The Crooked River
It was another beautiful mid-winter day in the Sunriver area. I was sitting on my porch finishing up a cup of hot coffee, waiting for Russ Seaton to pick me up. I was enjoying the warmth of my cup in my hands and the steam coming off it providing that alluring smell of coffee in the morning. The winter snow was falling covering the trees with a beautiful white blanket. Just as I finishing that cup of coffee Russ pulled up in the driveway to begin a day of fishing on one of our favorite rivers, The Crooked River.
Before I get into the fishing portion, I want to give you some geological history and historical information regarding the river. The Crooked River has two forks The North Fork and The South Fork that ultimately converge into the main Crooked River which flows along the Post Paulina Highway nearly twenty- five miles east of the town of Prineville located on the Les Schwab Ranch. Upon the convergence of the forks the Crooked River flows over one hundred miles northwest until its confluence with Lake Billy Chinook. From there it become a major tributary to the Deschutes River. The South Fork bubbles up (much like Fall River and the Metolious River) at the current location of the GI Ranch (named after the first two letters in the Gilcrest family) east of the town of Brothers. The North Fork originated in Big Summit Prairie and travels twenty miles from it’s origin and nearly comes back around to it’s origin at its confluence with the South Fork. The third and final supplier of the Crooked River is Beaver Creek. Beaver Creek comes from the old Humphreys Ranch located in the Ochoco National Forest. Beaver Creek merges with the South Fork.
A curious yet noticeable feature of the Crooked River is its color. Below Bowman Dam the water is always somewhat off color. What causes that color? Bear Creek is the cause of the silt in the river. It flows into the river above Bowman Dam. The creek originally flowed at ground level but continued to cut into the earth down about fifteen feet to where it began to generate silt that flows into the reservoir and settles in the bottom and comes out in the lower escape of the dam. Do not be discouraged by the off-color because it doesn’t slow down the fishing. I believe that the color of the river is to our advantage, as fisherman.
Historically it is believed that first group of white men to travel the river were Hudson Bay Trappers headed for Peter Skeen Ogden in 1825 in search of beaver. The river was appropriately named by the Hudson’s Bay trappers for its meandering nature. According to Oregon Geographical Names the Crooked River first appeared, by name, on a map of Col. J.J. Albert in 1838. Maps as early as 1833 showed the river in detail but not by name.
As we were traveling over to the river we pass the community of Alfalfa, an unincorporated community of Deschutes County in the high desert 15 mile east of Bend. It was named for the primary forage crop grown there. This is our usual stopping place on the way home for cold or hot drinks depending on the time of the year. In no time we began to descend down into the canyon to cross Bowman Dam on Prineville Reservoir. As we got closer to the river the weather was clearing and we knew that we were in for a good day of fishing and fellowship. As we normally do we stop at Big Bend Campground. Big Bend is the first of eleven campgrounds within the Crooked River Wild and Scenic Area which stretches from mile post 12 up to and a little above mile post 19. (For a list of the campground you can check any map of the Wild and Scenic area.) The campgrounds are all fee campgrounds and designed for tents and/or RV’s none of the campgrounds have hook ups available, and they are all adjacent to the river.
The Crooked River is spring fed at its head waters, but below Bowman Dam it becomes one of Oregon’s premier tail-water fisheries. A typical day on the Crooked you will likely observe bald eagles, kingfishers, chuckers, to mention just few of the birds in the area. Rainbow Trout are the dominate species of fish caught in this area, but Mountain White Fish are the native species to the river. Fish, in the Crooked average eight to twelve inches with some larger ones from thirteen to twenty inches. Throughout this section of the river there is a nice variety of pools, runs, riffles and pocket water to fish. This section is generally grassy and rocky supplying sufficient room for casting. Wading the river is difficult and very tricky, due to the size of rocks and the algae covering them. I suggest that when wading you wear some type studded wading shoe and carry a wading staff.
The drive from Sunriver takes about a hour and a half, and it is a beautiful drive. On days like this, in the winter, you generally have the river to yourself especially during the week. Upon entering the campground, Big Bend, it was no surprise that we were the only rig in the whole area. The morning was chilly, but nothing like the snow that we left in Sunriver. As we waked toward the river Russ pulled out his pipe to ceremonially light it, marking the beginning of a day of fishing the Crooked. This day was one of those days that we will talk about and reminisce for years to come. Looking down the river knowing that we were the only ones on this stretch of the river, we started out fishing at one of our favorite holes near some big rocks protruding out of the water. On the Crooked there are many locations like this that provide all the essential needs of trout. I was below Russ, and I started out using a favorite, the Crooked River Magic, pattern developed by Russ, in a small size imitating the blue-winged olive. It was below a small parachute pattern imitating the adult blue-winged olive. Russ was above me and was using similar patterns.
We had not been there long and we began to hook fish. The fishing continued throughout the day. Generally we continued with the same patterns until later in the day when some caddis began to come off. We switch to an adult caddis and hooked many more fish on that Elk Hair Caddis. As the temperature began to drop and the fishing cooled off with it, it was time to pack up and head home. It was a great day on The Crooked River.
It was another beautiful mid-winter day in the Sunriver area. I was sitting on my porch finishing up a cup of hot coffee, waiting for Russ Seaton to pick me up. I was enjoying the warmth of my cup in my hands and the steam coming off it providing that alluring smell of coffee in the morning. The winter snow was falling covering the trees with a beautiful white blanket. Just as I finishing that cup of coffee Russ pulled up in the driveway to begin a day of fishing on one of our favorite rivers, The Crooked River.
Before I get into the fishing portion, I want to give you some geological history and historical information regarding the river. The Crooked River has two forks The North Fork and The South Fork that ultimately converge into the main Crooked River which flows along the Post Paulina Highway nearly twenty- five miles east of the town of Prineville located on the Les Schwab Ranch. Upon the convergence of the forks the Crooked River flows over one hundred miles northwest until its confluence with Lake Billy Chinook. From there it become a major tributary to the Deschutes River. The South Fork bubbles up (much like Fall River and the Metolious River) at the current location of the GI Ranch (named after the first two letters in the Gilcrest family) east of the town of Brothers. The North Fork originated in Big Summit Prairie and travels twenty miles from it’s origin and nearly comes back around to it’s origin at its confluence with the South Fork. The third and final supplier of the Crooked River is Beaver Creek. Beaver Creek comes from the old Humphreys Ranch located in the Ochoco National Forest. Beaver Creek merges with the South Fork.
