and more than just one species. Further it varies from location to location. But there are some generalities we can start with. First off Sulphurs are a mayfly hatching primarily, but not always in spring. It is an east coast native, and drives fish and fishermen wild. For simplification sake, we will cover three popular hatches; however there are many more minor hatches.

There is the big sulphur, or for the amateur entomologist, the Invaria. This beautiful bug puts up with a lot of human caused stream degradations and keeps putting out numbers that get our fly fishing hearts racing.

The Big Sulphur hatches usually begin in May and run for a good month. Appearing near the end of the Hendrickson hatch, and often confused with female Hendricksons. This hatch can be THE dry fly action of the year.

The Little Sulphur emergers a few weeks later, also known as the Pale Evening Dun, it actually is related to the west’s Pale Morning Dun. These hatches can occur simultaneously with Big Sulphurs, and can hatch all summer long on the same river, making them a favorite summer fly.

It is important to note that coloring variations are common, and can change day to day on the same river. Spinner colors fade to almost tan. But pale yellow and sulphur orange make good imitations of the varying shades. The Big Sulphur runs from 12-16, while the Little Sulphur runs 16-18. It is not as important to know exactly what is on the water, as it is to closely match the size, when in doubt go smaller.

There are other hatches commonly rolled into the ‘Sulphur’ moniker. Pink Cahills also emerge during May and can be seen throughout the summer. Appearing first up to size 12 and then by late summer they have downsized to 16.

Unlike the classic Sulphurs these don’t swim to the surface as emergers. But emerge fully developed like the Quill Gordon, adding to their importance as a good dry fly hatch. Unlike the Big Sulphur, Pink Cahills need almost perfect conditions for them to thrive. The male of the species does not share the pink abdomen, and is better imitated with a pale olive thorax.

There are other smaller hatches that are often lumped into Sulphurs and depending on location vary in importance. A good selection of Sulphur, Pink, and tannish colored flies will keep you in the game, and don’t forget the spinner and emerger stage as well. All stages can be the focus of fish, and times fish can be stubbornly myopic, only hitting one stage of the hatch at a time.

Reading Tidal Waters

2010-10-29T12:01:00.000-07:00

Most fly fishers begin by fishing freshwater. But sooner or later the lure of fishing saltwater hits many of us. Unfortunately the idea of hiring a guide is perceived by many as a must and the cost of this dissuades many from trying.

Great saltwater fishing however can be had at the shore, right from the shore, no guide needed. But that brings the daunting question of ‘where do I begin?’ Beach access can be miles long, and the surf does not offer a freshwater angler easy ‘reads’ at least not to the first timer.

If we break down this water, though, clues can be found as to where to begin your saltwater casting. First off, surf fishing, we are just talking basically the water you would feel safe wading in, no deeper than where the waves crash, and not that deep until you know the water. Be aware of the tide weather it is rising or ebbing. It is also best to the first few times without waders, until you feel comfortable or limit the depth to no higher than mid-thigh as the water crests.

Look for flat beaches as these provide gentler surf, safer wading and more water conducive to the best tidal conditions. During high tides look for riptides, water rushing back out to sea. These often have created holes, bordered by sand bars, allowing nice casting spots. These holes also act as great feeding lanes for lying fish. The riptide current will also feel familiar to the freshwater caster.

During flat tides think of your water as similar to that of a lake, and approach it that way. If you remember bait often schools in slight currents that run parallel to the shore (littoral currents), you can use jetties, or manmade obstacles to your advantage. These obstacles interrupt the currents and are often gathering places for the prey and predators. Start casting close to the structure and then work your way further from them, varying your stripping and casting length. There are often unseen holes and divots where fish lie which are unseen from the surface. Not to mention eddying currents, which act as recycling for all sorts of activity, much like a freshwater back eddy.

