Archive for the 'Stillwater Fly Fishing' Category
I pointed to this new book a few weeks back. I obtained a copy and it is an excellent book. Beyond the basics, the book pays attention to the mental planning and presentation for the Stillwater Fly Fisher. I highly recommend the book and of course it has inspired me to start my planning for the months ahead until I can launch the vessel and enjoy the chase. Effective Stillwater Fly Fishing
21
Feb
14
Nature & the Dragon Fly: Amazing
The ever inspiring Marc Fauvet at Limp Cobra presented this Vimeo vid by Andy Holt. I was so inspired by it for a multitude of reasons: photography, videography, nature, fly fishing presentation, fly tying, habitat, entomology. If you are into insects, macro photography, fly fishing, the outdoors then you need to watch it! Even you photo buffs who focus on urban lines and rock scapes will enjoy this effort by Andy Holt. Please give it a watch and enjoy.
I took this screen shot during the Andy Holt Vimeo and the detail is remarkable. For the fly tier, the clarity for tying is exciting. The eye structure, the abdomen shape and ribbing lead to the possibilities of materials and flash/segmentation. The legs, darker backstrap are equally important. I have always been enamored with Dragonfly Nymphs as a fly pattern option in stillwaters.
I have read work by Michael Gorman before related to stillwater (lakes) entomology. I was impressed not only with the clinical thoroughness of the effort but by the practicality of it as well. This new book by Michael Gorman promises to be equally beneficial to my learning and I look forward to getting it soon. Mike is an Oregon based angler and is well versed in all aspects of fly fishing.
On the back cover of the book is a comment, which I particularly appreciate: “Gorman approaches stillwater fly fishing as a puzzle and views challenging days as a chance to put together the pieces and enjoy the most cerebral, rewarding parts of the sport.”
That, for me, is the essence of the sport and keeps it in the proper perspective…as an ongoing learning experience. I think this would be an excellent addition to your library as well as mine.
29
Mar
13
Early Season Warmth & Cold Water
The early season forces of nature conflict: the sun’s warmth barely touches the depths of the water. The wind blows across the lake’s surface and the skin feels the chill of the dissolved ice. The hands are cold from the trout’s skin. Releasing the trout back into the water numbs the hands. You then sit back, look upward and smile as the sun’s warmth bathes your face.
Not the biggest trout, not the most colorful, but aggressive and tough.
23
Feb
13
Damsel’s: Sleek and Seductive
While on Stillwaters fly fishing, we often see the delicate cousins of the more aggressive Dragon flies…the Damsel fly flitting about in the reeds and shoreline structures. Newly emerged they are often pretty blues, browns and greens. The subsurface life of these attractive insects is equally appealing for the fly fisher too.
The above photo of the Damsel ‘nymphs’ provides perfect detail for the fly tier looking for exactness or simplicity. Sleek, segmented, bulbous eyed, long legged and tailed one can see the proper proportions and just where the undulating damsel would have appendages,etc.
My suggestions re Damsel nymphs (Instars) is to fish them slowly amongst the shoreline structures and picture intermittent propulsions like a fish would move…wiggling, undulating. The materials you use to tie (or someone else used) will help facilitate the suggestion of life. Here is a BC piece re Damsel nymphs.
Tie up some sleek, life like Damsels and fish them with confidence. Tie them in the length range of 3/4″ to 1″ and keep them slender. Floating or Intermediate lines work best. Present them parallel to the shoreline or even swimming toward the shoreline or reeds as opposed to out into the deeper part of the lake. Study up on how the Damsel moves/propels itself. Also, imagine the journey to emerge out of the water and how you would present your pattern amidst the climbing nymphs.
This beautiful trout was caught close to a shoreline of cat tails this past Summer. An olive colored, size 10 damsel nymph fished on the drop near the reeds did the trick.
A few days ago I showed a series of Dragon fly nymphs that I have tied over many years. Some have been very productive, some never turned a head. It was a compilation of pictures to show the materials options and concepts.
Well, as often happens with visitors here, they suggest alternatives, better options that others have created out there. The fine folks at FLYLOOPS.NET pointed to a piece at Tom Sutcliffe’s site, which highlights Herman Botes Papa Roach pattern.
Herman Botes’ Papa Roach Pattern
15
Oct
12
Trout Scooped (Sifting Water)
Nook (noun); Old English (Nok): a corner, a sheltered spot, a small recess.
More often than not, the wind is a nemesis on a lake if you don’t anchor up or you have not identified sheltered areas to work on, at the edges of the wind. I fish from a pontoon boat. And, if there is a downside to that vessel it is the wind as it pushes you along like a giant sail. If I don’t anchor up, in the wind, and contend with the rolling waves, dragging anchor and thwarted back casts, I look for any small ‘nook’ or length of shoreline that gives a workable area to fish.
This is a an overview of Salmon L. in B.C. The Wind (black arrows) frequently came from the W/NW in June. I often found myself in a narrow area, out of the wind, shown by the yellow arrows. I would kick along the shoreline (catching fish) and when I reached an upper point I would turn and drift along the seam of wind/less wind. I was wind drifting and would control how fast I wanted to drift by how much I subjected my vessel to the wind. Often, the orange arrowed area (15 yards wide by 100 yards long) was the only respite and I must say it never failed to produce even if I was confined to a smaller merry-go-round. This area produced many beautiful Kamloops trout. The other end of the lake produced a similar area of safety, but I have fished it less.
Here, on a recent trip, the wind tore along on the far left (black arrow) like a river. A finger of land jutted out to provide a wind break. You can see the cat tails waving in the wind. This quiet area provided shelter and excellent fishing in the quieter spots against the bank (green arrows). I caught a half dozen fish through here. I would rest the water a bit after thrashing it up with a fish and again have success.
This was a beautiful Trout that took a Damsel dry pattern against the reeds in that sheltered back water ‘nook’…out of the wind.
27
Sep
12
Your Special Good Karma Spot?
Do you have that special spot, or two, that is magical? A spot where positive karma abounds because of past encounters? This is a spot that borders on a love affair…just you and a fish or two. A spot that yields epic memories and the one you think of when Winter has cut you off from the spot….that special spot the gives you ‘the moment’. Most of you have one that you think of.
For want of a better name, I have always called this spot the Back Channel and the end of that channel, the Damsel Bay. This is one of my ‘spots’. Epic encounters have happened here and almost every time the Trout has won the encounter. Callibaetis hatches like I have never seen before have been visible here against the sunlight filtered through the trees. Dragons and Damsels are prolific. And, a Damsel dry fly has always….always…resulted in a sound thrashing of the fly. Reeds, weeds, brush piles, jagged rocks, lily pads and sub surface trees snags conspire against the tippet as the Trout dives for a safe refuge. That presentation, the cast and wait, with the slightest draw and twitch, results in memories that will sustain me through Winter. I do need to ties up Damsel dries this Winter too.
This beautiful Rainbow Trout came to a Damsel. It was not ‘huge’ but it was a worthy fish in the hazard prone back bay. It gave me a memory to recall. The other two kicked my skinny ass and kept my flies. I will remember them as well!