A curious yet noticeable feature of the Crooked River is its color. Below Bowman Dam the water is always somewhat off color. What causes that color? Bear Creek is the cause of the silt in the river. It flows into the river above Bowman Dam. The creek originally flowed at ground level but continued to cut into the earth down about fifteen feet to where it began to generate silt that flows into the reservoir and settles in the bottom and comes out in the lower escape of the dam. Do not be discouraged by the off-color because it doesn’t slow down the fishing. I believe that the color of the river is to our advantage, as fisherman.
Historically it is believed that first group of white men to travel the river were Hudson Bay Trappers headed for Peter Skeen Ogden in 1825 in search of beaver. The river was appropriately named by the Hudson’s Bay trappers for its meandering nature. According to Oregon Geographical Names the Crooked River first appeared, by name, on a map of Col. J.J. Albert in 1838. Maps as early as 1833 showed the river in detail but not by name.
As we were traveling over to the river we pass the community of Alfalfa, an unincorporated community of Deschutes County in the high desert 15 mile east of Bend. It was named for the primary forage crop grown there. This is our usual stopping place on the way home for cold or hot drinks depending on the time of the year. In no time we began to descend down into the canyon to cross Bowman Dam on Prineville Reservoir. As we got closer to the river the weather was clearing and we knew that we were in for a good day of fishing and fellowship. As we normally do we stop at Big Bend Campground. Big Bend is the first of eleven campgrounds within the Crooked River Wild and Scenic Area which stretches from mile post 12 up to and a little above mile post 19. (For a list of the campground you can check any map of the Wild and Scenic area.) The campgrounds are all fee campgrounds and designed for tents and/or RV’s none of the campgrounds have hook ups available, and they are all adjacent to the river.
The Crooked River is spring fed at its head waters, but below Bowman Dam it becomes one of Oregon’s premier tail-water fisheries. A typical day on the Crooked you will likely observe bald eagles, kingfishers, chuckers, to mention just few of the birds in the area. Rainbow Trout are the dominate species of fish caught in this area, but Mountain White Fish are the native species to the river. Fish, in the Crooked average eight to twelve inches with some larger ones from thirteen to twenty inches. Throughout this section of the river there is a nice variety of pools, runs, riffles and pocket water to fish. This section is generally grassy and rocky supplying sufficient room for casting. Wading the river is difficult and very tricky, due to the size of rocks and the algae covering them. I suggest that when wading you wear some type studded wading shoe and carry a wading staff.
The drive from Sunriver takes about a hour and a half, and it is a beautiful drive. On days like this, in the winter, you generally have the river to yourself especially during the week. Upon entering the campground, Big Bend, it was no surprise that we were the only rig in the whole area. The morning was chilly, but nothing like the snow that we left in Sunriver. As we waked toward the river Russ pulled out his pipe to ceremonially light it, marking the beginning of a day of fishing the Crooked. This day was one of those days that we will talk about and reminisce for years to come. Looking down the river knowing that we were the only ones on this stretch of the river, we started out fishing at one of our favorite holes near some big rocks protruding out of the water. On the Crooked there are many locations like this that provide all the essential needs of trout. I was below Russ, and I started out using a favorite, the Crooked River Magic, pattern developed by Russ, in a small size imitating the blue-winged olive. It was below a small parachute pattern imitating the adult blue-winged olive. Russ was above me and was using similar patterns.
We had not been there long and we began to hook fish. The fishing continued throughout the day. Generally we continued with the same patterns until later in the day when some caddis began to come off. We switch to an adult caddis and hooked many more fish on that Elk Hair Caddis. As the temperature began to drop and the fishing cooled off with it, it was time to pack up and head home. It was a great day on The Crooked River.
Fishing the Callibaetis
What information do you need to successfully fish the Callibaetis?
What patterns should I tie?
How should I fish the Callabaetis from the top to bottom?
In this short essay I hope to answer those questions
It is important to understand that the Callibaetis is of the swimmer nymph category. Swimmer nymphs are bold minnow-like swimmers. These slender bodied nymphs dart from one place to another looking a lot like a little fish. In fact if you capture one of them and hold them in your hand you will notice that they look a lot like a little fish out of water.
With regard to lakes, which is what I am discussing at this time, you will mostly find swimmer nymphs in areas where there is adequate to abundant growth of rooted vegetation.
Swimmers spend most of their time at rest in and around vegetation browsing the leaves and stems for a thin growth of diatoms and algae.
Trout generally see them when they are darting from one resting place to another, or are forced out in an attempt to escape the trout’s dinner bell.
The best imitations for swimmer nymphs are tied on 2x and 3x long hooks allowing for a pattern with a slender tapered body.
Because the natural’s tails are fringed to assist in swimming, the imitations should have somewhat prominent tails. The body should reflect the slender tapered shape of the natural. Dark wing pads can be added to imitate mature nymphs ready to emerge.
I prefer a flashback wing case that both reflects light and, I believe enhances, the performance of the nymph with regard to a trigger.
Swimmer nymphs will be found in subdued blended colors of olive, brown and gray. It is recommended that they be tied in sized from 22 to 12.
Swimmer imitations should be fished near the shoreline over submerged weed beds. Consider the depth you will be fishing with regard to the type of line, length of leaders, size and length of tippet. If you’re fishing two to three feet deep a floating line and leader of twelve to fifteen feet with a 3x to 6x tippet of three to four feet long would be correct. If fishing deeper in water that is four
to six feet use clear intermediate and shorter leaders.
The formula for fishing swimmer nymphs is simple, choose the correct line to reach the correct depth, just above the weed line, shorten the leader as you go deeper to keep your fly from floating up and count down. If you are hooking leaves or
other material you need to make appropriate adjustments.
