Steelhead - Teaching Some Lessons

We swung flies for steelhead last weekend in western Michigan. It is no secret that the run is unusually light this year. When we couple low numbers of fish, high sunny skies, and plenty of human traffic we've got our work cut out for us swinging the fly. The following are some strategies I've learned over the years for putting fish in the net in some difficult conditions.

Primer on Conditions:

In normal fall conditions the water is relatively warm and steelhead are in the river to feed rather than spawn. So, the fish hold in active lies such as the heads and tailouts of runs. They also tend to hold near to but off of structure and higher in the water column, which is conducive to a swung fly presentation. Moreover, since they are in feeding mode they are more prone to chase a steamer.

As we transition to winter, the water temperatures drop. The fish seek out deeper guts and troughs. Moreover, in the rivers I fish, the steelhead also begin holding very tight to structure. I suspect it's because the material warms ever so slightly and disrupts the current giving the steelhead a comfortable place to sit without having to expend energy. 

As a fisherman we need to be aware of these patterns in order to get the fly in front of fish. 

But what if the conditions throw you a curve ball?

In fall, bright sunny skies and people can quickly alter a fish's pattern. When faced with these factors fall fish will shift into a winter pattern particularly as to in-stream structure.  Here are some strategies I've found to be productive in the past.

Lowlight:

Fish lowlight conditions. When the light is low fish feel safe in more open lies. For instance, every fish we hooked on the swing occurred when the sun was below the tree line. When the sun was high we coaxed some pulls but no solid grabs. The fish were there and we got bites on indy rigs but nothing on the swing during the middle of the day.

Early bird gets the worm:

People and boats put player steelhead off the bite. For instance this past weekend there were a number of people running and gunning for brown trout. That means lots of splats, oar strokes, shadows, and movement over the steelheads' head. There is no doubt they hide from the commotion in the wood. During high traffic times being the first fly through the run dramatically improves your odds of a grab.

Tight to cover:

If fish are holding tight to cover, try thinking about how to get the fly to dangle in front of that structure. This may require wading deeper and fishing deeper to allow the fly to be seen by fish holding in or under cover. Fish heavy tips and or heavy flies to get down to the fish in a hurry. We may hook some logs along the way but if the fish never sees the fly we really aren't fishing the water well.

Natural colors (be aware of flash):

Fish on bright days, at least here in the Midwest, key on natural tones. Sculpin or baitfish patterns tend to perform the best. Moreover, give them a chance to see the fly with generous amounts of flash. However, be aware that if the water is extremely clear, then flash can be counter productive. So, in regards to flash play it by ear and try to feel out what the fish are looking for.

Tight lines.

Swim Jig - FLY

When bass guys start talking about fall and spring fishing, the swim jig comes up in conversation.  It's a big, versatile lure that catches fish.  With that said, my mind wandered while I was cutting up some spinner bait skirts for my rubber legged steelhead streamers (topic of another post perhaps) and I began wondering if a swim jig fly was a possibility.  So, what are the essential elements of a classic swim jig?  The main components are: a long baitfish soft-plastic tail with plenty of movement; an upturned hook; a large silicone skirt; and a weighted head.  Ok, so once again the fly guy needs to get creative.  For the tail, 4 large schlappan feathers provide plenty of length, lots of wiggle, and some profile.  I tied the feathers to a short shank hook, which I could use with an articulation point allowing the fly to ride hook point up.  


















The foundation shank is a waddington shank.  If you're unfamiliar with a waddington shanks ("WS"), they look like this:

They are popular bases for salmon and steelhead flies.  The reason for the WS is that the side-by-side wire creates a wide base that will solidly hold the rubber skirt when you slide it on.  The skirt is just a regular old silicone spinnerbait skirt. The weighted head is accomplished by medium dumbbell eyes.  There are a couple tricks and techniques, which will be better shown in a video that I hope to post soon.

Let me just say, this fly looks killer in the water and is a proven fish getter too.  The negative is that it is heavy.  The fly is not too much for a 7 or 8 weight but in this size it would be a bear to cast on a 6 weight.  That being said, the fly is 5+ inches long so you are going after the big fish of the bunch.

First Lake Run Brown of Fall

This is my first fish on the swing this season.  She's a cute little lake run brown, pretty fresh from the lake.  Although she had some color, her fins were clean and it appeared she had not been on a bed yet so the brown spawning run isn't over yet.  The most clear indication that she had not transitioned into spawning mode was that she chased down and hammered a 3.5 inch bad hair day tube fly!

I had made a lot of casts that morning with nothing to show for it, so once again persistence pays off in the swing game.  Also, she was sitting in a classic fall holding spot for river bound migrating fish - the tail-out of a relatively long run with moderate current.  However, this particular run had never produced a fish for me - ever.  Even so, I loved (now, even more so) this particular run.  It has the right speed, that slow to moderate walking pace.  It has the right depth, about 4 feet.  There are a few boulders throughout the run that provide current breaks but don't hinder the swing presentation.  The run sits just up from and down from long shallow riffle water so it seems to be a logical holding spot for resting migrating fish.  In short, in a river with limited ideal swinging water it seems perfect.  The fly swings beautifully in the run and you have enough room to make a full true skagit cast (which can be a luxury in midwest streams).  So the run is not only sound on paper it is also a particularly fun run to fish.

Accordingly, in spite of the poor track record, each and every time I go to this river I fish the run.  At first, I fished it because in light of all of its attributes, I was certain I would catch a fish out of it.  Then, after putting up a number of goose eggs - I mean never even a pluck - I just fished the run because I enjoyed fishing it.  Then the other day, a bright sunny day I might add, I approached the run as I had so many times before with excitement but very little confidence.  I worked the run in close, then out further, and progressively down the run as I had so many times before.  With each step, I thought to myself, "there should have been a fish there...and there...and there" as I had so many times before.  But then, this time, at the tail out I made a cast, then a small mend, and when the fly started to swing there she was.  As the line tightened in the current I felt the exhilarating unmistakable pull of an active fish.

People often say "it's all about the grab!" That's true, the grab is addictive and what ultimately converts people to the swing game. But what I love even more is the chess match between the fish and the angler that often occurs prior to the grab.  Sometimes the fish just hits the fly.  I've had many a steelhead do that.  In fact, we had an epic day in Michigan where a number of steelhead just hammered the fly.  One moment the fly was swinging through the run the the next a steelhead was ripping line.  This sort of take often happens at the end of the swing or the first strip or two as you set up your next cast.  Many other times the however the fish plays with its food a bit.  This commonly plays out with a pluck, a jab, a pull, generally any sort of quick tug on the end of the line.  My favorite scenario occurs when a pluck occurs at the beginning of a swing.  At that point you can visualize a steelhead tracking the fly setting up the kill but you have no idea when its going to happen - the anticipation is awesome!  However, the grab is not guaranteed and I have come across a couple tricks that have helped me seal the deal when a fish plucked but wouldn't commit.

1.  Extend your rod a bit during the hang-down.  If you got a pluck during the swing the odds are the fish is still sitting behind the fly as it dangles at the end to the swing.  By extending your rod and dropping the fly back I've found you can trigger a strike (I don't pretend to know why but it works).
2. Pop the rod tip - just short quick pops.  This will make the fly accelerate forward and up in the water column.  Presumably this makes the fly seems like a last ditch effort to escape triggering the kill instinct.
3. Some people change color I prefer to change size.  My position is they've committed to the color but the fly may be too long or large such that if the fish was able to hit the fly but miss the hook.  The point seems to be easier to get a hold of on a smaller pattern.
4. Take a small step down.  I've found if a fish hits a fly particularly hard and does not hook up it often times drops back in the run.  If I was taking a 3 steps down through the run I switch to 1 step.  so I make sure not to fish over an active fish that has dropped back.
5.  Fish the entire run and start over.  If I've located an active fish I fish that run at least one more time.  This is when I change the color or style of pattern.

The grab is exciting but enticing the grab is the fun part.  Once you know that there is a fish willing to chase a streamer it can be a challenge to convince it to eat but incredibly rewarding if you succeed.  In the case of this little brown the chess match was short lived.  She plucked early but sealed the deal a moment later about midway through the swing - love it.

Tight lines.