One last strategy is to try to pinpoint bait. Baitfish locations are often indicated by diving birds, and they can be a fly fisher’s best friend. Occasionally schools can be seen near the surface and appear like a cloud moving through the water, or they will disturb the surface much like slurping trout. Bait often enters the ocean from bays, estuaries and other inshore sources, dynamic action can be found there as well.

Skating for Steelhead

2010-09-08T21:19:00.000-07:00

Skating for Steelhead is a frequently ignored tactic, one that should always be in a fly fisher’s bag of tricks for these notoriously hard to figure out fish. Skating involves taking a big hunk of floating fly (Steelhead Skater, Bomber, and Green Machine) and swinging it in front of a lying steelhead. The bigger the wake this process makes, some swear, the better.

The genesis of the idea for this west coast steelhead strategy lies in the fact that juvenile steelhead spend up to four years in their native waters before migrating to the ocean, in this time they eat what is available, including surface flies. It is imperative the water you are attempting this strategy contains native fish, hatchery fish don’t grasp the concept of surface food. Rivers with prolific caddis seem to be the best candidates for skating strategies, and if the October Caddis is present all the better.

To fish waking flies there are some basic concepts to keep in mind. In general, keep your waking fly in the surface, at a comfortable speed that you can control, and in relation to the e current. An upstream mend slows down the fly, and raises it up if it is sinking too low. A downstream mend will speed up the drift.

Not all steelhead will rise to a skater, covering a lot of water improves your chances. Late summer to mid-fall are the best times, but avoid this technique in bright sunshine, as steelies are reticent to look up. However late in sunny days when the sun has left the water is an optimal time, as are early mornings before the sun hits the water.

If you see a lot of activity but no strikes from your searching patterns, try more exact imitations, Grease Liner or stimulators work well or grease up a steelhead muddler.

Multi Fly Rigs in the Saltwater

2010-05-29T11:13:00.001-07:00

Multi-fly riggings have gained popularity in trout fishing. The ability to cover multiple depths of water, search with different patterns or use a dry fly with a sub-surface pattern, have resulted in more fish and less trial and error. Multiple flies allows you to pinpoint what is working or just (depending on the quantity of flies) doubles, triples or even quadruples your chances of catching fish, for whatever reason though this simple probability equation has not very often transferred to the salt water venue.

Granted there are some separate drawbacks to multiple flies in the salt. Compared to fresh water, the ocean has a labyrinth of considerations to ponder tides, more varied species of food, currents that are often at odds and variable. A quick and careless entry into multi-fly-rigs could easily result in an exercise of tangled frustrations. Care and planning must be used.

In the beginning easier casting can be had by tying flies directly to one another and limiting your rigging to two flies.

The best starting point involves a top water popper with a trailing sub-surface pattern around two feet (depending on water) below it. The popper stays on the surface acts as an attractor and if your dropper is accurate will result in more strikes. If no strikes are coming you see no chasers or nippers, a simple change of dropper and re-cast and you’re back to prospecting. When changing go for a big change, if using a shrimp, try a minnow or a bucktail, keep zeroing in on what might be working. As compared to freshwater, saltwater activity can change drastically from where you are standing to where you flies are working. So clues by searching the water around you, while a good starting point, might prove unhelpful.

Casting and stripping must be done with increased consideration at first. Slowing everything down will help you get the hang of the technique. Cutting down on frustration relies on slowing down your casting motion, opening up the loop, and hefting the extra weight, and letting it follow through, to lay out over the water. Avoid currents in crises, and find some easy to read water to swing your files through, Strip in rhythm and repeat. Stiff leader material like Maxima, also helps reduce tangles.

Once you feel comfortable add a fly or two to your rig. Or try attaching flies to tag ends on your leader for independent action. In this set up large flies are at the end of you set-up and flies are tied at 90 degrees angles to the leader using a blood knot. This rigging is not conducive to heavy flies, or flies that vary greatly in size. Many people stick their whole fishing days with tying their files in a line.