When retrieving a swimmer nymph imitation I suggest that you start with a traditional stripping retrieve, with short pulls of four to six inches. Another possible retrieve that is a hand twist retrieve that causes the fly to move about an inch or so then
rest. Trout will often take an imitation as it is slowly sinking
I suggest the following patterns:
Nymph
- Flash Back Pheasant Tail
- Fred's UV Callibaetis Nymyph
Tail: Lemon Wood Duck
Rib: Hareline UV Flash
Body: Nature Spirit # 26 Pheasant Spikes
Legs: Nature Spirit CDC puffs # 26
Thorax: Nature Spirit #26 Peacock Spikes
Wing Case Hareline Olive Scud back 1/4 inch
Emerger
- Norm's Callibaetis Emerger
Tail: Compara dun natural deer
Body: Sparkle Callibaetis or Tanish Gray
Rib: Copper wire (light)
Wing: Compara dun natural deer
2. Twisted Hackle Emerger (Shane Stalcup Mayflies "Top to Bottom” page 93-95
Cripple
- Quigley Cripple Crippled Emerger (Shane Stalcup Mayflies “Top to Bottom” page 146
Dun
1. Wonder Wing Callibaetis Dun
(See Al & Gretchen Beatty “Tying Hair Wing Flies” page 77 for instructions on tying the Wonder Wing Olive Gulper Specia
(“Matching Mayflies by Dave Hughes page 66)
Spinner
1. Polywing Callibaetis Spinner
( “Matching Mayflies by Dave Huges page 77) This is the basis, but change the body
and thread to match the natural
The Secret River
A secret river, what a funny thing to think about when you are fishing a river like the Deschutes, Boulder, Crooked and many, many others. I read an article written by Dr. Gary Borger titled "The Secret River" and after reading that article It brought back many memories of fishing with my mom and dad on the Zig Zag and the Sandy rivers near Mt. Hood. In those days they would set me up with a worm or a couple of salmon eggs on a hook with some shot above it. I would then be told to go down to the river and fish this spot or that spot where the water was a little slower coming around and threw some large boulders. I always thought that this was because they did not want me fishing were they were disturbing the good fishing , or because they figured that I would be safe and even if I fell in I could easily be retrieved.
I always, as I got older and was given a hook with a point and a barb on it, caught fish in those places. Little did I realize that what I was fishing was a secret river.
According to Gary it can be narrow but may be fairly wide, it is a place where you can cast a fly without much more than an indicator and a Harvey style leader. It may be next to the bank, "that stuff one wades through to get out there into the (real) river". " The secret river is a place of great opportunity for the fly fisher because it is a place fish go to feed or to hold, out of the currents."
In September 2013 Gary and I presented a fly fishing school at Clydehurst Christian Ranch near McLeod, Montana. The Boulder River is a water system that comes down through the Bear Tooth mountains and follows the road right past Clydehurst. The first day that we arrived we were given a van to check out the river, and check it out we did. We drove up the river to a place that was recommended to us to start out. Gary moved up the river and I moved down. I noticed that Gary was fighting a fish shortly after we arrived. I went up to take a picture of the first fish. I continued to observe the way that he was fishing, because I was not catching any fish, even though I was using the exact set-up , bait and switch. We were set up with an indicator, split shot above my top fly and a second one about 12 inches below. I began thinking about the article "The Secret River" that I read. Quickly, I realized that I needed to change my strategy to search out and fish the secret river. In doing that my catch rate did not improve too much but my hooking rate got better. We fished and taught on the Boulder for the rest of the week. The more that I searched for the secret river and observed Gary both in teaching and fishing, the better my hooking and catching rate improve.
Later that week we were invited to go fish the Big Horn River. The Big Horn a much larger and different river from the Boulder. The Big Horn has secret rivers also. Our guide and friend Brian Carpenter began by taking us just across from the Three Mile launch. We no sooner landed there then Brian and Gary were both below me catching fish. I again reminded myself conceptually of the secret river and immediately realized that I was standing in it . It took little time to notice the fish that I had spooked out of there as I continued to wade the secret river. Next, Brian shared with us about the place that he wanted to go to next. He said that specific location is one that is very popular with guides as well as locals. As we rounded the corner we noticed the number of boats anchored up and he commented again. He pulled up short and he sent me over to a place where the river rounded a corner and flowed down a slot. Brian told me to cast right up into the slot and no sooner did I put a cast in there, I hooked a very nice rainbow of 18 inches. The fish, once it realized it was hooked, took the line and headed for deeper water. I stayed in that place for several more fish and continued to cast into the secret river that all of those others had passed by.
As I think back to my many fishing trips to the Deschutes, Crooked and the Fall (in Central Oregon) as well as many others I realize that the times of the greatest success have been when I fished the secret river.
I have been fishing the "secret rivers" of the Crooked River for years but until I read Gary's article I did not have a name for that place. Much like in education we are always looking for a way to have a vocabulary that we all can relate to. Often as a professor we use words that our students don't relate to, but when we all begin to use a common vocabulary we learn faster and are much more intentional in our instruction. The Crooked River is a tail water fishery and knowing that it is always changing based on the agricultural and water needs of the region. The secret rivers in the Crooked is ever changing, but always there. Each time you go there you have to go seek it out, because it may not be where you left it.
I took a good friend, Mike Fagen, to the Crooked one very busy, holiday weekend. Where we would normally fish you needed your own personal rock to stand on. I told Mike we should go down river because there are many more good places to fish besides here. Mike and I drove down river. We were towing my drift boat from previously fishing a lake so we had to find a place where we could leave it safely. We walked down to the river but before Mike entered the river I told him not to wade into the river. On previous trips to the river I was catching fish right next to the bank in the secret river. I told him to stand a few feet back from the river and high stick literally right out in front of him. It was an amazing day, I don't think that he or I either fished more than ten feet from the shore and hooked a lot of fish. The Crooked is not a river that typically produces really large fish, but it can certainly quantify what it does not qualify. On another occasion while fishing the Crooked in October, following a trip to the Owyhee River, I spotted a nice fish feeding very close to the bank in less than two feet of water. I positioned myself on the bank, high enough to be able to know where it was feeding. I had just got a one weight TFO rod and was anxious to try it out. I cast up ahead of where the fish was feeding and let my size 18 Pheasant Tail swing down through the drift. On the fourth swing I got a hit and let me tell you the fight was on with a one weight rod , one weight line and a five X tippet. I finally landed that fish and it was a 19 inch rainbow. Fishing that secret river was the ticket. The secret river exists in most every river. Some might say that it only is in riffles and runs, but if you look carefully you will find it in all moving water. When fishing Fall River, a spring creek by definition, in Central Oregon you will find it if you look for it. On numerous occasions and in presentations around the Pacific Northwest that I do ,I attempt to point out that there is a secret river. When out on the river, time and time again, I see anglers stepping right into the river in places that I know hold fish, but they feel the need to wade. There wading not only spooks fish with the noise, but with the amount of silt that floats down the river announcing your presence. When fishing the Deschutes, consider the information in Hafle and Smirth video Fishing Large Western Rivers. They specifically tell you in all four videos to divide the river into 5th's and fish the area nearest you. In your fifth of the river look for those secret rivers. Always be on the lookout for the secret river. Learn to look and fish the secret river and I assure you that your success rate will go up. Take the time to search for your "secret river".