Nick

Craft Beer + Neighbor + Fly Fishing DVDs ='s Big Streamers

Recipe:
Rear Hook: 2461 Size 1
Rear Body: Reverse tied extra select craft fur (3-4 clumps tied from the hook bend to the hook eye)
Articulation: Beadalon and 3 small red craft beads
Front Hook: 2461 Size 1
Front Body: Reverse tied extra select craft fun (3 clumps but tied closer together than the rear body to add the appearance of bulk)
Gills: Red hackle flash
Head: Deer body hair over wool and a 3D eye.

Story:
So my wife had a girls night in the city this past weekend.  That meant the fly tying material could sneak out of the basement.  Fly tying is always better in the company of friends and beer, so I summoned my neighbor and fellow fly fishing junkie.  Nothing was on the agenda other than letting the creative juices flow.

We both started playing around with hollow tied craft fur.  The pictured fly started as a single then the beadalon came out.  But what to do with the head? My neighbor was using craft fur and flash for the head of his flies (he added some blue ice dub in front of a dark olive craft fur head, which looked awesome!).

When I got to the head stage of the process I wasn't sure what to do.  Initially, we talked about all wool, which would push a lot of water as with craft fur but would add undesired weight.  Then we discussed deer hair, which would add some movement to the fly but by the same token buoyancy.  After some additional thinking juice, I came to a deer hair over wool combo.  Fly designs incorporating this tying strategy have popped up on the web from time to time.  In fact, I believe Orvis carries a pattern with this style of head.  This design will push water and add some additional movement to the fly but in less tying time and with less buoyancy.  Moreover, The hollow tied body gives a cool, realistic "in the round" baitfish profile.

Fortunately, craft fur, wool and deer body hair are all materials that are cheap, easy to get a hold of, and come in a variety of colors so your creativity can go wild with this one.  As an added bonus, this is an articulated pattern that you can create without the end product using $30 of material.  As an aside, you can certainly tie this as a single rather than a double to have a 3 inch fly when 6 inches seems a bit excessive.

P.S. This is the prototype. For those into critiquing flies, I admit there are plenty of imperfections.  This one was more about seeing where the design went for fun rather than business.  Imperfections aside, I'm confident this dog will hunt.

9 months until Tarpon Season 2016

Ok, it's a long way away. But may as well start filling boxes. This fly is near and dear to me. Certainly nothing special, just a classic splayed wing keys style fly in the notorious black and purple combination.  Just a couple inches long but an absolute killer. I like to put eyes on everything but this style of fly; for no reason other than I like how they look without eyes.  Also, I don't like filling the shank with thread as some tiers do, again for no substantive reason. 

There are a couple things to keep in mind when tying these flies, which I believe enhance their fishability. First, try to tie the tail feathers straight back (or propped up slightly for a shrimpy effect) as inline and even as possible. When wet, these feathers wiggle all over the place so perfection is not necessary. However, feathers that are extremely off line may cause the fly to spin and that is no bueno. Also, the front hackle is made in two parts. The first hackle, which is fluffy, is the base or after shaft of a saddle hackle. The fluffy after shaft feathers are like short marabou fibers and when palmered they give the small fly some extra movement and bulk. The front hackle is the tip of the hackle. When palmered the tip creates a stiff front that pushes water. They combine to add movement and bulk helping the tail feathers swim when stripped. 

This pattern got me my very first poon and I have loved it ever since.

Hook choice is a matter of personal preference. However, when tarpon fishing  the weight of the hook can be a factor.  So, I like to tie flies on owner Aki hooks (heavy), sc15-2h (almost as heavy), and sc15 (light). The 2h hooks are big for their  size designation which is also something to consider.  Tarpon can be all over the water column and getting the flies in front of their face quickly is critical. And you never know what mood they will be in until you get there.

Whether you're fishing the beach or the back this fly is tough to beat.

Tight lines.

