Fly Fishing’s Secrets

I've been at it for 52 years now.

#1 fly fishing secret in my book...learn to cast like Joan Wulff! Then add some Lefty Kreh.

I'm pretty much in saltwater these days. Just an occasional trip to the NC mountains too wet a line for native rainbow, brown and brook with a 3 line rod and tiny reel.

I upgraded to the new 2 piece Scott Sector 9 line rod with a Hatch 7 Plus reel to chase big reds and bones. Unfortunately, couldn't get to the Keys due to the virus.

Around the Low Country, my Scott Meridian 8 line is my go to daily rod with an old Steve Abel built Super 8. Not as light or smooth drag like today's reels, but, still one of my favorite setups.

Wishing you tight lines!

2020-04-26-10-32-14-r1.jpg

Sorry for the poor image, a quick grab with my iPhone.
 
Here’s another video that gives us hope for our rivers. The narrator is Bob Hunter, my friend and fishing partner. Water Watch of Oregon and Rogue Flyfishers were instrumental in the removal of Savage Rapids and Gold Rey dams, and the breaching of the never completed Elk Creek dam. The only remaining dam is Lost Creek, above the town of Shady Cove. It was built in the late 1970s for irrigation and flood control.

My family had ranches on the Rogue, downstream of Shady Cove, and was been impacted by the floods of the 1950s and 1960, losing at least 20 acres to flood erosion. Though Lost Creek dam slowed the loss of land, I don’t believe the damage to the fishery justified its creation.

 
I'm, certainly no fishery or hydrology expert...
But, I don't think I've ever read where a dam is a good thing for fish.

A friend who is farming up in VA adjacent to the Shenandoah River had to spend over $200K on projects to prevent runoff and erosion.

Steve, hard to imagine losing 20 acres to erosion and what it did to not only family's land but the fishery as well!
 
Bill, I’m with you on dams are not good for fisheries. When Lost Creek was put in, the COE put in the Cole Rivers Hatchery Immediately below the dam. It pumps out thousands of hatchery fish, but the gene pool has suffered greatly. Another issue is getting water flows and temps right to help fish migrate and survive. The lower Rogue sees salmon kills in hot summers because of warm temps and poor oxygenation.
 
Steve...

We have hatchery Rainbows in a few creeks I fish in western NC. Hatchery fish don't fight like native or taste nearly as good.

You can tell a native Rainbow in hand by the clipped adipose fin. They are clipped on young fish at the hatchery.

If the adipose isn't clipped another good tell is a worn pectoral fin. The fin will wear down from hours of swimming against the concrete floor of the pond/tank. The fin never heals or grows back.

A native Rainbow will fight almost like a Brown. Hence, pretty easy to discern when you have a hatchery Rainbow on the line from the hook up.

But, the hatchery is necessary IMO. It provides an easier source of food (than native) for the predators who rely on the trout.
 
Thanks Steve.That's MY KIND of fishing.I like the small streams and sure don't mind small fish.
The big "trophy" fish I'll leave to others. The small stream concept is great.
Frank
 
Great post, seeing an Eagle or Osprey fish on a High Sierra Lake is a wonderfull treat. I never get tired of seeing it, and always look forward in seeing it again. Today witnessed a Eagle fishing on the Yuba River above Daguerra Dam, what a show, and a nice catch!!
 
New float tube, fly order just arrived, camper on the truck and the routes are planned.
Leavitt Lake, Monache Meadows and points beyond!
 
firemen7 said:
New float tube, fly order just arrived, camper on the truck and the routes are planned.
Leavitt Lake, Monache Meadows and points beyond!
Click to expand...
Good fishing.I envy you.
No chance for me at this time.maybe early fall when Hennan Lk. opens.
Frank
 
Has anyone heard of “Flossing”?

We’re up here in Alaska and went out for both Sockeye and Kings. The Kenai River is closed so we hired a guide to take us to the Kasilof River. The techniques used for Sockeye fishing from the shore is called flossing and it’s the weirdest fly fishing I’ve ever tried.

We started with a 9 weight rod with a sinking line. To the end of the line we had a conventional swivel. On the swivel we had an egg sinker that was maybe 1/8 to 1/4 of an ounce depending on the speed of the flow. Again to that swivel we had about 9 feet of 40 pound mono. At the end of that line we had....a bare #4 hook!

The process is to pull out as much line as your rod is long..so for me about 9 feet. Then you roll cast it out directly perpendicular to the river and with your rod tip pointed down at the water follow your weigh as it rolls down the river due to the current. When it gets to about a 45 degree angle you quickly pull the rod tip back, still just above the water and hope your line runs through the fishes open mouth and snags him or her in the jaw. If not you roll cast and begin again...

Apparently, the fish are not eating at this stage of their life but their mouth is opening and closing as they run upstream and that’s how they are caught. The fish run in pulses so when one person gets one several other people usually do as well which makes for some interesting times as people are usually about 15 feet apart from each other...

I caught my limit of two in about 2 hours and then we went drift fishing for Kings.
 
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