I always, as I got older and was given a hook with a point and a barb on it, caught fish in those places. Little did I realize that what I was fishing was a secret river.
According to Gary it can be narrow but may be fairly wide, it is a place where you can cast a fly without much more than an indicator and a Harvey style leader. It may be next to the bank, "that stuff one wades through to get out there into the (real) river". " The secret river is a place of great opportunity for the fly fisher because it is a place fish go to feed or to hold, out of the currents."
In September 2013 Gary and I presented a fly fishing school at Clydehurst Christian Ranch near McLeod, Montana. The Boulder River is a water system that comes down through the Bear Tooth mountains and follows the road right past Clydehurst. The first day that we arrived we were given a van to check out the river, and check it out we did. We drove up the river to a place that was recommended to us to start out. Gary moved up the river and I moved down. I noticed that Gary was fighting a fish shortly after we arrived. I went up to take a picture of the first fish. I continued to observe the way that he was fishing, because I was not catching any fish, even though I was using the exact set-up , bait and switch. We were set up with an indicator, split shot above my top fly and a second one about 12 inches below. I began thinking about the article "The Secret River" that I read. Quickly, I realized that I needed to change my strategy to search out and fish the secret river. In doing that my catch rate did not improve too much but my hooking rate got better. We fished and taught on the Boulder for the rest of the week. The more that I searched for the secret river and observed Gary both in teaching and fishing, the better my hooking and catching rate improve.
Later that week we were invited to go fish the Big Horn River. The Big Horn a much larger and different river from the Boulder. The Big Horn has secret rivers also. Our guide and friend Brian Carpenter began by taking us just across from the Three Mile launch. We no sooner landed there then Brian and Gary were both below me catching fish. I again reminded myself conceptually of the secret river and immediately realized that I was standing in it . It took little time to notice the fish that I had spooked out of there as I continued to wade the secret river. Next, Brian shared with us about the place that he wanted to go to next. He said that specific location is one that is very popular with guides as well as locals. As we rounded the corner we noticed the number of boats anchored up and he commented again. He pulled up short and he sent me over to a place where the river rounded a corner and flowed down a slot. Brian told me to cast right up into the slot and no sooner did I put a cast in there, I hooked a very nice rainbow of 18 inches. The fish, once it realized it was hooked, took the line and headed for deeper water. I stayed in that place for several more fish and continued to cast into the secret river that all of those others had passed by.
As I think back to my many fishing trips to the Deschutes, Crooked and the Fall (in Central Oregon) as well as many others I realize that the times of the greatest success have been when I fished the secret river.
I have been fishing the "secret rivers" of the Crooked River for years but until I read Gary's article I did not have a name for that place. Much like in education we are always looking for a way to have a vocabulary that we all can relate to. Often as a professor we use words that our students don't relate to, but when we all begin to use a common vocabulary we learn faster and are much more intentional in our instruction. The Crooked River is a tail water fishery and knowing that it is always changing based on the agricultural and water needs of the region. The secret rivers in the Crooked is ever changing, but always there. Each time you go there you have to go seek it out, because it may not be where you left it.
I took a good friend, Mike Fagen, to the Crooked one very busy, holiday weekend. Where we would normally fish you needed your own personal rock to stand on. I told Mike we should go down river because there are many more good places to fish besides here. Mike and I drove down river. We were towing my drift boat from previously fishing a lake so we had to find a place where we could leave it safely. We walked down to the river but before Mike entered the river I told him not to wade into the river. On previous trips to the river I was catching fish right next to the bank in the secret river. I told him to stand a few feet back from the river and high stick literally right out in front of him. It was an amazing day, I don't think that he or I either fished more than ten feet from the shore and hooked a lot of fish. The Crooked is not a river that typically produces really large fish, but it can certainly quantify what it does not qualify. On another occasion while fishing the Crooked in October, following a trip to the Owyhee River, I spotted a nice fish feeding very close to the bank in less than two feet of water. I positioned myself on the bank, high enough to be able to know where it was feeding. I had just got a one weight TFO rod and was anxious to try it out. I cast up ahead of where the fish was feeding and let my size 18 Pheasant Tail swing down through the drift. On the fourth swing I got a hit and let me tell you the fight was on with a one weight rod , one weight line and a five X tippet. I finally landed that fish and it was a 19 inch rainbow. Fishing that secret river was the ticket. The secret river exists in most every river. Some might say that it only is in riffles and runs, but if you look carefully you will find it in all moving water. When fishing Fall River, a spring creek by definition, in Central Oregon you will find it if you look for it. On numerous occasions and in presentations around the Pacific Northwest that I do ,I attempt to point out that there is a secret river. When out on the river, time and time again, I see anglers stepping right into the river in places that I know hold fish, but they feel the need to wade. There wading not only spooks fish with the noise, but with the amount of silt that floats down the river announcing your presence. When fishing the Deschutes, consider the information in Hafle and Smirth video Fishing Large Western Rivers. They specifically tell you in all four videos to divide the river into 5th's and fish the area nearest you. In your fifth of the river look for those secret rivers. Always be on the lookout for the secret river. Learn to look and fish the secret river and I assure you that your success rate will go up. Take the time to search for your "secret river".
Styles of Wet Flies
In an earlier article in the “American Angler” March/April 1992 written by Dave Hughes he discussed in some depth the different styles of wet flies. As a result of reading and re-reading the article as well as my own research with other books dealing with this topic, I felt the need to again revisit the topic of wet flies. Dave Hughes authored a book “Wet Flies” In the book “Wet Flies authored by Dave Hughes he discussed in great detail the topic. He also went into more detail than I can regarding the three types of wet flies. If this article gets your attention, and makes you more curious I suggest that you read his book.
Knowing the differences between types of wet flies can really improve your chances of catching fish, as well as catching more fish.
In the American Angler article, wet flies were divided into three distinct categories; the traditional wet fly, the soft hackle and the wingless wet fly know as a “flymph”. I will go into more detail.
Wet flies have long been a favorite of anglers everywhere. In my research I suspect that wet flies were around in the 1400’s when Dame…first started fly fishing. There are distinct differences in the design of wet flies. There are those patterns with wings, those with soft hackles and there are those without wings.
Let’s first look at the tradition wet fly. They have wings made of a still quill material, generally mallard. An example of a traditional wet fly is the Leadwinged Coachman The pattern is made up of floss, herl, and fur or dubbing for the body, hackle fibers for the tail and a hen feather for the hackle.
The proportions of a traditional wet fly are:
The tail is equal to the length of the hook shank.
The hackle is the length of the hook shank
The wing should reach to the mid point of the body.
If there isn’t a tail the wing should reach the mid-point of the tail length.
Such is the case with the “Ginger Quill”
Changing patterns to better imitate living things is great! Be creative and make changes. I believe that beauty is defined by the fish and fish-ability. If the fish honors us by taking our fly then the fly is beautiful. According to Hughes, it is best to cock the tail up slightly on both the wet fly and the flymph as it causes more movement in the water According to Denny Richards flies that have movement imitate life more and catch more fish. The hackle of a wet fly should be swept back some. By sweeping the hackle back it imitates the legs and gives yet another appearance of life thus the increasing the fish-ability of the fly.
We will next look at Soft-Hackle flies originated in Scotland and first presented as spiders by W.C. Stewart in his book “The Practical Angler. The Partridge and Green is an excellent example of a soft hackle fly. The soft-hackle fly seldom has a tail. Traditionally the patterns body is made out of silk thread, floss, fur or herl. It is important that the body is thin, such as a single layer of floss. The hackle is the most important part of this fly. They (the hackle) generally come from partridge, quail and grouse. There is often a shoulder of dubbing just behind the wing. This gives the fly a bit more of a look of fullness, and serves to help stand the hackle up more causing more action in the water. The hackle according to Sylvester Neme’s book “The Soft Hackle Addict appears to reach back to the rear most part of the hook-bend. It is also important to notice the sparseness of the hackle. It is often necessary to peal one half of the hackle to create that sparse look. One or two turns of hackle are plenty. The wings (hackle) move in the water and present a very life-like movement when being stripped or drifted.
Wingless wet flies, are commonly or not, known as “Flymphs”. The name was coined by the late Pete Hidy. Unfortunately the name did not catch on. It is a shame that it didn’t as it provided a name for a distinct type of wet fly. Conceptually the flymph was based on the book “The Art of Tying the Wet Fly and Fishing the Flymph” written by Vernon S. Hidy and James L. Leisenring in 1971.
Flymphs are similar to soft hackles in that they are both wingless, but the greatest distinction is that of the body. The flymph is characterized by a body that works in the water. The bodies were pre-made fur spun on waxed-silk thread and stored on cards for later use... This movement that Dave is referring to imitates life. This process of making and storing bodies of different colors and different sized bodies is most likely according to Hughes the reason that the fly did not really take off. Although the fly did not take off, it makes you think that the combination of a soft hackle and a fibrous body working together in the water to imitate life is too good to let go.
Today there are many methods to achieve this body style. Denny Richards describes this style of bodies and the dubbing method to achieve this style in his book Fly Fishing Lakes for Trophy Trout to make this a simple process first purchase two dubbing tools. These tools will help you form a dubbing loop specifically designed to make bodies. If you begin the process with the open loop and finish by spinning it tighter (with the Carl Bird, (type) dubbing tool, shown on the bottom of the two tools) you can form any type of body that you would like.
The concept of tying wing-less wet fly developed by Liserning and Hidy is effective today. It makes so much sense when you think of the fact that trout only eat live things. If you have read Denny’s book or seen his videos you will recognize conceptually the notion of life in these flies. If you learn how to tie all three of these types of flies and learn to fish them you will become a better fly tier and more importantly you will become a more successful fly fisherman
Traditional Wet Flies Soft Hackles Flymphs
Leadwing Coachman
Hook: Wet Fly 16-18 Thread: Black Tag: Flat Gold tinsel Body: Peacock Herl Wing: Mallard quill
Partidge and Green
Hook: Wet Fly 18-12 Thread: Green 6-8/0 Body: Green Floss Shoulder: Dubbing
Hackle: Gray Partridge
Hare’s-Ear Wingless
Hook: Wet Fly 1X Long 14-12 Thread: Tan 6/0 Tail: Whiting’s Ginger Hackle Fibers
Rib: Narrow Gold Tinsel Body: Spun Hare’s-ear Fur Hackle: Whiting’s Ginger Hackle
Light Cahill
Hook: Wet Fly 16-12 Thread: Cream Tail: Woodduck-flank fibers Body: Cream Fur Dubbing
Wing: Woodduck-Flank Fibers
March Brown Spider
Hook: Wet Fly 10-16 Thread: Orange 6/0 Rib: Narrow Gold Tinsel Body: Hare’s-Ear Mask
Hackle: Whiting’s Brown Partridge
Little Olive Flymph
Hook: Wet Fly 1X Long 14-18 Thread: Olive 6/0 nylon Tail: Whiting’s Blue-Dun Hen
Rib: Narrow Gold Tinsel Body: Olive Dyed Fur Hairline # 34 Hackle: Whiting’s Blue-Dun
Ben Gho Sha
Years ago, in my planning to take a trip with three friends to a lake in Canada, I was told that I would be fishing damsel patterns. The lake was named Fletcher Lake and the lodge was called Ben Gho Sha Lodge. Ben Gho Sha means "Big Water" in the Chilchotin language
In my preparation for this trip, since I had never had the opportunity to travel there I began looking at different patterns. In my search for just the right pattern I found a pattern with a plastic bead head that friends were having success with at a modification and a few adaptations I could create a pattern that should work there.
As I began modifying the materials I realized that I was pretty much completely creating a new pattern. During the week at Fletcher Lake my success rate, with this pattern, just continued to improve. I tried fishing it on both a floating and an a clear intermediate line. At Fletcher lake the clear intermediate line was the ticket.
Following that trip, and the success that I had there, I decided that I needed to experiment with the pattern on other bodies of water. I often fish some lakes on the Oregon Coast. As I normally do I check out what appears to be hatching. I fished my normal patterns with no success. To that, I knotted on a Ben Gho Sha to my clear intermediate line. I began to troll by slowly rowing my boat. I did not go very far before I hooked my first fish. The rest of the day I either trolled or cast the pattern toward the shore. I caught and landed many fish that day. Following that I began to believe more in the pattern, and wondered where else it would work.