Tarpon 2015

Well, Tarpon 2015 was as bad as Tarpon 2014 was great. Saltwater fish, especially migrating tarpon, are particularly sensitive to tides and the weather. Tides vary but are perdictable; the weather is not. A consistent weather pattern is good, a changing weather pattern is bad. Unfortunately, our weather was in a state of flux, a cold front rolled in when we got down to south Florida and rolled out as we are leaving. The front brought in unusual winds, waves, and cloudy water. If we were fishing for a resident species these conditions are tough. However, when you are fishing for migrating fish these conditions are impossible. The tarpon which were around in huge numbers a week ago, vanished. My dad fished 5 days, had 6 shots and jumped 1. I fished 2 days, had 4 shots and got 2 eats but didn't pin either, nothing you can do about that. These fish were small juveniles, we didn't see a mature adult.

The backcountry is such a special place so it really doesn't matter but Mother Nature screwed us this year.

If you are heading to south Florida now, not to worry. Winds have stabilized and returned to an east north east pattern. In turn the water has started to clear. I'm confident the tarpon will be back in force in a day or two. 

Until next year . . . F*cking bummer.

On the flip side I got to fish with my dad, a great guide and friend, in my favorite place in the world, and doing what I love to do - hard to complain about that.

Tight lines.

Silver lining(ish): got a cool new hat out of the deal.

Them tarpon are in for a world of hurt next year.

Worm Hook Shad (or Bluegill or Alewife) Streamer

I can't wait to take this fly for a swim!  I have played with worm hooks as a base for streamers before.  Over the years, fly tyers have turned to conventional hooks to create unique keeled fly patterns.  Most recently Hud's Bushwacker has gained some notoriety.  The Bushwacker is an unweighted streamer tied on a wide gap worm hook.  However, the Bushwacker was not the first to take advantage of the keel-hook design.  For instance, a few years ago Kelly Galloup devised the Stacked Blonde and the Peeler (a cone-head Stacked Blonde), both of which were tied on a now extinct keeled hook and are now tied on off-set worm hooks.  And I believe east coast striper guys have been tying these kinds of flies for years.  There are many more examples as any simple google search will prove.  In any event, with these flies as my inspiration I have developed the fly pictured above.  

This particular fly is designed to imitate a shad or alewife.  By adjusting the colors you could easily have a bluegill, crappie, or any deeper bodied bait fish (a pin fish or sardine for the florida flats).  The fly's length is relatively short - only about 3" - 3.5".  However,  the wide gap hook gives the fly a particularly deep profile (though it will certainly slim down in the water).  I envision a large lake brown taking particular interest as they cruise the nearby harbors for food.  Or a largemouth bass cruising the shallows of a lake.  I do not have a Flymen Fish Mask but using a mask instead of a skull would probably make a great slow sinking version.  Coupled with a jerk-strip retrieve, this fly should dart, dip, and weave like a prize fighter (or better yet a fleeing baitfish!).  Here is the recipe and tying instructions:

Hook: VMC Extra Long Neck Wide Gap Hook (the extra long neck is pretty critical for an adequate base) 3/0

Belly: Medium Krystal Chenille in pearl

Gills: Pink Ice Dub

Under Wing: Three sparse bunches of white buck tail and pearl flash 

Second Under Wing: 2 gray saddle hackles

Over Wing: Gray Marabou

Hear: Medium Fish Skull

Eyes: 7/32" Silver 3D Eyes

Place the hook in the vice. Secure the chenille and wrap towards the hook eye.  Tie off the chenille where the off-set of the hook begins.  Cover the off-set with a small rope of pink ice dub.  At this point all that should remain bare is the neck of the hook.  Note, with this fly it is critical to be in control of the amount of material and thread.  At the beginning of the neck, tie in a sparse bunch of buck tail.  Tie in the buck tail on the side of the hook that faces you.  Do the same on the opposite side.  Then, add the third bunch of buck tail on the top of the first two, using the secured buck tail as a base.  The buck tail that is covered by thread should take up about 1/2 to 2/3s of the neck of the hook.  Secure a bit of flash over top of the buck tail.  Secure one saddle on each side of the hook.  The saddle feather should be tied again using the thread covered buck tail as a base. Moving slightly forward towards the eye, secure a tuft of marabou on top of the hook.  Whip finish the fly and cut the thread.  If you have maintained discipline with the amount of material and thread, then the Skull should slide over without event.  If necessary add a thread dam in front of the Skull if desired.

The tying sequence is a little tough to explain.  I will try to post a Step-By-Step in the coming days.

Tight Lines.