TR - Attn: DDFS swappers - a pretty good day

"Peter Charles" wrote in message
news
I went hunting to find the source, and perhaps patterns, and did find
some
of your photos on the flyfishingforum. I could not find the brown trout
weamer, have you posted this most secret of patterns?



Got to

http://www.mountaincable.net/~pcharl...new/index.html

Flies, Weamers.

This site isn't finished but the weamer section is close to complete.

It's a combination of how the fly is made and how it's fished. It
gets the name because it's made like part spey wet fly and part
streamer and it's fished the same half 'n' half way. It's swung
rather than stripped but the line should be mended and the rod tip
held to maximize a broadside to the current presentation so it swims
like a minnow. It lends itself very well to spey casting, since there
is no stripping, the line on the dangle can simply be picked up and
casted. Very efficient.

It's the only streamer-like pattern I've used that can be effectively
fished in slow, clear water. It doesn't sag in slow currents like a
regular streamer plus it remains life-like even when there's little
current to work it, plus the profile is natural enough to work in
clear water. Still it's most effective in what I've started think of
as "weamer water", slow to medium currents and visibility of 2' to 4'.


Great site, and that was what I needed. From your description of method it
seems this would be ideal for this weekend on the coastal rivers when the
rain is lacking, and the water is still low and clear.

Randy

On Fri, 19 Nov 2004 15:59:13 -0800, "bugcaster"
wrote:


"Peter Charles" wrote in message
news
I went hunting to find the source, and perhaps patterns, and did find
some
of your photos on the flyfishingforum. I could not find the brown trout
weamer, have you posted this most secret of patterns?



Got to

http://www.mountaincable.net/~pcharl...new/index.html

Flies, Weamers.

This site isn't finished but the weamer section is close to complete.

It's a combination of how the fly is made and how it's fished. It
gets the name because it's made like part spey wet fly and part
streamer and it's fished the same half 'n' half way. It's swung
rather than stripped but the line should be mended and the rod tip
held to maximize a broadside to the current presentation so it swims
like a minnow. It lends itself very well to spey casting, since there
is no stripping, the line on the dangle can simply be picked up and
casted. Very efficient.

It's the only streamer-like pattern I've used that can be effectively
fished in slow, clear water. It doesn't sag in slow currents like a
regular streamer plus it remains life-like even when there's little
current to work it, plus the profile is natural enough to work in
clear water. Still it's most effective in what I've started think of
as "weamer water", slow to medium currents and visibility of 2' to 4'.


Great site, and that was what I needed. From your description of method it
seems this would be ideal for this weekend on the coastal rivers when the
rain is lacking, and the water is still low and clear.

Randy

It's non-threatening in slow, clear water when used on a slow swing
but do hang on, some of the hits are massive. One annoying feature
though, if there are a lot of small fish in the area, you'll be
plagued with loads of tail nippers. The fly is quite long for the
hook size so there's not much chance of a hookup on a small fish.
That doesn't stop them from whacking it though. With lots of small
fish about, expect something like a 10:1 hit to hookup ratio.

Bad casts will also cause fouling so if you've crashed a cast into the
water, take the time to check to see if the wing has fouled the hook
once it's swung out. This isn't any different from any other streamer
with a long wing. Good casts, however, rarely produce fouling.

About the only time I wouldn't use this pattern is when the flows are
high and dirty. Tied as described, it isn't dark enough nor does it
push enough water in these condtions. You can bulk the fly up if you
plan to use it in heavy current. The opposite is true in low and
clear -- go for sparse, very sparse. Don't overdo the Flashabou,
three strands only, doubled over. Don't vary the pattern to save
time, been there, done that, doesn't work. Latest variation involved
clipping the wing to reduce short takes -- zero results. I've given
up on trying to "improve" on the original pattern.

Since it's hard to get good marabou, I've found that after tying a
batch of them, some will be more sparse than others due to the
variation in the marabou feathers. The sparse ones are used in clear
conditions while the bulky ones get used when it's stained. Today we
had about 4' or so of visibility so I stayed sparse and it worked.

Peter

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Peter Charles wrote:

The other thing I didn't mention is that I used an Atlantic salmon
swing on these fish offering a broadside presentation that's running
faster than the current. Not supposed to work for steelhead but
somebody forgot to tell these fish. I won't be reminding them.

Interesting. Someone the other day told me that the best steelhead
fisherman he knows just casts and lets the fly swing --no mending, no
adjusting the rod tip--and catches as many on fast swings as on slow in
all but the coldest water. Almost heresy here in the PNW, but who knows?
I consciously speed up the fly (by allowing a downstream belly to form or
by leading the fly with the rod tip) only in the very slowest currents,
but it may be wiser to regularly vary the speed of the swing--rather than
always trying to slow it down--just as one varies the speed of the strip
when lake or streamer fishing.