Atlantic Salmon in the US

2010-04-25T12:59:00.000-07:00

For the US resident at least it is easy to classify the Atlantic Salmon as an exotic species. A fish we must pay dearly to fish. It requires a travel agent, a high price lodge, competitive license, accessing private waters, a guide, the list of excuses not to fish these magnificent fish is endless. The woes of the Atlantic Salmon are a tale of the long, hard lessons of mankind’s mistreatment of a resource once thought inexhaustible. Their demise in the US dates back to logging in the 1700’s, and continues through the 1950’s when their feeding ground was discovered around Greenland. But thanks to conservation and the species’ own perseverance the Atlantic Salmon runs once aging on New York’s Salmon River.

The fact that the Atlantic salmon is alive and well on the Salmon River in New York, the fish that gave it its name, is a victory of sorts. But mostly a victory to humankind for realizing their mistakes before it was too late, and a victory to the species itself for lasting long enough to pull our heads out of our collective you know what. Native hatched salmon have been spotted for the first time.

At any rate the salmon runs this classic river in the heart of the summer. Starting in July the first salmon push through aggressive when the river is ripe with baitfish. Classic streamer patterns include Muddler Minnow and Sculpins. These Atlantic Salmon do not go through the biological stress of going from saltwater to fresh water so their feeding drive remains strong, often viciously taking surface patterns such as bombers, humpys, and Wulff patterns.

Even though they run in the summer, hot, dry conditions will put them off the bite. Timing your trips coincide with cool rainy days will reward you with aggressive fish.

Far away is the famed St. Mary’s River in Michigan’s UP. Some 80 years ago Ernest Hemingway called it the ‘best trout fishery anywhere in the world’. In the early ‘80’s Atlantic Salmon were re-introduced by Lake Superior State University and took off they did. Entering the river in mid to late June they thrive on the rich aquatic insect life of this giant river but it is the smelt and alewives that first attracts their attention driving the baitfish to the surface. Hovering seagulls provide a tell tale sign of salmon being active below.

Once summer sets in salmon focus on the aforementioned nymphs. Baitfish though can still be tied on below your swimming nymphs.

Even though the river is huge and intimidating, it can be broken up nicely with the infamous rapids wadeable at low water, caution is still necessary. The rewards can be sight fishing to these silver beauties which many consider the hardest fighting fish of all.

Fishing the Water Column(s)

2010-03-11T05:49:00.000-08:00

Water column is fancy fly fishing lingo for depth. But the concept of water columns may help illustrate when discussing levels of depth that trout may be holding at. That is if one can overlook the fact that in fly fishing we talk about top column, middle column, and bottom column, which seems to imply the columns runs horizontal instead of vertical. (Environmental studies are given credit for this term where it seems to reference a vertical column, so to be correct we should refer to the top, middle and bottom sections of the column.) Now that we have that out of the way, or perhaps placed it in the way, let’s get on to talking fishing.

Trout typically consume the vast majority of their caloric intake below the surface. And figuring out the water column trout are working is key to fishing success. Visual observation is the simplest way to determine this. The top column is the portion of water right below the surface, and fish in this area are obviously the easiest to spot, they also tend to be the most wary and stealth is vital. The fish in this depth tend to be feeding on emergers, cripples, spent wing spinners or duns that have fallen back in. As a fly fisher you must devise a strategy to approach and cast to these fish without spooking them, once spooked the game will be off for awhile.

The middle column is the most likely area for trout as they can feed easily from the top to bottom, fishing a dropper system is ideal when trying to locate fish in this area, as it allows you to fish and two columns at once.

The bottom column is the hardest to fish and visually, hard to pinpoint fish, but it tends to hold the larger fish, although they might not be actually feeding. It is also the hardest to control your fly’s drift and to detect strikes, as multiple currents detach your ability to ‘feel’ your fly.

Strike indicators are of great value, when searching water columns and detecting strikes. Move them up or down on your leader as an aid in controlling the depth of your drift. A Palsa indicator will go into the water giving you a visual aid as to the underwater drift of your fly.

Xink or split shots help you get your fly down. Xink is especially useful where split shot is illegal or if you want just a small amount of sink.

Casting placement effects your depth as well, further upstream you cast gives your fly more time to sink before hitting the portion of the drift you are working.

Fly weight is important as well. Beadheads obviously add weight to standard nymphs and streamers. And certain pattern like Copper John or others made of wire are heavier. And finally fishing sinking line will greatly reduce sink time as well. Although for many nymphing situations floating line will work just fine.

Adjustments can be made throughout the day as needed or through different sections of water, to move your fly up or down through the water column as you see fit. If you have nothing to go on, try starting with the dropper system through the middle column and gradually go deeper until you find fish or until your visual cues tell you something different.

Reading the Stages of a Mayfly Hatch

2010-03-03T19:24:00.000-08:00

You cast and cast and cast to the rising trout and nothing happens, it is as if the fish eat everything in sight except your fly. Part of the problem might be the fly you are using is not in sync with the stage of the hatch in process.

Every hatch is a series of stages. Starting with rising nymphs, what are referred to as emerges or pupa. This stage is often the easiest prey a trout will get. Tell-tale signs are trout ‘porposing’ the bugs, you see the dorsal fins and tail of the feeding trout. Despite the fact there might be adults or duns on the water, the trout are focusing on emergers. There is a steady increase of emerger patterns appearing in fly catalogs as this stage is becoming a favorite of fly fishers.

If you begin to see trout’s heads poking out of the water thee has been a subtle shift in the hatch, as trout are feeding on insects in the surface film. This is the proper time to try a dry or use a tandem rig with a short tippet and an emerger trailing the dry. As more and more strikes come on your dry fly, simply clip off the emerger. Rotation of your dry fly pattern seems to be effective as your strikes slow down. If you had been fishing a standard dry fly try a parachute patterns, sparkle dun, or some other alternative.

Other considerations, of course, are your presentation, body positions, tippet and fly size. Your presentation needs to be delicate; the fly needs to float in the same direction, speed and manner of the naturals. Sometimes positioning yourself in the proper location is all you need to do. Upstream, downstream, across stream, these are calls that need to be made after consideration of currents, distance, and your own personal safety.

The tippet needs to be as delicate as possible small hatches in crystal clear water demand at least a 6x, but may require all the way down to 8x. Fly selection needs to be as close to the natural as possible, then go smaller as the fish wariness increases.

The final strategy to be considered here is a counter intuitive method of throwing all the rules out the window and casting something totally unrelated to the hatch. This seems to work only in a long frenetic hatch or spinner fall when the fish are fat and seemingly intent of getting fatter. For some reason there are times when throwing them something unrelated attracts their attention. Likely choices must be something the fish see like a terrestrial pattern or an attractor pattern like a Royal Wulff or your favorite Humpy.

Spring steelhead in Southeast Alaska

2010-02-06T09:24:00.000-08:00

To the steelhead fly fisher standing in icy water while being drenched with rain or pelted with hail, or blinded by snow is just a day out of the office. Casting time after time with no result while ignoring that nagging thought you are casting to absolutely nothing is part of the game. Putting on layers of clothing, socks, waders, boots, hat, gloves, making sure that thermos is piping hot goes with the territory. But watching out for bears? Well if you are heading to Southeast Alaska that is just another consideration, not a huge one in this neck of the woods, but it is a consideration nonetheless.

By Alaskan standards ,much of the water in southeast is accessible, and a perfect destination for the do-it-yourselfer, Another nice feature are the steelie runs are from Mid-April through mid-May, a high run-off time for much of the lower 48. Salmon is still some time away up here, so the crowds are light. As an added bonus you can usually manage to hook a few Dolly Varden and Cutts during the spring too.

