[Stormin30]

I have been Solo fly fishing for 9 years and have appreciated this website since 2004. I'm a dedicated to this server but kinda a Wall Flower sorta speak.
To all the members that hit the Rivers. I like some advice about fly choice for a first time Flying for Salmon? I spent a few nights in the feathers to fill my quiver. These are inspired by locals with the gift of the <"((((< n gab.
- Purple & Pink Cone head marabou
- Blue Wooly Buggers Suggestions Appreciated = Please inspire me with your preferred weapon.
- Double Egg Patter
- Blue Christmas Trees

I also have no experience on how to get the fly into the zone. ??? On the lake you count seconds. I have bought a T8,T11,T14 leader setup. I can seriously say that if I'm not jammed in the rocks all day I'll be happy.
Does anyone know of any teaching videos on the www. that show drift casting for BC/like rivers? Also how do you read were the fish are in the rivers.

I scoped out the Vedder canal on Friday and saw something porpoising in the slow waters. Is this the best spot to start out on the fly? I don't think shoulder fishing with gear chuckers is wise my first time. The other question is entering the waters in the slow tail waters is easier for fly fishing but does this not have river educate issues.

I will be heading out to the Vedder canal Monday Dawn. I hope to take a Photo and release my first.
Well I must say that I have wanted to get off my pontoon for awhile and get into the flow to get an adrenaline rush like Beadhead and his first 2 fish. Thanks for inspiring me BCFR to jump in with both waders. :cheers:

 

[BHB]

Hi Stormin30,

Have a great time tommorrow. You can add Zonkers, Muddler Minnow, Matuka, Marabou Muddler, Chartreuse and Black Flash Buggers to your list. They all worked for me lately. The main thing is presentation and depth. I suggest you start with one of your sink tips and cast into varying degrees of the drift ( directly across with drift and retrieve, slightly upstream to let it drift and sink, things like that) keep trying with different tips, flies and techniques until you get results and then keep at it. Of course it helps if you know fish are in the area. I was getting most of my hits at the tail out of the drift. Not to confuse things but I know that the drift vs. retrieve is dependent on species. ??? Anyway I am just learning myself and far from any kind of expert :happy: but I do know that trying new things is a lot of fun. Of course success is definitely a blast. If anything I had to offer helps that's great :yummy: Let me know if you ever want to not go solo and get together to chuck a few feathers. :drunk:

Kevin

 

[anthony]

I find fly fishing for coho look for pools of almost stillwater like the gravel dig outs at peach road.. As for flies for coho i like blue muddlers christmas trees...for chum and springs i have done well with tan and olive muddlers black. Marabou popsicles.

for sink tips a clear intermediate tip is great for spooky coho.. As for getting in the zone i use a 5 ft peice of T8 with a 2 ft leader do a upstream mend and let it sink this will get into the zone in slower water... Dont bother with fast water as the fly will just get carried down with the current not getting a chance to sink..

go to reaction fly and tackle talk to darryl he will set you up he is working at 7:30am he will set you up with exactly you need for a great day on the river.. He will help you pick proper flies proper sink tips for certain waters to fish in

hope this helps you out

 

[Stormin30]

Beadhead
Thanks for the alternate fly patterns. I was wondering what size of hook is a minimum for the river?

So what you are saying is you cast straight across and drift it down stream. If I don't hit rocks cast up steam until I hit bottom on a long drift. Then I know to throw it a little less upstream and I should be in the hit zone! 1 ft off bottom. This sounds like sound theory. I appreciate this thought pattern for a starting point.

As for fishing Solo I live in CHWK and have no fish'n buddies. This is why BCFR is my place for wisdom.
Thanks again BCFR :beerchug:

 

[anthony]

the best advice other than reading is to be on the river playing around with different ideas. Wheni first started i tried to accosiate myself with other fly fishers ask questions see how they have there setup rigged and copy what they are doing...most of the people on the vedder are always pretty freindly in giving a helping hand...there is some hardcore fly fishers on this site that.would be more than willing to help you out.. Go to the flyfishing section on bcfr and post up a new thread asking for some pointers you will get allot of helpfull info from them.. Keep at it you will get the hang of it in no time....

 

[BHB]

I don't think there is a minimum hook size but in most of your minnow patterns 6 and under would be best.

 

[tim5371]

I am new to fishing coho on the fly and was wondering a couple of things as well..

Yesterday I was trying out my Rio versitip setup just below the highway bridge on the canal. I'm not sure how deep the water is (10feet?) and it was flowing fairly swiftly. What would be the correct tip to use? I have 15 ft floating, intermediate, type lll, type V, and type Vlll.
I guessed that the type lll was right? I would cast directly across, mend a couple of times, and once the fly was 45 degrees down from me i would start a retrieve. It was hard to tell if I was hitting bottom because i think it is mostly sand.
I was using a 9ft leader and a beadhead fly.

Thanks guys.