Throughout spring I fished the Ben Gho Sha on more costal lakes. I hooked numerous fish and on several occasions where Trophy Trout and Steelhead were located. I continued to be more impressed with this pattern. My confidence/and belief just continued to grow the more I fished it. Early in the summer I like to fish Vernonia Pond because they stock it. My friend and I discovered lots of steelhead trying to leap into a pipe that empties out of the river. We anchored up and began casting to the fish. We hooked several steelheads and lots of stocked trout.
In my preparation for this trip, since I had never had the opportunity to travel there I began looking at different patterns. In my search for just the right pattern I found a pattern with a plastic bead head that friends were having success with at a modification and a few adaptations I could create a pattern that should work there.
As I began modifying the materials I realized that I was pretty much completely creating a new pattern. During the week at Fletcher Lake my success rate, with this pattern, just continued to improve. I tried fishing it on both a floating and an a clear intermediate line. At Fletcher lake the clear intermediate line was the ticket.
Following that trip, and the success that I had there, I decided that I needed to experiment with the pattern on other bodies of water. I often fish some lakes on the Oregon Coast. As I normally do I check out what appears to be hatching. I fished my normal patterns with no success. To that, I knotted on a Ben Gho Sha to my clear intermediate line. I began to troll by slowly rowing my boat. I did not go very far before I hooked my first fish. The rest of the day I either trolled or cast the pattern toward the shore. I caught and landed many fish that day. Following that I began to believe more in the pattern, and wondered where else it would work.
Throughout spring I fished the Ben Gho Sha on more costal lakes. I hooked numerous fish and on several occasions where Trophy Trout and Steelhead were located. I continued to be more impressed with this pattern. My confidence/and belief just continued to grow the more I fished it. Early in the summer I like to fish Vernonia Pond because they stock it. My friend and I discovered lots of steelhead trying to leap into a pipe that empties out of the river. We anchored up and began casting to the fish. We hooked several steelheads and lots of stocked trout.
Considering the success that I had with this fly I decided to take it to Central Oregon where I normally do most of my summer fishing. I started the summer with the Lava Lakes. Once again trolling it or casting and retrieving it was successful. As the summer progressed I fished it on nearly every lake in Central Oregon that I fish. This pattern performed very well. It hooked fish in every lake that I went to. As the summer went on I began to see this pattern as my go to pattern as soon as I started fishing. Like any pattern there were times when
it did not hook fish, but for the most part it was successful no matter what lake I was at.
Having fished it in for the past years I have discovered that it is a great pattern on all lakes. I don't know exactly what fish are taking it for, nor do I really care.
Recently I went to a private lake and I cast the fly out just getting ready to fish and was dragging it down a little farther and before I started to make the next cast I had on a sixteen inch brook trout in its spawning colors. I fished for about two hours before it began to get too cold to continue. I hooked some twenty fish, landed ten and several broke me off. All of the fish were nice sized and hit it hard. This pattern is a pattern that I would not go to any lake without it! It is an easy pattern to tye and I have made adjustments to the colors, and the beads. No matter where I go it is a pattern that will hook fish.
Ben Gho Sha
Hook: Daiichi 1710 size 10
Bead: Plastic Bead-Metallic Cosmos (they are a greenish/blue)
Tail: Marabou Light Olive
Body: Polar Chenille - UV Olive
Hackle: Marabou Light Olive *
Color: Quick Decent Olive
Ben Gho Sha Black
Hook: Daiichi 1710 Size 10
Tail: Marabou Black
Bead: Black Plastic/Clear
Body: UV Polar Chenille uv Copper
Hackle: Marabou Black
Hotspot: Pink, Orange
*I tye the hackle with a bundle of marabou on top and on the bottom. Once they are lightly tied in I move each of the bunches slightly around the body.
* Other colors that I find to be successful are:
Tail Body Hackle Colar
Burnt Orange Olive Olive Olive
Olive Burnt Orange Olive Olive
Black Wine Black Black or Red
it did not hook fish, but for the most part it was successful no matter what lake I was at.
Having fished it in for the past years I have discovered that it is a great pattern on all lakes. I don't know exactly what fish are taking it for, nor do I really care.
Recently I went to a private lake and I cast the fly out just getting ready to fish and was dragging it down a little farther and before I started to make the next cast I had on a sixteen inch brook trout in its spawning colors. I fished for about two hours before it began to get too cold to continue. I hooked some twenty fish, landed ten and several broke me off. All of the fish were nice sized and hit it hard. This pattern is a pattern that I would not go to any lake without it! It is an easy pattern to tye and I have made adjustments to the colors, and the beads. No matter where I go it is a pattern that will hook fish.
Ben Gho Sha
Hook: Daiichi 1710 size 10
Bead: Plastic Bead-Metallic Cosmos (they are a greenish/blue)
Tail: Marabou Light Olive
Body: Polar Chenille - UV Olive
Hackle: Marabou Light Olive *
Color: Quick Decent Olive
Ben Gho Sha Black
Hook: Daiichi 1710 Size 10
Tail: Marabou Black
Bead: Black Plastic/Clear
Body: UV Polar Chenille uv Copper
Hackle: Marabou Black
Hotspot: Pink, Orange
*I tye the hackle with a bundle of marabou on top and on the bottom. Once they are lightly tied in I move each of the bunches slightly around the body.
* Other colors that I find to be successful are:
Tail Body Hackle Colar
Burnt Orange Olive Olive Olive
Olive Burnt Orange Olive Olive
Black Wine Black Black or Red
- Books of Interest & Reference
Stillwater Books:
Effective Stillwater Fly Fishing-Michael Gorman
Stillwater Strategies-Tim Lockhart
Rainbow Trout Fly Fishing, A Guide for Still Water - Ron Newman
Casting Books:
Jason Borger:
Single-Handed Fly Casting
Nature of Fly Casting
Gary Borger
Video "The Perfect Cast I
General Information Books:
Gary Borger:
Fishing the Film
Reading The Water
Long Flies
The Angler as Predator
Fly Gear
Spring Creek Fishing Books:
Mike Lawson
Spring Creeks
John Shewey
Mastering the Spring Creeks
Pacific Northwest Books:
Gary Lewis
Fly Fishing Central Oregon
Fly Fishing Mount Hood Country
The Anatomy of a Trout Stream
&
Reading the Trout Water
Understanding the “Anatomy of a Trout Stream” is the beginning to learning how to read the water that you fish. It is very difficult to read water without knowing what makes it up. As in medical school students learn the anatomy of the body before they can diagnose what is wrong and how to fix it.