A good map and a rental car will suffice fine for 3-4 days, plenty of water is to be fished like the Skuk, you can easily burn the daylight of a weekend getaway just on this river alone. Other well known rivers the Karta and the Thorne are there too, but the small rivers are countless and the exploration seems endless. For those with more time and more to spend, there are float planes, and guides with off season pricing are abundant.

But the real joy is exploring on your own. Because the rivers are quite short and quick, high water is rarely a problem, clear and fast is the rule and rain generally means a new flush of fish headed upstream. And the fresher they are the more aggressive they tend to be.

Like most steelheading finding the fish tends to be the hardest part. Because they streams are high and fast productive lies can be well camouflaged from the surface. Plan on a lot of hit and miss, well plan on a lot of miss, but every cast is an education.

Two trout tactics that are productive are swinging egg-sucking leeches, and dead drifting eggs. Weight and intermediate sinking lines help you get the flies down to the fish. Once you are in the fish stay put, until the action is exhausted, and then maybe stay put ten more casts for good measure.

Southeast Alaska on your own isn’t for the faint of heart, but the rewards are bountiful, the scenery is breathtaking and the self reliance you feel is life assuring. Just brush up on your bear defenses. To be honest these are black bears and generally are harmless but have some spray nevertheless. It will help you lose yourself in this frontier of steelhead hunting.

Early Season Stripers

2010-01-22T20:07:00.000-08:00

A calendar to the fly fisher in the North East begins something like this; early spring Quill Gordon, Red Quill, Hendrickson, March Brown etc. And then Memorial Day comes the stripers migrating up from the South and time to hit the sand.

But lesser known; before the summer fish, striper action is inland in the estuaries and ponds. In the spring months, that’s right the spring. And the nice thing for the predominantly trout inclined is the fishing feels familiar.

Estuaries can be complex labyrinths creating currents, made up of various features like flats, channels, islands, and sand bars. Each estuary is unique and a haven for those who like to explore on their own, and who’s best fly fishing joy occurs when fishing new water and catching fish on their own.

Alewives and herring show in Southern New England as early as March. Silversides are right behind them in the early season. And the Stripers can be quite active following them in the early season, for the mid-day fisher this is the time to hit it.

For the trout fisher understanding tides can be something new. Tide charts are readily available online, in local papers or local sporting goods stores. Depending on the distance from the coast, estuary and salt pond water can be rising several hours after high tide and lower in the same fashion on the ebb. The smaller the estuary or pond the more it is affected by the tide. If too small fish will only be present during mid to high tides.

Fishing is relatively similar to trout, seams channels, bars, etc will affect stripers’ lie. Stripers work the baitfish like trout do nymphs, and often will key on just one species when more than one maybe present. Great early season patterns include Deceivers, Beast master, Hot Flash Shiner.

The Traveling Sedge

2010-01-09T18:00:00.000-08:00

Before Twitter the social network site took over the word, twitter used to mean flutter nervously and described the action of the travelling sedge, the ‘walk on water’ caddis.

As far as most fly fishing amateur entomologists are concerned caddis and sedge are one and the same. Yet without splitting too fine of a hair, sedge is normally reserved for a few special caddis (caddi?) none more special than the traveling sedge. While the ‘traveling sedge’ umbrella actually covers a few different hatches that is a hair we’ll leave unsplit for now.

What the traveling sedge does is run across the water when emerging; the most famous of these emerge on the lakes of British Columbia. But that same species (or a close enough relative) lives in many lakes across the Northern US and Canada.

The rough average of these hatches is Mid-June to Mid-July but can vary up to a month on each side, depending on the particular year and your particular latitude. About two weeks before emerging pupae reach the surface they emerge from the substrate and make themselves available for patient, hungry cruising trout. Once the pupae reach the surface their vulnerability is at its highest. Pausing a goodly amount of time on the surface to escape it pupal shuck and seemingly catching its breath it then starts its twittering across the surface, leaving its wake like the skating, trout enticing phenom it is.

