Final Fall Fling?

On the Prowl for Pike-Photo Courtesy of Bill Gouge

So far this November I have been blessed by clear skies and relatively warm temperatures.  You know the kind that makes you wish you were on the water.  I am still busy with seminars but I did manage to sneak out on one of my local lakes for some late season pike on the fly.  Joining me was my friend Bill who had purchased a trip with me through a Trout Unlimited Canada donated trip I had provided in 2009.  Each year I donate a number of guided trips to Trout Unlimited Canada to support their efforts to conserve, protect and restore Canada’s coldwater resources.

Shoot to Target-Photo Courtesy of Bill Gouge

We had tried getting together only a few weeks before but cold windy conditions made use think otherwise.  On this day Bill and I were greeted by light winds, highs of 10C and beautiful sunny skies.  In the past my local lake had a warm water discharge that concentrated baitfish attracting lots of large nasty pike.  The plant that generated the discharge closed its doors and my pike magnet was gone.  The channel the outflow created has grown over and after an hour or so of prospecting we had nothing to show for our efforts.  I was a bit disappointed that things had changed but in many ways it was good that I would have to explore and learn new areas of the lake.

Bill's First Pike on the Fly

Thankfully my efforts paid off and Bill, who had never caught a pike on the fly, was rewarded with a decent fish, the best we would get for the day.  Bill got his fish on a variation of a Fire Tiger Half N Half I tied using Super Hair.  It got pretty beat up during the fight but thankfully synthetics comb back into shape pretty quickly.

Pike are Tough on Flies

We were using 9 and 10 weight rods, floating lines and Rio’s Toothy Critter leaders to start.  Once we had consumed the wire tippet after a few pattern changes I replaced it with some of Rio’s 20lb Knottable Bite Tippet.  Rio’s Knottable Bite Tippet is outstanding, durable and a dream to tie knots with.   Rio's Bite Tippet is so flexible and user friendly that I use my favorite knots that I use for traditional nylon and fluorocarbon leaders. 

The Knottable Bite Tippet also has a secondary function that some might not be aware.  It is excellent for large articulated flies such as those developed and popularized by Kelly Galloup.  It also works well for Intruder style patterns too.

I Almost Have It!-Photo Courtesy of Bill Gouge

It was an articulated pattern that I was experimenting with that lead to my getting my right thumb into a place it shouldn’t go.  One of my favorite patterns for pike is an all white Popsicle Leech.  I wanted to make a larger version of this proven pattern and after meeting and talking with Kelly Galloup I knew that articulation was the only way to go.  I decided to leave both hooks on the fly which in hindsight wasn’t quite the way to go as removing the trailing hook proved challenging as the pike refused to let go.  I am not a big fan of jaw spreaders as I worry about their effect on the pike and most times I end up loosing them when the pike shakes its head.  They spring free and pinball of the boat and typically end up in the water.  Often I am able to get my fingers under the chin flap of the pike causing it open just enough to reach in with a large pair of forceps and remove the fly.  So I began to work on getting my fly free.  I started by holding the pike in the water using my right hand.  Although I am left handed I have evolved into a hybrid of sorts doing many things right handed such as using forceps.  Somewhere in transferring pike between hands and fumbling with the forceps and fly my right thumb ended up in the center of the pikes mouth, as though it was sucking it.  It wasn’t too painful but those things can exert a fair bit of pressure.  The one thing not to do was pull my thumb out as this would have made a right mess. Part of my guiding includes education but this might have been taking things a bit too far.  Now the jaw spreaders came out and with a few seconds I was able to extricate my thumb.  I had a number of ‘pinholes’ on either side of the thumb and I was squirting blood for a few minutes which delayed my preparing lunch. Bill thought it was pretty funny, as did eye.  Thankfully it wasn’t a larger fish or my new nickname might have become ‘Stumpy’!

No Harm No Foul!-Photo Courtesy of Bill Gouge

It looks like now my season has drawn to a close, as there are lots of snow icons appearing on the weather forecast.  I am looking forward to the down time so I can turn my guns on planning and preparing for the 2011 show and fishing season.  I am sure if the weather warms up a degree or two so it is tolerable I might sneak out to find some open water somewhere.