Learning to read the water that you fish is going to increase your success.
Some anglers view "reading water" as a dark art-confusing, bewildering and mysterious. This type of angler tends to obsess about what fly to use more than putting the fly where the fish is...Anglers can have perfect casting form, know exactly what bugs are on the water, present their offerings with great skill, but if you don't know where the trout are holding you have little success. For this reason learing to read water is the most important skill in fly fishing.
It has been said that ten percent of the fishermen catch ninety percent of the fish. This may not be true, but it is true enough. According to Dave Hughes in his book Reading the Water “Reading water, simply defined is learning to understand the anatomy of a trout stream so you can recognize the way in which the different parts of the stream meet the different needs of trout.”
Learning to read the water that you fish is going to increase your success.
Some anglers view "reading water" as a dark art-confusing, bewildering and mysterious. This type of angler tends to obsess about what fly to use more than putting the fly where the fish is...Anglers can have perfect casting form, know exactly what bugs are on the water, present their offerings with great skill, but if you don't know where the trout are holding you have little success. For this reason learing to read water is the most important skill in fly fishing.
It has been said that ten percent of the fishermen catch ninety percent of the fish. This may not be true, but it is true enough. According to Dave Hughes in his book Reading the Water “Reading water, simply defined is learning to understand the anatomy of a trout stream so you can recognize the way in which the different parts of the stream meet the different needs of trout.”
The Anatomy of a Trout Stream
&
Reading the Trout Water
The Basic Needs of all Trout
Food-what trout eat
All trout live by a simple rule of conservation…” the energy that they receive from their prey must equal the energy they expend to capture it.”
The larger trout get, the more they live by this rule
One of the most basic understanding of reading water is learning, understand what the trout’s needs in the water are…
In the hierarchy of the trout's needs the dominant factor in any trout life is dealing with the current. Often fisheries biologist talk in the number of trout per mile. This information does you little good if you don't understand that the vast majority of the fish hold in a small portion of that mile because of current.
Often anglers don't understand the current. It is faster on the top than the bottom. This is due to the friction created between the water and the streambed.
Primary foods of the trout are:
- Aquatic Insects, macro invertebrates such as mayflies, caddis, stoneflies
- Terrestrials…hoppers, ants, beetles
- Crustaceans…such as scuds, crayfish
- The water temperature and length of day are the major factors that trigger the emergence
- The water temperature and length of day are the major factors that trigger the emergence
- Ledges and rock are perhaps the most common protection from predators
- Weeds provide excellent protection
- The best protection comes from water that rough on the top
- Depth is the most obvious protection from predators, as well as darkness conceals trout.
- A trout’s natural camouflage serves as excellent protection A trout’s colors change so they blend with their environment. The change is slight and not abrupt but taken from darkness they will be darker and taken from a lighter substrate they will be lighter.
- When food is abundant and easy to get, trout will often neglect the need for protection from predators to capture prey
Comfort...temperature and oxygen in the water
- Temperature and oxygen are closely related. The colder the water the more oxygen it contain. Conversely when the water temperature goes up the less oxygen that it contains.
- Temperature of your local trout stream is roughly the average of the daily highs and the nightly lows within the area of the stream.
- Trout are active in a wide range of temperatures from forty-five to sixty-five degrees.
- Trout will feed at even lower temperatures. The feeding is hinged on the activity of the insects. Insects generally don’t become active until the water temperature moves into the forties.
- Brook Trout and Cutthroat cannot survive in water much above seventy-five degrees and Rainbow and Brown can survive in temperatures a bit higher.
- Low temperatures lower the metabolism of the fish and consequently their eating is slowed down.
- Trout will seek out comfortable temperatures. That is why when waters warm in the summer they move to riffles and rapids where there is more oxygen.
Out Fishing
A feller isn't thinking mean,
Out fishing, His thoughts are mostly good and clean
Out fishing
He doesn't mock his fellow men,
Or harbor any grudges then;
A feller's at his finest when,
Out fishing,
The rich are comrades to the poor,
Out fishing,
All are brothers of the common lure,
Out fishing,
The urchin with his pin and string,
Can chum with millionaire or king;
Vain pride is a forgotten thing,
Out fishing,
A feller gets a chance to dream,
Out fishing,
He learns the beauties of the stream,
Out fishing.
And when he can wash his soul in air
That isn't foul with selfish care,
And relish plain and simple fare,
Out fishing,
A feller has no time to hate,
Out fishing,
He isn't thinking thoughts of self,
Or goods stacked high upon his shelf;
But he's always just himself,
Out fishing.
A helping hand he'll always lend,
Out fishing
The brotherhood of rod and line
An' sky and stream is always fine;
Men come real close to God's design,
Out fishing
Author unknown
A feller isn't thinking mean,
Out fishing, His thoughts are mostly good and clean
Out fishing
He doesn't mock his fellow men,
Or harbor any grudges then;
A feller's at his finest when,
Out fishing,
The rich are comrades to the poor,
Out fishing,
All are brothers of the common lure,
Out fishing,
The urchin with his pin and string,
Can chum with millionaire or king;
Vain pride is a forgotten thing,
Out fishing,
A feller gets a chance to dream,
Out fishing,
He learns the beauties of the stream,
Out fishing.
And when he can wash his soul in air
That isn't foul with selfish care,
And relish plain and simple fare,
Out fishing,
A feller has no time to hate,
Out fishing,
He isn't thinking thoughts of self,
Or goods stacked high upon his shelf;
But he's always just himself,
Out fishing.
A helping hand he'll always lend,
Out fishing
The brotherhood of rod and line
An' sky and stream is always fine;
Men come real close to God's design,
Out fishing
Author unknown
Rise Form...the more you know, the more you catch
Being able to correctly read a trout’s rise form is one of the major steps to becoming a proficient dry fly angler, but also know when to use other types. Such as nymphs, emergers, cripples and so on. First off – What is a rise form? A rise form is the way in which a trout takes an insect either on the surface, in the surface film or just below it. When a trout takes a fly from any of these surface zones it makes a distinct movement depending on what stage of the insect emergence the trout is feeding. This is why it is important to identify what the trout’s rise form is telling you, so you can correctly select an imitation.
