News
Thursday, May 15, 2008Winding Down
This year’s steelhead run is finally starting to wind down. It looks like we may have about one more week of drop back steelhead fishing. Water flows are starting to drop down to normal mid spring levels. Water flows have dropped from 335 CFS to 285 CFS and will be flown at 185 by the end of the week. Water temperatures still remained in the mid 50 degree mark, however the drop in water flow is going to shake it a lot of fish out of the river. There is always a few stray fish left in the Salmon River when I finally go home. Past few days we have been fishing through a lot of water. Each pool we fish through, we are getting one or two fish after that it is time to move on. We are now spending most of our time fishing from mid river on down. There is still steelhead in the upper river, including the no kill zones. Most of the steelhead is worn out and battle scarred males, that haven't realized it is time to leave yet. If you work with these fish, you can once in awhile get one to bite. Productive flies, nothing new here the same stuff continues to produce.
The word on Oatka and spring Creek – Oatka, the Henriksen hatches all but done. There is still a Henriksen spinner returns in the evenings and mixed in with the Henriksen's are blue wing olive. Afternoon fishing activity will soon be picking back up. Look for light Caddis hatches to be starting soon, this hatch starters out as a mid afternoon hatch. The Caddis is a size 14, as the hatch progresses the fly size well drop down to a size 16. Fishing on spring Creek for now is mostly made up of midges, scuds and blue wing olive, the olive is a size 18. For those of you who are wondering when the sulfur hatch will be starting, my best guesses some time around the 25th
- posted by Jay Peck at 3:42 PM
0 comments
Hunting Drop Backs Steelhead
Spawning steelheads on the gravel beds are becoming a rare find now. We are spending all of our time now hunting for drop back steelhead. A typical approach is to start at the head of the pool and swing flies all the way through to the tail of the pool. A very simple approach make one cast, step 30 inches the length of a steelhead, and then make an other cast and so in. When we fish to the end of the pool, we move on to the next. We will make a second pass through the pool only if, I see or we catch a fish. This is classic West Coast style steelhead fishing. We are using sink tip lines and sinking leaders to get the fly down and of course this is classic spey style fishing.
more
Looking at the photographs you will most certainly note, most of the steelhead we are catching are now very skinny. Do not let these looks deceive you, these fish are hot. When steelheads start to drop back they also go on to feed. This feeding activity has two effects on the steelhead. The first effect is, the steelhead become extremely aggressive. Present the right fly in front of one of the steelheads they will almost certainly eat the fly. The trick here is to know what fly they want. My guesses most of the steelhead are feeding primarily on crayfish and minnows, and most certainly a few steelhead are attacking the juvenile steelhead that have been released into the River. The second reason these drop back steelhead are finally getting some food energy back into their system. They are no longer surviving on body reserves and of course water temperatures in the upper 50s, most certainly helps. We have been using a few flies for this type of fishing the first is a size 4 Brown Willy bugger and a tube fly, called Mickey fin this fly is tied approximately 4 inches long, we also have been getting a few fish still on small intruder style flies. I have also been working on a fly tied on a tube that will resemble all the young steelhead. When I find something that I like and works, I will be sure to show it off.
What is going on with Oatka and spring Creek? In a nutshell, good fishing. Obviously I have not been Oatka and spring Creek yet this spring. But I have been getting really good information from a few of my friends. I've been told that they're still has been a few Hendrickson’s hatching and of course a steady flow of smaller flies. The smaller flies are most certainly blue wing olives, these flies are a size 16. You will find olives on both Oatka and spring Creek. Most days this Hatch will trickle off sometime in the afternoon towards evening. When we have cloudy rainy days, go fishing on these days you can experience some of the best blue wing olive hatches. For some reason olives like to Hatch during wet weather. Those of you who only can fish dearing the evenings look for Hendrickson’s spinner returns. Keep in mind that these spinners will not return in less the air temperature is above 60 degrees. If we have a cold day or two once the temperature does become warm enough for the spinners to return, you can count on the spinner return to be heavy. Afternoon are your time to fish, keep a lookout for Caddis. Oatka Creek should start to have a Caddis Hatch soon. This fly starts out as a size 14 and it is a late afternoon hatch. I have in the past, had my best luck fishing with wet flies during this particular Caddis hatch. I have found a size 14 hairs ear wet fly as been as effective as anything.
- posted by Jay Peck at 10:53 PM
0 comments
Drop Back Steelhead
Sorry about being a little slow with my up dates, the fishing has kept me busy. The large numbers of spawning steelhead are now starting to drop off. Despite this there still is plenty of spawning steelhead in the upper river for now. My best guess is that we may be able to find a few spawning steelhead for another week or so.
The biggest change this week has been the water flows. Water flow has been at 1800 CFS until Friday, May 2 the flow now are at 750 CFS and have been this way for last few days the water flow is now going to 500 CFS. This sharp drop in water flow has shaken a few steelheads loose, and started these fish to drop back. For now most of the drop back steelhead are in the upper river, that is from Pineville on up through the no kill zones. Drop back steelheads get a bad rap, as quality fish. This has not been my experience. Once a steelhead finish spawning, they can lose up to 30% of their body weight. This may be why fishermen have consider, these fish to be weak fighting fish.