Dry Lines and Long Leaders

This past week I visited some of my local stillwaters.  The weather was hot and muggy, trout are beginning to slow down and go deep.  Our lakes are hovering at a surface temperature of 70F.  Right on the boundary for safe survival for stillwater trout.  As water temperature increases its ability to hold oxygen decreases.  Trout become lethargic and if hooked often become stressed and unable to recover.  It is time to consider rivers or targeting species such that are tolerant of higher water temperatures.  Until the water temperatures drop I will be choosing one of the two considerations I mentioned.

On one of the stillwaters I visited I expected trout to be deep and would need coaxing to the fly.  I believed they would chase an active fly, depth and retrieve speed would be my keys to success.  I focused on the windward shore as the lee shore would have the warmer water pushed into it by the stiff breeze that was blowing that day.  A degree or two can make all the difference.

Pond Rainbow
(Courtesy of Nick Sliwkanich)

I opted for perhaps my favorite presentation method, a floating line and long leader to work up the gradual slope I was fishing.  I anchored in 15 feet of water and cast into 20 plus feet of water.  My sounder was invaluable in telling me not only the depth I was anchored but the depth my flies would be working through and the bottom slope.  In these situations I would be blind without the information my sounder provides.

Using my 4 weight 10 foot Helios and Rio Indicator line I began with roughly 2-feet of .020” butt material Nail Knotted directly to my fly line.  From there I added a 2X 12-foot tapered leader via a Blood knot.  I added approximately 3-feet of 2x tippet via Triple Surgeons knot.  Using an improved clinch knot I attached a #12 black barrel swivel.  .  To the bottom end of the barrel swivel I added another 4-5 feet of 2X Flouroflex Plus tippet.  Barrel swivels add an inline weight, help reduce leader twist and when using fluorocarbon tippets as I often do eliminate any knot concerns with nylon leader material as the two never meet.  My total leader length from fly line to bottom fly was approximately 21 feet.  I placed a balanced Sparkle Leech on the point and a #12 black and Red Ice Cream Cone on a 10-inch Looped Tippet or Sliding dropper just above the barrel swivel.

Floating lines, long leaders are a personal favorite!
(Photo Courtesy of Brian Wiebe)

The thicker butt section and butt section of the tapered leader helps in part turn long leaders over.  Your casting stroke needs a degree of modification.  Break your wrist slightly to open the casting loop.  Tight loops are a recipe for nasty tangles.  Allow the fly line to completely roll out on the back cast and maintain a smooth powerful casting stroke.  Only cast what you comfortably can, avoid the urge to cast across the planet!  If possible allow the line to shoot to the reel or pinch the line tight to slingshot the flies and leader over.  As the flies land look for three distinct separate splashes of the flies and swivel.  If the splash down is concentrated strip the line in and see if there is a tangle.  Deal with tangles early and they can often be addressed repeated casting leads to frustration and exponential leader and tippet consumption.

Once the flies had landed I counted my flies down using my watch, 30 seconds is a standard starting point.  I then began a painstakingly slow retrieve.  I want to ‘drag’ the fly line across the surface without causing a disturbance.  When you think you are slow enough cut the pace in half again and you should be in the game.  Make sure there is no slack in the fly line.  If you go too fast your flies no longer track horizontally but rather track toward the surface out of the depth zone the fish are holding.

Presentation depth and retrieve speed are critical to stillwater success
(Photo Courtesy of Brian Wiebe)

Watch the line for signs of a take.  Takes with this method are often seen before they are felt.  Most of my takes felt like a dragging sensation as though the leader was being pulled through a phone book.  A smooth rod raise drives the hook home.  Fish are typically hooked in the upper lip, top dead center.  All my takes in deeper water were to the balanced leech.  As the flies worked up the slope at the end of the cast the chironomid became the fly of choice.  I pumped one fish and it had about 15 chironomid and Chaoborus pupa along with one lone caddis adult.  A sure sign fish were feeding predominately at depth.

A throat sample confirms the presentation method

This method once mastered is deadly and extremely versatile.  I managed well over 10 fish in roughly four hours of fishing.  I use it for chironomid pupa and larva, caddis pupa, mayfly nymphs, damsel nymphs, and leeches.  Give it floating lines and long leaders a try it is a deadly versatile method.  And quite addictive too!

Casting Indicators on Stillwaters

This past week, I spent some time on a local private pond courtesy of a friend.  These waters were mere minutes from my house and proved a welcome change.  Small personal ponds like the one I fished allowed me to fish from shore, a rarity for most of the lakes and ponds I fish.  Often there is little or no back cast room or the bottom is so soft that one step into the shallows could be your last.

I chose a two fly set up, a damsel nymph on the point and a Pearl Shrimp on the dropper.  When I looked around the shallows I saw a fair numbers of small scuds scurrying about and the odd damselfly nymph. Recent throat samples confirmed that the fish cruising the margins were picking of stray scuds who ventured too far from the protection of the weedy carpet that covered the lake floor.  At one point I swapped the Pearl Shrimp for a #12 gold bead Pheasant Tail (GBPT) and started hooking fish consistently.  Landing them proved to be another issue at times but enough came to hand to keep me satisfied.  I figured the added weight of the gold bead got the fly down deep enough.  With about half an hour to go I finally relented and swapped up to a balanced leech beneath an indicator, a presentation method that has proved to be perhaps my most consistent producer.  For my guide trips earlier this year suspending leeches or chironomids below an indicator has proved itself to be the right choice time and time again.

(Photo courtesy of Nick Sliwkanich)

Most people casting indicators on stillwaters often get themselves into trouble in regards to tangles.  From my observations this is a result of trying to cast too far.  My preferred line for this method without a doubt is Rio's Indicator line.  This weight forward line features a light green front section and an ivory running line.  Its construction and configuration is all about casting indicators and the paraphernalia that seems to accompany them.  The junction of these two colors is the maximum you need to cast.

(Photo courtesy of Nick Sliwkanich)

Repeated false casts is one of the primary causes of tangles.   Modern weight forward lines are designed to shoot to the target.  Unlike the multiple false casts common to casting double taper lines, let the weight forward section load the rod and then shoot the line to the target.  Keep in mind, the slender running line behind the weight forward section is not designed to false cast, it is intended to shoot.   An indicator, swivel or split shot and a couple of flies, where permitted, is not a natural combination for a fly rod. It tends to fight back.  Reducing the casting distance reduces false casts there by lessening the tangle factor.  In addition the closer you are to your indicator the better able you are to see the subtle strikes that would not be visible at distance.  Using a smaller indicator keeps you honest too.  Use powerful smooth stroke and avoid 'punching' the line as this leads to tailing loops and tangles. Watch your back cast.  Make sure it unfolds completely behind you so the energy transfer from your casting motion can take place.

Finally, if you are using a Quick Release Indicator place the plastic peg on the fly side of the indicator.  This placement results in less tangles as the tippet and flies roll away from the indicator.  If you through a tailing loop it should not catch the peg.  When using Quick Release Indicators place a small swivel between your indicator and fly or flies, it provides a number of benefits.  The swivel acts as a stopper and should you break off the dense black peg will not slide off the leader and sink.

In many instances the short distances best suited for success can be covered with a roll cast. When hanging flies in deeper water, say over 10 feet, you may have to roll cast the line successively to cycle the fly or flies up through the water column.  Once clear of the water make one false cast and allow the weight forward line to do what it is designed to do, shoot to the target.  As the indicator and flies land watch for the distinct separate plops of the flies or flies, swivel and indicator.  If they land within inches of each other, strip in and investigate.  The tangle is often in its infancy and can be quickly cured.  Pinching the line or allowing it to shoot tight to the reel slingshots the indicator and flies providing the necessary separation for proper presentation and reduced tangles

To summarize;

1. Avoid excessive false casts. Let the weight forward line do what it is designed to do.  No more than two false casts and shoot to the target on three.  After some practice you should be able load the rod with one false cast and shoot to the target.
2. Try to cast only the weight forward section of your fly line.  Watching your indicator from a distance is not necessary and in many instances you miss subtle takes.  Not all indicators are the firm bubble trails to the depths we dream off.
3. Let your back cast unroll in the same manner as the front cast to ensure complete energy transfer.  I am bad for this one at times!
4. Place the indicator peg when using Quick Release Indicators on the fly side of the indicator.  The unfurling leader and flies has less to catch in the event of a tailing loop.
5. Pinch the line or allow the it to shoot to the reel to slingshot the indicator, swivel and flies or fly over.  Look for separation between the components as a clue to a tangle free cast.

Dangling chironomids, leeches, scuds and other patterns beneath an indicator is deadly.  Particularly when fish seem dour and unwilling to chase a fly moving at a faster pace, such as when water temperatures are cool or unsettled weather disrupts normal feeding activity.  The next time you are struggling with your indicator setup consider these tips.  You should hopefully spend more time watching your indicator disappear beneath the surface than fumbling with a frustrating tangle that might have been prevented.