TR - Attn: DDFS swappers - a pretty good day

Supposed to meet Neil, Dave and a bunch of others at Caledonia. Dave
showed, one other showed, Neil and the rest were AWOL. Apparently at
a "secret spot". OK - next time . . .

Well, here's the abbreviated version for those in a hurry - went 2 for
7 steelhead and a whole bunch of hits from steelhead and little fish.
Lost a fly line on a fish and later recovered it. All of the action
was on the brown trout weamer. DDFS swappers take note.

There's one spot downstream of the dam in Caledonia where the current
slows, it gets a bit deeper, and lots of fish like to hold there.
Nymphing it is a bitch for two reasons: I don't like nymphing and
there's no defining run, just a large expanse of slow water.

Swinging flies has always been frustrating because I could never get
the dpeth right. It was sailing over their heads or hanging up on
bottom. Finally today, I got it right.

It's also a bitch to spey cast as you're waist deep -- the deeper you
wade the worse the casting. However, spey is best as you need
distance -- 80' casts are OK -- longer would be better. Like I said,
it's an expanse.

Had some big hits and little hits at first. Easy to tell hits from
bottom as this is such slow water, the bottom never pulls back.
Finally fish on - fish off. Friggin' clapper fish again. Swing some
more, big hit, bigger swirl, biggest fish -- whoo boy, fun, swirl,
run, head shake, swirl some more. POOF! Gone. So is my recently
acquired Norwegian Guideline 10/11 wt. shooting head that Neil just
gave me last week. The butt end loop looked a little chintzy but
since this head had already survived use in Norway and Neil's delicate
attentions, I figured it was OK. Wrong. I'm now standing there with
10" of running line protruding from the reel and an empty braided loop
wagging its accusing, ragged finger at me. Ten friggin' more inches
and I would've had the loop on the reel.

Worse, I've lost my only T-3 Polyleader with it and it's the only
sinking leader that works in this run.

Back to the car and my other line for this rod is . . . at home. I
choose the next best alternative, put on an intermediate Polyleader
(after losing two flies on two consecutive casts using a heavier one.)
No fish. Half an hour later, there's weight on the line. I lift the
rod and there's this bright blue stuff at the end of the line. My
Guideline!!! The fish is no longer on the end and luckily the
Polyleader hung up on the bottom so the line didn't float away
downstream. The end of the tippet was abraded so the fish clearly
sawed off the fly after breaking off my fly line. Wound it up and
stuffed it in my pocket. Put the T-3 Poly back on.

After a few more drifts, fish on again and off again. At least this
one stayed on for a while. Swing some more, fish on . . . and
landed.

http://www.mountaincable.net/~pcharles/caledonia-4.jpg

For those who where wondering, the handle of the rod is 26 1/2" long.

After some more hits and some more hookups I land a buck that's a
couple of pounds heavier than this hen. In the process of me trying
to lift the fish so Dave can get the grinning doofus shot, the fish
slips out of my hand and away to freedom. No photo but my hands smell
of fish.

Stop for lunch. Bump into John the Grindstone Angling owner.

Inform John, the Grindstone owner with two clients, where he can find
some fish.

Twice. EG

Go back for some more, had some hits and lose one more after an
impressive aerial display of four or five jumps that cleared the water
by the fish's entire body length, including a head-over-tail
cartwheel.

Can't wait to see Neil and tell him about the loop. I wonder how
things went at the "secret spot"?

Who needs it.

Went back to John and told him where he could find some fish . . .
again.

Drove home, still can't wipe the grin off.

Peter

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Peter Charles wrote:
Supposed to meet Neil, Dave and a bunch of others at Caledonia. Dave
showed, one other showed, Neil and the rest were AWOL. Apparently at
a "secret spot". OK - next time . . .

Well, here's the abbreviated version for those in a hurry - went 2 for
7 steelhead and a whole bunch of hits from steelhead and little fish.
Lost a fly line on a fish and later recovered it. All of the action
was on the brown trout weamer. DDFS swappers take note.

Yeah, the way you've been promoting it, I'm anxious to give it a shot.
That's one *hell* of a fish in the photo!
--
TL,
Tim
------------------------
http://css.sbcma.com/timj

On Fri, 19 Nov 2004 17:05:33 -0500, "Tim J."
wrote:

Peter Charles wrote:
Supposed to meet Neil, Dave and a bunch of others at Caledonia. Dave
showed, one other showed, Neil and the rest were AWOL. Apparently at
a "secret spot". OK - next time . . .

Well, here's the abbreviated version for those in a hurry - went 2 for
7 steelhead and a whole bunch of hits from steelhead and little fish.
Lost a fly line on a fish and later recovered it. All of the action
was on the brown trout weamer. DDFS swappers take note.

Yeah, the way you've been promoting it, I'm anxious to give it a shot.
That's one *hell* of a fish in the photo!


Bad news is, I tied 8 weamers for the swap and used 'em all on these
fish. My bad. [slap, OUCH!]

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. 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. No stripping. Water
clarity was about 3' and temp about 40 or so. GL Steelhead aren't
supposed to chase swung flies in these conditions.

Peter

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"Peter Charles" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 19 Nov 2004 17:05:33 -0500, "Tim J."
wrote:

Peter Charles wrote:
Lost a fly line on a fish and later recovered it. All of the action
was on the brown trout weamer. DDFS swappers take note.

Yeah, the way you've been promoting it, I'm anxious to give it a shot.
That's one *hell* of a fish in the photo!


Bad news is, I tied 8 weamers for the swap and used 'em all on these
fish. My bad. [slap, OUCH!]


I'm anxious to try that fly, you may have to start mailing them off one at a
time to beat the temptation of fishing them.

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?

On Fri, 19 Nov 2004 15:37:40 -0800, "bugcaster"
wrote:


"Peter Charles" wrote in message
.. .
On Fri, 19 Nov 2004 17:05:33 -0500, "Tim J."
wrote:

Peter Charles wrote:
Lost a fly line on a fish and later recovered it. All of the action
was on the brown trout weamer. DDFS swappers take note.

Yeah, the way you've been promoting it, I'm anxious to give it a shot.
That's one *hell* of a fish in the photo!


Bad news is, I tied 8 weamers for the swap and used 'em all on these
fish. My bad. [slap, OUCH!]


I'm anxious to try that fly, you may have to start mailing them off one at a
time to beat the temptation of fishing them.

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'.





Peter

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"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

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

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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