I find these fish to be hard fighting and more than willing to not just take a fly but often to attack it. Some of the most exciting runs I have ever seen have come from drop back steelhead. Productive flies; have been pretty much the same stuff, size 4 Brown woolly buggers have been the top producer. Along with intruder style patterns, are still taking their share of steelhead
The cool weather has slowed the fishing down on Oatka Creek. There are still a few Hendrickson hatching, but most of the flies that are hatching are now blue wing olives. Look for this Hatch around mid afternoon. You may also find a few olives hatching on spring Creek, the timing of this Hatch is approximately the same time around mid afternoon. When we have a evening with the air temperature above 60 degrees there will still be Hendrickson spinners returning for at least one more week.
- posted by Jay Peck at 8:22 PM
0 comments
More Steelhead Fishing
We had heavy thunderstorms Friday night and a steady rain on Monday. This rainfall has brought the Salmon River back up to 1800 CFS. This high water will remain for a few more days. The cooler weather that is forecasted for this week will also help keep the water temperatures down in the low 50 degree mark. The steelheads have been spawning now for close to two weeks. I suspect we have at least one more, good week of spawning activity. The steelheads remain aggressive and more than willing to chase a fly swung across the gravel bars. Productive flies have been: pink and white bunny flies size 6, black and Brown buggers size 6 and during the middle of the day black stone flies, size 6 and 8.
We have started to catch a few steelheads in the drop back stage. So far most of these fish have been caught in the upper River. As long as water temperatures remained in the low 50s and the water flow high, these fish will not drop down through the river to fast for some time. I suspect the drop back steelhead fishing is going to be just as hot as the rest fishing has been. There is still a tremendously large amount of steelhead in the upper river hanging around the gravel beds, and all hatchery's holding tanks are full of steelhead. All these fish are going to eventually be heading back down River and out into the lake. As these fish head down river on their way to the lake they will go on the feed. We will be fishing for these steelhead by swinging flies through the pools using custom sink tips. These sink tips will help to get the fly down to the proper depth. This style of fishing is ideally suited for use of the two-handed rods. Spey rods are ideal tools for fishing through several pools a day and are far more efficient than using single-handed rods.
Oatka Creek – the cooler weather has temporarily slow down the fishing, even though the bugs continue to hatch. This will change very soon as the fish acclimate to the water temperature and air temperature warms back up. Until then, fish Hendrickson nymphs and hairs ear under a strike indicator and of course fish to rising trout as you find them. During cold snaps like this one the bugs will continue to hatch. However cool air temperatures will hold back the spinner return. Once the air temperature warms up to 60 degrees, you can expect a heavy spinner return.
At this time I have May 10, 11, 12 opened if you are interested in take advantage of the drop back fishing give me a call on my cell phone 585-233-0436 or the fly shop at 585-352-4775.
- posted by Jay Peck at 12:18 PM
0 comments
Good Fishing Continues
The fishing on the Salmon River continues to be outstanding. Water flows continue to fluctuate slightly, however last few days these flows have been somewhat stable. The water flows for now are at 1200 CFS and hopefully the water flow will stay this way for a little while longer. As a result I am finding large groups of spawning steelheads all through the upper portion of the Salmon River. These fish have been in a consistent biting mood. We have been getting on the water around 7:30 a.m. and immediately into fish. The steelheads have been remaining cooperative until mid to late afternoon. The Steelheads has been spawning now for about a week now. Because of the warm water temperatures, in the 50 degree range, I suspect we have about one more week of intense spawning activity. I will be changing my fishing strategies soon, from swinging flies on the gravel beds to swinging flies on my custom sink tips in the pools for drop backs. This drop back fishing is kind of a new thing. With a one steelhead limit there is now more steelhead than ever that are able to make their way back to the lake. For now productive flies are: black and brown buggers, pink and white bunny streamers. Fish the pink bunny fly at first light before the sun hit the water and then go to white for the rest of the day. If your interest is to swing flies in the pools, stay with small to medium intruder style flies. With 1200 CFS of water flow you will need 10 to 15 feet off T-14 to get your fly deep enough in the pool to get a steelheads attention. This is where fishing with the spey rods is most effective.
Oatka Creek continues to fish very well, the Hendrickson Hatch continues to come off with spinner returns in the evening. Keep in mind when looking to fish a spinner return, the air temperature needs to be over 60 degrees for the spinner fall to happen. BWO are now part of the daily hatch cycle, keep in mind these are size 16 flies. Some days the olives will hatch right along with the Hendrickson's. You will need to take the time to study what is happening around you. Keep an eye on the bugs on the water and see which bug is getting eaten. It is not unusual to see a lot of Hendrickson's on the water and to trout feeding on the Blue Wing olives. It always seems to me that when the trout have a choice of some other bug and blue wing olives to eat. The trout seem to always choose the olives.
- posted by Jay Peck at 6:02 PM
0 comments