Do you use a riffling hitch help get the broadside presentation?

All
of the hits came on the turn as the line tightened up and the fly went
from traveling down and across to up and across.

You guys can drift flies UPSTREAM?

JR

Peter Charles wrote:

The other thing I didn't mention is that I used an Atlantic salmon
swing on these fish offering a broadside presentation that's running
faster than the current. Not supposed to work for steelhead but
somebody forgot to tell these fish. I won't be reminding them.

Interesting. Someone the other day told me that the best steelhead
fisherman he knows just casts and lets the fly swing --no mending, no
adjusting the rod tip--and catches as many on fast swings as on slow in
all but the coldest water. Almost heresy here in the PNW, but who knows?
I consciously speed up the fly (by allowing a downstream belly to form or
by leading the fly with the rod tip) only in the very slowest currents,
but it may be wiser to regularly vary the speed of the swing--rather than
always trying to slow it down--just as one varies the speed of the strip
when lake or streamer fishing.

Do you use a riffling hitch help get the broadside presentation?

All
of the hits came on the turn as the line tightened up and the fly went
from traveling down and across to up and across.

You guys can drift flies UPSTREAM?

JR

On Sat, 20 Nov 2004 20:46:15 -0800, JR
wrote:

Peter Charles wrote:

The other thing I didn't mention is that I used an Atlantic salmon
swing on these fish offering a broadside presentation that's running
faster than the current. Not supposed to work for steelhead but
somebody forgot to tell these fish. I won't be reminding them.

Interesting. Someone the other day told me that the best steelhead
fisherman he knows just casts and lets the fly swing --no mending, no
adjusting the rod tip--and catches as many on fast swings as on slow in
all but the coldest water. Almost heresy here in the PNW, but who knows?
I consciously speed up the fly (by allowing a downstream belly to form or
by leading the fly with the rod tip) only in the very slowest currents,
but it may be wiser to regularly vary the speed of the swing--rather than
always trying to slow it down--just as one varies the speed of the strip
when lake or streamer fishing.

Do you use a riffling hitch help get the broadside presentation?


Nope, just tracking the path of the leader and fly line. The fly
actual goes in the path of a shallow "U" as at first, it's heading
downstream. Across or slightly upstream, toss in a small downstream
mend. Downstream mend pulls the fly mostly downstream, then it turns
the corner to a broadside presentation as the belly is being pulled
straight by the tightening line. Most hits occur at the corner, in
fact pretty well all were at the corner.

All
of the hits came on the turn as the line tightened up and the fly went
from traveling down and across to up and across.

You guys can drift flies UPSTREAM?


Stripping back to the running line joint on the spey shooting head.



Peter

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On Sat, 20 Nov 2004 20:46:15 -0800, JR
wrote:

Peter Charles wrote:

The other thing I didn't mention is that I used an Atlantic salmon
swing on these fish offering a broadside presentation that's running
faster than the current. Not supposed to work for steelhead but
somebody forgot to tell these fish. I won't be reminding them.

Interesting. Someone the other day told me that the best steelhead
fisherman he knows just casts and lets the fly swing --no mending, no
adjusting the rod tip--and catches as many on fast swings as on slow in
all but the coldest water. Almost heresy here in the PNW, but who knows?
I consciously speed up the fly (by allowing a downstream belly to form or
by leading the fly with the rod tip) only in the very slowest currents,
but it may be wiser to regularly vary the speed of the swing--rather than
always trying to slow it down--just as one varies the speed of the strip
when lake or streamer fishing.

Do you use a riffling hitch help get the broadside presentation?


Nope, just tracking the path of the leader and fly line. The fly
actual goes in the path of a shallow "U" as at first, it's heading
downstream. Across or slightly upstream, toss in a small downstream
mend. Downstream mend pulls the fly mostly downstream, then it turns
the corner to a broadside presentation as the belly is being pulled
straight by the tightening line. Most hits occur at the corner, in
fact pretty well all were at the corner.

All
of the hits came on the turn as the line tightened up and the fly went
from traveling down and across to up and across.

You guys can drift flies UPSTREAM?


Stripping back to the running line joint on the spey shooting head.



Peter

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Visit The Streamer Page at http://www.mountaincable.net/~pcharl...ers/index.html

Peter Charles wrote:

Got to

http://www.mountaincable.net/~pcharl...new/index.html

Flies, Weamers.

This site isn't finished but the weamer section is close to complete.


That's a nice fly Peter, I'm going to have to try it on our Dolly
Varden and Bull Trout.
And... That is a beautiful fish. It looks like a bright lake rainbow,
and I'm wondering if the steelhead in the midwest get the chrome bright
color they get in the ocean or if this is a difference between
anadromous and potadromous (thanks Ken)? Please don't read any stupid
provincial notion of superiority in ocean bred fish compared to lake
bred fish, I don't intend or believe in anything like that.

By the way, the weamer page has the same picture for the brown as the
smallmouth, and there are two matching alewives. I know it's under
construction, I just thought I'd mention what I noticed.

Thanks for the great post,

Chas
remove fly fish to reply
http://home.comcast.net/~chas.wade/w...ome.html-.html
San Juan Pictures at:
http://home.comcast.net/~chasepike/wsb/index.html

Peter Charles wrote:

Got to

http://www.mountaincable.net/~pcharl...new/index.html

Flies, Weamers.

This site isn't finished but the weamer section is close to complete.


That's a nice fly Peter, I'm going to have to try it on our Dolly
Varden and Bull Trout.
And... That is a beautiful fish. It looks like a bright lake rainbow,
and I'm wondering if the steelhead in the midwest get the chrome bright
color they get in the ocean or if this is a difference between
anadromous and potadromous (thanks Ken)? Please don't read any stupid
provincial notion of superiority in ocean bred fish compared to lake
bred fish, I don't intend or believe in anything like that.

By the way, the weamer page has the same picture for the brown as the
smallmouth, and there are two matching alewives. I know it's under
construction, I just thought I'd mention what I noticed.

Thanks for the great post,

Chas
remove fly fish to reply
http://home.comcast.net/~chas.wade/w...ome.html-.html
San Juan Pictures at:
http://home.comcast.net/~chasepike/wsb/index.html

On Sun, 21 Nov 2004 21:55:43 GMT, Chas Wade
wrote:

Peter Charles wrote:

Got to

http://www.mountaincable.net/~pcharl...new/index.html

Flies, Weamers.

This site isn't finished but the weamer section is close to complete.


That's a nice fly Peter, I'm going to have to try it on our Dolly
Varden and Bull Trout.
And... That is a beautiful fish. It looks like a bright lake rainbow,
and I'm wondering if the steelhead in the midwest get the chrome bright
color they get in the ocean or if this is a difference between
anadromous and potadromous (thanks Ken)? Please don't read any stupid
provincial notion of superiority in ocean bred fish compared to lake
bred fish, I don't intend or believe in anything like that.

By the way, the weamer page has the same picture for the brown as the
smallmouth, and there are two matching alewives. I know it's under
construction, I just thought I'd mention what I noticed.

Thanks for the great post,

Our steelies come into the river as chromers then darken up as they
spend more time in the river system. This hen was beginning to show
some colour. They'll drop back to steel grey after spawning.

I know about the photos. Didn't like the original set as my old
camera had a lousy macro but the new one is a lot better so I'll be
having to shoot some new photos, including a better shot of the brown.

Peter

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Visit The Streamer Page at http://www.mountaincable.net/~pcharl...ers/index.html

On Sun, 21 Nov 2004 21:55:43 GMT, Chas Wade
wrote:

Peter Charles wrote:

Got to

http://www.mountaincable.net/~pcharl...new/index.html

Flies, Weamers.

This site isn't finished but the weamer section is close to complete.


That's a nice fly Peter, I'm going to have to try it on our Dolly
Varden and Bull Trout.
And... That is a beautiful fish. It looks like a bright lake rainbow,
and I'm wondering if the steelhead in the midwest get the chrome bright
color they get in the ocean or if this is a difference between
anadromous and potadromous (thanks Ken)? Please don't read any stupid
provincial notion of superiority in ocean bred fish compared to lake
bred fish, I don't intend or believe in anything like that.

By the way, the weamer page has the same picture for the brown as the
smallmouth, and there are two matching alewives. I know it's under
construction, I just thought I'd mention what I noticed.

Thanks for the great post,

Our steelies come into the river as chromers then darken up as they
spend more time in the river system. This hen was beginning to show
some colour. They'll drop back to steel grey after spawning.

I know about the photos. Didn't like the original set as my old
camera had a lousy macro but the new one is a lot better so I'll be
having to shoot some new photos, including a better shot of the brown.

Peter

turn mailhot into hotmail to reply

Visit The Streamer Page at http://www.mountaincable.net/~pcharl...ers/index.html