While many books cover the topic well and have clear images of the different takes by the trout, there is no better way to learn than by observing trout on the water. Spring creeks are the best place to do this followed by tailwater rivers. The calm, clear and slowly paced waters make it easy to decipher the rise forms. Until you are comfortable in reading rise forms, I suggest you sneak up as close as you can to a trout and just study its movements. As long as the fish doesn’t know of your presence you will learn invaluable information about the trout’s feeding behavior that will prove worthwhile for years. As I have said in my presentations, and schools taking the time to research is the key to learning to be a successful angler. There is no substitute for sitting on the bank and watching. The educated angler is in the 80% group…that is the group the catches 80% of the fish.
So, what exactly are we trying to identify by reading a rise form? As I mentioned previously, a trout will feed on an insect just below the surface, in the surface film or on top of the surface. When someone says a trout if feeding on the surface it is far too vague of a term. If a trout is feeding just below the surface it is often feeding on an emerging nymph or pupa trapped below the surface film. A fish feeding in the surface film will be eating an emerging insect such as a pal morning dun half emerged out of its nymphal shuck and half in or it could be a crippled emerger than never made it to becoming a dun or a spinner. When a trout is feeding on an insect that is on top of the river’s surface it is going to be the adult stage of the insect such as a mayfly dun, caddis adult, stonefly adult or midge adult/mating cluster.
There are several rise forms the trout uses that will be most productive for you as an angler to become familiar with that will indicate which stage of the emergence the trout is possibly feeding on.
Plain take – The plain take is the classic trout rise where the head of the trout pokes out of the surface of the water and the fly most of a mayfly dun is taken from the surface of the water
Head and tail rise – The head and tail rise can also be a classic dun take when a trout is taking a fly from off the surface of the river or it can be an emerging insect that has almost transformed into the adult stage. The head and mouth break the surface of the river followed by the tail
Sipping rise – Typically indicates a trout taking a floating spinner or small dun from the surface of the river. This rise form is a very slow, deliberate take most often seen in flats or areas where bugs collect. Often the angler will here a very slight “smacking” sound from a trout that is sipping insects from the surface. This take makes only a very small surface disturbance and only the nose of the trout breaks the surface. A much more active rise would have to be used to capture a far more active insect, so typically the insect is dead(spinner) or cripples (cripple emerger/disable dun) floating on the surface.
Dorsal and tail Rise – This is one of the most important rise forms for the angler to be able to identify. When the dorsal fin and tail of the trout break the surface of the water at the same time, but the head of the trout does not break the surface the trout is most likely feeding in the surface film. In this instance the trout is probably taking a partially emerged dun, floating nymph or sunken spinner. I typically find some of the largest trout that I fish to feeding in this manner. These fish are feeding on insects that are highly susceptible to trout because of the disabled or near disabled state that the insect is in.
Tail only Rise – This is when only the tail breaks the surface of the water. In this instance the trout is typically feeding on nymphs or pupae that have ascended to the surface but are trapped just below the surface film of the water. This often happens during midge fish when small midge pupa ascends to the surface, but because of their size have a hard time breaking through the surface film so the pupa drifts for an extended time just below the water’s surface.
While many books cover the topic well and have clear images of the different takes by the trout, there is no better way to learn than by observing trout on the water. Spring creeks are the best place to do this followed by tailwater rivers. The calm, clear and slowly paced waters make it easy to decipher the rise forms. Until you are comfortable in reading rise forms, I suggest you sneak up as close as you can to a trout and just study its movements. As long as the fish doesn’t know of your presence you will learn invaluable information about the trout’s feeding behavior that will prove worthwhile for years. As I have said in my presentations, and schools taking the time to research is the key to learning to be a successful angler. There is no substitute for sitting on the bank and watching. The educated angler is in the 80% group…that is the group the catches 80% of the fish.
So, what exactly are we trying to identify by reading a rise form? As I mentioned previously, a trout will feed on an insect just below the surface, in the surface film or on top of the surface. When someone says a trout if feeding on the surface it is far too vague of a term. If a trout is feeding just below the surface it is often feeding on an emerging nymph or pupa trapped below the surface film. A fish feeding in the surface film will be eating an emerging insect such as a pal morning dun half emerged out of its nymphal shuck and half in or it could be a crippled emerger than never made it to becoming a dun or a spinner. When a trout is feeding on an insect that is on top of the river’s surface it is going to be the adult stage of the insect such as a mayfly dun, caddis adult, stonefly adult or midge adult/mating cluster.
There are several rise forms the trout uses that will be most productive for you as an angler to become familiar with that will indicate which stage of the emergence the trout is possibly feeding on.
Plain take – The plain take is the classic trout rise where the head of the trout pokes out of the surface of the water and the fly most of a mayfly dun is taken from the surface of the water
Head and tail rise – The head and tail rise can also be a classic dun take when a trout is taking a fly from off the surface of the river or it can be an emerging insect that has almost transformed into the adult stage. The head and mouth break the surface of the river followed by the tail
Sipping rise – Typically indicates a trout taking a floating spinner or small dun from the surface of the river. This rise form is a very slow, deliberate take most often seen in flats or areas where bugs collect. Often the angler will here a very slight “smacking” sound from a trout that is sipping insects from the surface. This take makes only a very small surface disturbance and only the nose of the trout breaks the surface. A much more active rise would have to be used to capture a far more active insect, so typically the insect is dead(spinner) or cripples (cripple emerger/disable dun) floating on the surface.
Dorsal and tail Rise – This is one of the most important rise forms for the angler to be able to identify. When the dorsal fin and tail of the trout break the surface of the water at the same time, but the head of the trout does not break the surface the trout is most likely feeding in the surface film. In this instance the trout is probably taking a partially emerged dun, floating nymph or sunken spinner. I typically find some of the largest trout that I fish to feeding in this manner. These fish are feeding on insects that are highly susceptible to trout because of the disabled or near disabled state that the insect is in.
Tail only Rise – This is when only the tail breaks the surface of the water. In this instance the trout is typically feeding on nymphs or pupae that have ascended to the surface but are trapped just below the surface film of the water. This often happens during midge fish when small midge pupa ascends to the surface, but because of their size have a hard time breaking through the surface film so the pupa drifts for an extended time just below the water’s surface.