Some other random tips include observe the action of the natural and mimic it with your own strip and twitch retrieve. Wait each day for the hatch to start fish pupa patterns until then or sink your dry patterns for that matter. Takes are usually vicious, head snapping matters, so make sure your tippet can handle the initial stress and keep your hand light, hard to do in the initial stages of the hatch to be sure!

Patterns include Tom Thumb, Goddard Caddis.

High Water Patterns

2010-01-03T11:49:00.000-08:00

We have written about fly fishing in high off color water here. But with the spring run-off right around the corner we thought another look at fly selection for that time of year might be in order.

During these times of heavy rain and snow melt, streams swell but they also begin to warm. While the snow melt is cold, the rain is warm, and the surly broth is a turbid mixture of cross currents. But the metabolism of fish is awakening and with it their appetite and their attention becomes easier to get.

In short, we prefer streamers and a dropper system. Streamers that are weighted with a bead or a conehead, and maybe one that isn’t. An excellent starting point is the BH Aggravator with a Mickey Finn dropper trailing about 18”-24” behind. The aggravator acts as a sinker while the Mickey Finn swims above it. If more depth is desired try adding split shots above the Aggravator. Other favorites include Conehead Marabou Muddlers, BH Flashbuggers, Conehead Woolly Buggers, and for the dropper pattern, try Black Ghost, Marabou Muddlers and Supervisors. Bright and contrasting colors are most effective.

The Fish Hook Technique

2009-12-10T09:18:00.001-08:00

Like most fly fishing ‘discoveries’ this is probably not new, it might even have a name and a ‘following’. Although I have taught this to many and to all of them it was new. The discovery came to me quite by accident, when teaching one of my sons to mend floating line, while he was fishing nymphs.

The mending technique was something he couldn’t quite master, only managing to mend ¾ of the line, leaving a fish hook pattern in his line, with the fly being the eye of the hook upstream, from the strike indicator which was downstream and acted as the bottom of the shank, then was the fish hook and the rest of the line leading backwards up to the rod and my son. To top it off his casts were often shorter then necessary, so he had to feed line before the mend making the whole thing a mess.

As the drift continued he fed line and the fish hook turned to a bow and the nymph swung like a streamer. To our surprise he began getting more strikes, in the beginning third of the drift. A part of the drift that is more often than not just setting up the nymph for the sweet spot. But here the pivot and drag of the nymph actually increased strikes. It seems the tautness from the indicator increases it effectiveness.

Through the years I have honed this technique and am now able to control the depth with the size of the ‘fish hook’ in the line, and the amount of line fed. It can double the amount of ‘quality presentation’ in every cast and imparts different speed and action from the dead drifted nymph. And as my young son once showed me it is quite simple to get the hang of.

Simply cast short and then do a partial mend, and feed the line, to create the fish hook. Let the water do the rest, the important thing to remember seems to keep a slight drag from the indicator to the nymph, so once the indicator is on the drift you are done. Although you can manipulate the depth and speed with the size of the fish hook.

The Detroit River

2009-11-28T10:33:00.000-08:00

The Detroit River continues our series of fly fishing near metropolitan areas. Like many metro fly fishing opportunities the Detroit River is an under utilized resource, waiting for that early afternoon escape from the office.

The Detroit River runs a short thirty-two miles from Lake St. Claire until melding into Lake Erie. While the two lakes are renowned for their warm water fisheries, the Detroit as we said is under utilized from the fly fisher point of view.

For a metro fishery to be useful it needs easy access and the Detroit has it. Lake Erie Metro Park has plenty of access, boat ramp, and marina. A simple outboard boat will suffice and at times a kayak will work just fine if not better. A veritable, indeterminable array of islands, flats, weed beds, channels, and canals lead to inexhaustible fishing opportunities. At first glance a parking lot full of gear slingers might be discouraging the exploring fly fisher can certainly find their kind of water not being worked.

As varied the water so are the species targeted. The list includes, perch, carp, mass species of bass that you shake a popper at, including smallies and largemouth, rock bass and white bass. Throw in some northern pike and walleye just to make it interesting.

Beginning in March, Northern Pike move into spawning beds, pre-spawners can be found lying in the bottom at depths of about four feet. Perfect targets for your favorite clousers, marabou clousers, buggers, or other streamers.

Late April brings in the smallies, check regs for catch and release season when the crowds are light.

And if sight fishing on flats is your thing carp and freshwater drum show up when the temperature warms. These are two of the most wary species and offer a great tune up for tropical locales. Try hex nymphs and crayfish.

The crème d la crème on this river is the annual arrival of the white bass, from Mid-May to Mid-June. Look for feeding seagulls feasting on the emerald shiners that are trying to escape the white bass. And if the birds aren’t working the water, fish the tails and the bars off the points of the islands.

Doing The Elk Hair Caddis Twitch

2009-10-04T20:31:00.000-07:00

Like so many discoveries in fly fishing the first time it occurred was probably an accident. The observation was this; when your Elk Hair Caddis swung and flitted at the end of it dead drift, it got hit hard. And that leads a fly fisher to thinking, imparting movement on your dry fly leads to more hits. Skating is the term often used; Goddard Caddis is excellent at skating. But how does one impart movement and achieve a realistic float? There are some tricks.

The very easiest way to begin to get the knack for this is to simply cast downstream. As with all fly fishing strategies, placing yourself in relation to where the fish are is the first crucial step. So when beginning to learn this technique place yourself upstream from where the trout are working. After casting downstream shake back and forth some small ‘S’ curves to get some slack. Those curves are your coils of slack to work with. When the fly arrives over the trout, twitch your rod, the lighter the better, until your fly has the twittering action of a real one. Just one skitter is enough, about an inch or so upstream. And then let the drift continue.

Once you get the hang of it you can use curve casts or even simple mending techniques for across stream casts, to get some slack in your line and using the twitch when the fly enters to the feeding lanes.

One twitch in the slack and then a natural drift is all you need to increase strikes with your favorite dry caddis imitations.

The Big Mayflies

2009-08-08T09:22:00.001-07:00

While the Blue Wing Olive and midges hold a place in the hearts of fly fishermen for their year long presence on many rivers, when hard pressed many fly fisherman and all trout prefer the big mayfly hatches that stir up frenetic activity for us and mouth size smorgasbord for trout. The rivers of Eastern and Midwest United States offer some fabulous hatches that provide just such occasions for frenzied fly fishing action.

While big mayfly hatches are typically short lived, they are somewhat reliable can be intense and re-connect us the fly fisher with the reason we so love the puzzle that is fly fishing. Many things affect the exact timing of any specific hatch, water temperature, air temperature, barometric pressure, and time of day. But almost of equal importance as the hatch itself are the spinner falls. They aren’t as heavily pressured and since we know the hatch occurrence their exact timing is more easily pinpointed. Spinner falls are when the adult mayflies return to the water, mate, deposit their eggs and fall to the water, making another easy feast for the waiting trout.

Though they might not qualify as super sized, the Quill Gordons are the first of the year in many east coast streams. This species needs near perfect water conditions and often disappears from stretches of rivers due to agriculture run off or other man made disturbances. The nymphs are clingers and are found in fast water due to their need for oxygen. Because the hatch occurs during cold weather and once began doesn’t seem to stop due to inclement weather, the newly emerged dun needs ample time riding the water for their wings to ready for flight, making them a nice dun pattern to fish, and a great way to sharpen those dry fly casting techniques rusted from a winter of mostly nymphing.

When Quill Gordon is winding down March Browns are stirring. A sporadic hatcher like the Quill spends long periods of time floating on the water, making them a great dry fly hatch. Nymphs move toward shallow, calm areas where rocks are abundant. Emergers struggle mightily to lose their shucks thus attracting eager trout. A lot of time has been devoted to develop imitations of the March Brown nymph such as our all time favorite the Hare’s Ear, March Brown Nymph, March Brown Spider, and March Brown Wet Fly. All our effective and much time and casting should be directed at this stage of the insect.

Green Drakes vary from location. But the excitement they invoke does not. The east and Midwest both sport great populations of this mayfly. Nymphs are burrowers, emerging late May through June, the nymphs are exaggerated swimmers making the poxyback with the marabou tufts ideal to imitate the gills. The nymphs will molt up to 30 times per year making them very accessible to trout. Thus can be fished year round where populations are known.

Though the duns are fished, the spinner falls at dusk are the ideal time you want to fish these. Even the name ‘Coffin Fly’ denotes the prime target they are. Green Drake are very nutritious and due to the intensity of this hatch the fattest trout become satiated. This hatch and spinner fall is best fished at the very beginning and then again at the very end.

Following the ‘Coffin Fly’ comes the cameo appearance of the Brown Drake sneaking in before the Hex. The nymphs are burrowers living in the sand and the silt. The adult emergence happens at night as do spinner falls and they can be on the water at the same time. Fishing the Brown Drake Paradrake imitates both.

Isonychia or Slate Drake begin their emergence in early June in most waters, and unlike the other mayflies in this article, can last for months, the nymphs are swimmers and can be imitated with Zug Bugs, Sparkle Isonychia, and other full bodied patterns. Nymphs can emerge on shore or in warmer water; they make a noisy emergence in the water attracting fish.

Of all the sporadic hatches this one can provide a whole summer of activity, with duns reliably emerging in steady enough numbers to keep them on the fish menu, and artificials on the tippets of fly fishers.

The granddaddy of all large Mayflies is of course the Hex. Calendars are circled, vacations are made, and sleep is lost, for this one insect. The Hex is perhaps most famous in Michigan’s Au Sable River but also significant in regions both East and West. The adults get to size 4, but better results seem to occur with 6 and smaller. Nymphs are burrowers and live for two years. But they molt outside their burrows many times a year, making the nymphs important food for trout and steelhead if present. Hatches generally occur in the waning twilight. This event single handedly promoted Michigan night fishing trips

August Big Y Fly Co Inc Specials

2009-08-04T08:59:00.000-07:00

Here they come sea-runs cutthroats, summer steelhead, salmon of Chinook and Atlantic varieties, the annual migration to propagate their species, and to tantalize those who go after them with a fly rod. Nothing quite like it for a fly fisher.

There are also plenty of hatches to be found including caddis, PMD, BWO, and terrestrials including everyone’s favorite hoppers. Many places you can leave the waders at home and enjoy fishing while escaping the summer heat.

Water seems to be at very fishable levels throughout the country, with plenty of water still in reservoirs or snow pack still to be melted. It was a hearty winter, while the spring and summer have played some havoc on hatches and runs, the end result is excellent fishing for the rest of summer into fall.

Monthly Specials

24 Buggers,leeches for $13.95, includes anything with a bugger tail, excellent for all sea-runs, and trophy trout lying in the cool water.

Steelhead Assortment– 12 flies for just $9.95 The assortment will include Bombers, Dredgers, Green Butt Skunk, Freight Train, Purple Peril and Skykomish Sunrise.

Atlantic Salmon Assortment-12 flies for just $9.95 The assortment will include Jock Scott, Cosseboom, Green Highlander, Green Machine, Black Bear and Silver Doctor.

Both assortments are subject to substitutions as supplies dictate
Seasonal Articles for Our Archives

Summer New England Stripers
Trico Time
Steelhead Overview

Shad Fly Fishing on American River