 

[Stormin30]

Tim
I asked at a local shop that same question today and the suggestion was to use floating line with a weighted fly in the canal! Like a Christmas tree or other shinny fly. I was fishing the canal on Monday and the spoons were hot for gear. I was getting chum on Black Leach's and Christmas trees.
I hooked into 5 chum and lost 4. I have to say that it was a rush on the 7/8 weight I'm running.
Beadhead thanks for the tips. Well it is time to go tie more flies because i lost like 10 flies.
10/4
Stormin30

 

[steve]

running a floating line should require a fairly heavy fly as well as a longer leader (8' to 10'). In walking speed water in the 5 to 10 foot range I have been using a type 6 to 8 tip with a 2' leader. Worked awesome up on the Bulkley and did good last year in the vedder. I got the chance to learn how to use and tie some tube flies over the last couple of weeks up in smithers and they are great if you find you are loosing fish with the longer shanked hooks. No leverage on the hook set. If you haven't gotten to tube flies then try the articullated (sp?) ones ( have a line in the middle with a short shank hook and the end) may help with the lost fish. :cheers:

 

[tim5371]

I know everyone has their own preferences for line setups, but could it be correct to say that I want a longish 9-12ft leader with my floating and intermediate lines, and shorter (2-5ft depending on water clarity) for the faster sinking tips?

 

[Stormin30]

I was at Peach today and I went up stream 600 yards. This was fast waters. I tried a 10ft T8 and a dumbbell tree and don't think I even got close to the bottom. Is it better to stay away from the fast waters on the Fly? Or is it doable just need to change up methods. :hmmm: I fished a few hours and no bits.
I found a snagged fly on the beach = Christmas tree with a 1 1/2" wire trailing the tree with a small salmon hook. Is this what you are talking about?
It sounds like the Stave is a good place to be for Chum Fun on the fly. I will have to try and find Beadhead after work one night next week.
Cheers :cheers:
Sincerely,
Stormin30

 

[BHB]

Hey Stormin,

Let me check my schedule today at work and I will let you know what days I can fish next week. I fished the Stave again yesterday and got into lots of Chum again. Landed ten fish and lost twenty others. Broke my 8 weight TFO, no fault warranty's are cool. Picked a 9 weight and headed back. Landed one Chum that had to break the twenty pound barrier. Man did I go through the gear though. Must have snapped off ten flies, bent a couple of hooks back and even snapped the twenty pound leader off off my sinking tip. Won't stop me from going back though.

 

[Britguy]

why do you need 20lb leader ???
I was there today and i was using 10lb leader on my 8wt and landed a few big guys
Only snapped it off once when i snagged one and just pointed the rod tip at it to snap off
sure is lots of chum in there

 

[BHB]

The twenty pound leader is tied to the end of my sink tip to make a loop to loop to the tapered leader, it came that way. That's what broke off. I have been using 15 pound test tippet. Cheers to you though using ten pound test. I lose way too many flies that low.

 

[Stormin30]

Flyguy and Beadhead
I have 30 lbs loop rig and have been using 13lbs tippet. Now beadhead your using a tapered leader? I have a weighted leader system that I run a 2 ft leader for sink. I wonder if this is a little short Flyguy? :hmmm: What is the depth and speed of the Stave? With all this rain & crazy wind tonight I might have to go past work and then continue to the stave after a site inspection. Have a great weekend Boys! :cheers:

 

[steve]

fast water is no good for fly fishing unless there is a good seam in the flow. A good rule of thumb is short leader for heavy line and long for floating. If the leader is too long on a sinking tip the fly will never get to the bottom.

 

[Stormin30]

Cascade
So on a sink line use a 2ft leader? What weight should I be using? I found that when I would snap 3 flies of trying to get the hook off and release chum today! I would go to tail it and the chum would run and snap goes another fly! issed: Should I use heavier leader?
I have a Fenwick Boron that is 18yrs old and a 7/8 wt made by my uncle. I've been using 13lbs leader.? Thanks in advance.

:beerchug:
Stormin30

 

[HOOK]

not breaking fish off during the tailing process is just a learning curve thats all. it has nothing to do with your leader lb'age, i normally dont use heavier then 10lb unless going for spring in dirtier water. When the fish take off are you holding your line in your hand? because that will be why they snap off if you cant let go.

 

[steve]

something short will do I use #12 floro and start at 30" or so and replace it when it is less than about 15-18" and in regards to the snapping of the leader when tailing it is usually, like hook said, a learning curve. Holding the line will do it or even when the rod tip is up and the fish runs it pulls down on the tip and the rod is much stiffer that way so too much pressure trying to lift the fish. You'll get the hang of it eventually. I usually have the tip pointed upstream and to the side to pull them in and set the rod behind my arm with the reel between my legs and grab the leader. This way if the fish runs and I let go the rod is to the side and that fish will head out and pull the tip with it and by the time I grab it the rod is pointed out and I am in good shape. Keep in mind I use a spey rod so the butt section keeps the reel out of my legs and rigging. Using a single handed rod takes a little more finess so the reel doesn't catch anything.

 

[HOOK]

with the single hander i usually just use it to pull the fish upstream for me then let it slide down to me grab it....done ;D this of course might take a couple tries :happy: