[augie]

What are the flies to use at this lake? I used minnow patterns, leeches, and big steelhead flies and streamers, as I saw some bigger fish jumping around. Wasn't sure what they were though. Never had one bite. I was only casting from shore. Maybe next time I'll bring my raft to troll.

 

[dryflyguy]

Augie, Silver Lake has always been an anomaly to me. I've driven by it for years and every now and then I say, "This time I'll stop and spend some time on it and catch something." But I've never caught a fish there. I rarely see fish of any size jumping except the steelhead. I have an acquaintance (you'll see why I haven't upped him to "friend" in a few lines) who I hear from every year who goes a deliberately targets the steelhead moving through the lake into the upper river. He says a single egg bounced in the current from the inflowing creek catches them every time. Even though I try to tell him those are steelhead and the run is fragile so he should release them, he calls them big trout just so he can take them home with him. Too bad. But anyhow, I've kind of given up on the lake - when I talked to my dad about it, he said the same thing. He quit fishing that lake years ago for the same reason.

 

[stsfisher]

hey augie, next time you see your "acquaintence" let him know that the lake is totaly catch and release, not just the steelhead. the lake holds rainbows,cutts and dollies, that seem to be very fussy when it comes to the fly.

 

[augie]

Hey stsfisher, sorry, that "aquantence" was from DryFly's note, not mine ;D. But I sure don't blame DryFly, as he said, that that dude's not a "friend." Sounds more like a meat fisherman not caring about our resources and the fish:naughty: But I did read the regs that it was C&R, which I normally do anyways

Thanks stsfisher and dryfly for your posts. I may try the lake again in earnest, perhaps camp there with the family...we'll see.

 

[sage2106lb]

Augie, Silver Lake has always been an anomaly to me. I've driven by it for years and every now and then I say, "This time I'll stop and spend some time on it and catch something." But I've never caught a fish there. I rarely see fish of any size jumping except the steelhead. I have an acquaintance (you'll see why I haven't upped him to "friend" in a few lines) who I hear from every year who goes a deliberately targets the steelhead moving through the lake into the upper river. He says a single egg bounced in the current from the inflowing creek catches them every time. Even though I try to tell him those are steelhead and the run is fragile so he should release them, he calls them big trout just so he can take them home with him. Too bad. But anyhow, I've kind of given up on the lake - when I talked to my dad about it, he said the same thing. He quit fishing that lake years ago for the same reason.

This would be an exacquiatance in my books..... :naughty:

 

[stsfisher]

sorry augie. :cheers:

 

[Pat AV]

I have an acquaintance (you'll see why I haven't upped him to "friend" in a few lines) who I hear from every year who goes a deliberately targets the steelhead moving through the lake into the upper river. He says a single egg bounced in the current from the inflowing creek catches them every time. Even though I try to tell him those are steelhead and the run is fragile so he should release them, he calls them big trout just so he can take them home with him.

You should introduce your acquaintance to these fine folks:

Conservation Officer Service
Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP)
Dial Toll Free 1-877-952-7277 (RAPP) or Report Violators Online

That kind of thing just can't be ignored, I wonder what they would say about the "calling them big trout" excuse.

 

[dryflyguy]

Augie, let us know how the lake fishes if you give it a half-decent chance. I too have thought about camping there and fishing the lake. In fact, I took a spin through the campground last weekend. But it's just too darned close to the Skagit to hold my attention much.

And if I hear from my ex-acquaintance (is it possible to have an "ex" acquaintance???) about keeping steelhead from Silver Lake this year, I'll definitely report him. I'm a bit apathetic about these things, as in my experience I've had little to no response from conservation officers. But hey, that shouldn't keep me from trying, right?

dryflyguy

 

[HOOK]

just get your "ex" to send you a picture or should i say "hero shot" of his illegal fish. then nail his a** :happy:

 

[Sandman]

Try a stonefly nymph or muddle minnow around the incoming silverhope creek. Just do remember to release all you catch.

 

[dryflyguy]

What are you aiming to catch with the stonefly nymph or muddler minnow? Steelies or trout? I've never had much success attempting to catch steelies on these type of flies - but then I've only tried once or twice.

 

[Richard Nixon]

Didn't there used to be Dollies in this lake also?

 

[HOOK]

here is some info on the lake. this is a great research site for most lakes.

http://www.bcadventure.com/adventure/explore/vancouver/hope/silver.htm

 

[oar lord]

I was up there last Saturday and caught one fish 12 inches of good girth. I think it was a cutty. I hooked it on a dry line with a #12 caddis fly with a black body south of the boat launch near the bay in the corner where people cast from the shore. I also did 2 laps trolling a red then a black spratley and then an olive leach but didn't hook anything except for a submerged stump which I saw when it was too late. (should have stripped my line in). I was the only boat on the lake (14' canoe) but there lots of people swimming biking and walking there dogs. There were also people casting with a float and a worm and spoons, where the river empties into the lake. I saw one person catch what he though was a kokanee and apparently his partner caught a 1 plus pound kokanee the day before. All in all the weather was great the bevvies were cold, sounds like paradise to me. I also scooted up to the 26 mile bridge for the evening rise but that is for another thread.

 

[Sandman]

I have long suspected that the trout I am catching there are lay over steelhead as they can get quite large. Now these trout are very heavily spotted for steelhead (spots extending well below lateral line), most steelhead I have taken in other systems are much more silver below the lateral line, but I have heard of heavily spotted varieties. Whatever they are, they love these flies. I have also caught steelhead with stoneflies in other small stream systems, and Stave steelhead have been known to chase muddlers.

 

[steelhead101]

Didn't there used to be Dollies in this lake also?

check this site out http://www.fishwizard.com?pat AV showed it to me a couple days ago and if you familiatrize yourself with it (tutorial ) you can find out what fish are in almost any water way in BC

silver lake has cuts dollies kokanee and 'Bows as well as steel head and every salmon except sockeye and springs

cheers :cheers:

 

[augie]

Hey Oarlord,, I think it was you that I saw, a few saturdays ago, aug. 23??? trolling two flies from your boat as you were rowing. My kids and I were camping there that weekend, during the downpour. We were fishing the mouth of Silverhope Creek, spilling into the southside of this lake. I used every fly I can think of, but to no avail. I finally got back to my childhood, (never used worms in many many years), and hesitantly used that, on a bobber, with a barbless hook, in the lake, as I had my kids too. And wham, had a few on....albeit a bit feeling guilty,so I went back to flyfishing...because too many were caught on the live worm. But were all released unharmed. I did question my method, on, well, fishing with a worm, with a barbless hook, as the fish tend to swallow real or live bait deeply. It seems to defeat the purpose. I did try even some worm-type patterns, but again, nothing. I even tried spinners, and again nothing. No wonder worms are so popular.

The dudes next to me were also fishing with worms, barbless hooks, and releasing their catch....unharmed. So that was nice to see.

After getting skunked on this lake several times, I finally landed a few of about 10-12 inches, then a beauty, measured at 18 inches, i kissed it, took a picture, then released her. My daughter's boyfriend caught and released a 20 inch rainbow, and the guys next to us caught and released a monster, 22-24 inch bow, which they said was a summer-run steelhead. I had many pictures, videos, family memories, and fun. But I don't think, no matter how desperate I get, ever use a worm again.

 

[oar lord]

Hey Oarlord,, I think it was you that I saw, a few saturdays ago, aug. 23??? trolling two flies from your boat as you were rowing.

Sounds like me. I wasn't really doin any serious fishing. I was more enjoying the sun while fighting the wind and having a few sodas. Later I went up to the 26 mile bridge to catch the evening rise but only hooked a few little guys around 6 inches. What a beautiful area.

I fell in the river in about a foot of water and got completely soaked, had my spool pop off and had to frantically strip my line in while i watched it almost disappear under a log jam and also almost lost the top half of my rod bush wackin.

I learned 3 or 4 things:
Its a good idea to wear a pfd even on the river.
Always periodically tighten your rod and maybe don't take off your fly when hiking through the bush or at least disassemble your rod and carry both pieces. (I have also almost lost the top casting, but luckily my tippet didn't break)
Make sure your spool is on tight.
Not a good idea to go alone. (I'm addicted to the outdoors and being with the fish so I can't help it)

Nice to meet you augie, I think I know who you are. Your son and girl were on a rubber raft if I remember right

 

[augie]

Yup, that'd be us That was my daughter and son on that raft. I had that "Fish Hunter 360" for about 8 years now. I even have a trolling motor for it. It gave me some good times, but I'm ready for a pontoon.

I think I even asked you if you had any luck. I kind of felt bad because we were getting some fish and you were getting skunked from your boat...you were working pretty hard on the trolling.

That's good that you hit the river, but too bad you fell in,,,you're lucky it wasn't deeper or faster, eh? I've always wanted to try the Skagit. Maybe I'll try it later in the month or into Oct.

I just got back from a campout with my students, we went to Cultus. I even attempted to fish it, but way too much traffic with the speed boat.

 

[318]

I just got back from a campout with my students, we went to Cultus. I even attempted to fish it, but way too much traffic with the speed boat.

I tried fishing Cultus once (for about 5 minutes ;D) , just because I was there. To much boat traffic and fish are to hard to catch for that reason. Also, didn't they used to have coarsefish derbies on this lake? I thought I heard once that they did, not that I'd want to take part in one ;D, but just wondering.