Tough Fishing on Sunday?

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flyfisherman
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2008/03/17 02:20:14 (permalink)

Tough Fishing on Sunday?

Ok, so today I decided to get out and fish a section of stream on mid/upper elk. The conditions were near perfect (good flow, dark green tint), and I thought it was going to be a good day. Well I got completly skunked, and when I say skunked, I mean absolutely nothing. I hear about some reports of people catching large quantities of fish, and I really wonder how they do it.  Obviously, some numbers are exagerated, but there are a few honest souls out there who post true numbers. How did everyone else do Sunday? If you are one of the individualls who had great success with a fly rod, I would be more than glad to fish with you and pick up some tips. To be honest, I am becoming frusturated and am eager to learn some more tricks of the trade.
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    Bughawk
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    RE: Tough Fishing on Sunday? 2008/03/17 07:07:00 (permalink)
    I fished Walnut and had a good day, not great.  The fish hit cream, light yellow and peach sucker spawn.  I fished the deeper pools along the break of the faster water.  The key is to get the flies down quickly to the bottom.  This spring I started using a sinking leader and a few split shoot and this seems to have made a difference. 
     
    While I am not sure about the huge numbers of fish being caught, but a couple of things could be going on.  First, some folks will hook a lot of fish when they get on a pod of fish.  No surprise.  Find the fish, catch the fish.  Second, some folks target fish that are spawning.  While this is legal, some feel it is unethical.  Basically, spawing fish are sitting ducks.  If you want to put a large number of fish on the bank, find the spawning fish. 
     
    This time of year can be feast or famine.  As the temperature of the water goes up and the fish start falling back, the fishing should pick up some.  Also, there are some fresh fish coming in. 
     
    Good luck.

    pax vobiscum +
    #2
    Youghman
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    RE: Tough Fishing on Sunday? 2008/03/17 09:40:38 (permalink)
    flyfisherman- Bug made a good point w/ using a sinking leader. I use short 4 ft. sinking leaders from Cabela's(available in a 4 pk.) and they seem to really help.
    When it's high and off-color you've got to get your presentation down to the fish w/ a good drift.
    I believe 90% of success is getting the right depth/drift ratio.
    Also, if your not hooking up try another color, fly, adjust you split-shot or move to another hole or run. I marvel at the number of guys who fish "dead water" w/ not a fish in sight, for hours and never move.
     
    The tourist asked the New Yorker, "How do you get to Carnegie Hall?".
    His reply was,"Practice, practice, practice.".
    We all went thru a learning curve. Keep at it and you'll find success.
     
    #3
    bjkaledas
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    RE: Tough Fishing on Sunday? 2008/03/17 09:40:49 (permalink)
    I did ok on Saturday, but I was also skunked yesterday.  I sometimes wonder about these reports just like you do when I read them.  I found it difficult to find fish on upper Walnut yesterday.  Elk wasn't as bad. 
    #4
    Dream Catcher
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    RE: Tough Fishing on Sunday? 2008/03/17 10:17:36 (permalink)
    Perhaps you were not fishing deep enough ???? My buddy & I had a good day on Elk . The fish were spread out fairly well with most being in deeper holes. The majority of fish caught were holding in 5 feet of water or deeper in the slow parts of runs on egg patterns. I fish 7-10 feet below my float with two small split shot . Saw 3 guys all day .... Perhaps next time concentrate on deeper areas that have an area of slower water  eddys , obstructions , that trout frequently use as ambush areas for thier prey. Hope that helps DC
    #5
    Bughawk
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    RE: Tough Fishing on Sunday? 2008/03/17 11:45:50 (permalink)
    One other thing I noticed yesterday and actually all last week, was people fishing high fast water.  There were a number of guys fishing the Manchester hole and basically they were casting out into the main channel where the current was the fastest and drifting that water.  When the water is high and moving, the fish will tend to hang along the edges of the faster water, along natural ledges and behind rocks, and in the slower eddies.  Watch the bubbles and you can see the difference in the flow of the stream.  Try to keep your flies in the transition between the fast water and the slower moving water. 

    Also, remember the current speed at the top of the water is often different from the bottom.  If your float or fly line is constantly out in front of your leader and when you pick up your line the leader is behind the float or fly line you are not getting a natural drift and your bait or flies are being dragged along.  This is the recipe for getting skunked.  Trust me, been there, done that, got the tee shirt....  The whole idea is to get the bait or flies down to the botton ASAP, in the transition water between the back eddies and the main current and to keep the bait and flies out in front of the float or fly line.

    One last thing, when you get to the end of the drift, do not be too quick to pick up your line.  Let the bait or fly hang for a few seconds.  You will be surprised at the number of fish that will hit just at you are picking up your line.

    Good luck.
    post edited by Bughawk - 2008/03/17 12:27:52

    pax vobiscum +
    #6
    avidangler
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    RE: Tough Fishing on Sunday? 2008/03/17 18:43:09 (permalink)
    10% of the fisherman catch 90% of the fish....

    Born to fish, Forced to work...

    "Balls deep, or why even bother"
    #7
    Loopy
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    RE: Tough Fishing on Sunday? 2008/03/17 20:55:01 (permalink)
    ORIGINAL: avidangler

    10% of the fisherman catch 90% of the fish....

     
    I sure do! 

    <---  The Holy Trinity
    #8
    woodnickle
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    RE: Tough Fishing on Sunday? 2008/03/17 21:11:54 (permalink)
    Good advise Dave.
    I,ve caught a few in the fast stuff, but add weight to get you down quick.
    Always a bright spawn, with a beadhead trailer.
    Maybe a few secrets.

    #9
    flyfisherman
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    RE: Tough Fishing on Sunday? 2008/03/17 21:47:05 (permalink)
    Lol I guess those are the secrets that still have to be mastered....its frusturating tho!!!!
     
     
    But thanks to everyone who responded....Ill try and go deeper next time. Hope to see you guys out on the water sometime!
    #10
    mxdad66
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    RE: Tough Fishing on Sunday? 2008/03/17 22:55:22 (permalink)
    Don't get too flustrated,I pounded Elk hard on Friday,to me what should of been a 40 fish day was only 10,it was not for lack of trying.Had a guy with me and he did not touch a fish,and only saw 2 others caught all day. Hang it there good days will come,the more time you put in on the water will pay off.
    #11
    jlh42581
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    RE: Tough Fishing on Sunday? 2008/03/18 07:05:10 (permalink)
    There was a big shift in temps from fri->sun. They werent easy and anyone catching huge numbers wasnt doing so legally, betcha!
    #12
    joebaker79
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    RE: Tough Fishing on Sunday? 2008/03/18 08:40:57 (permalink)
    sunday and monday were tough with the off color water and then the freeze up sunday night, making monday morning tough until the slush burned off.  a friend and i did well mostly on jigs.  drifting did just ok and since it wasnt pounding fish we started blind jigging with 1/16 oz jigs.  depth control was key to echo a previous post.  whether its flies or jigs it has to get down and stay down.  we casted across stream into the deeper holes and let it hit bottom.  then jigged slowly back to us bringing it upstream while trying to keep the jig just off the bottom for as long as possible.  fishing holes where i knew there was good amounts of fish this paid off bigtime.  we caught a good amount of fish and some nice ones.  largest was a 30" hen over 10 on the scale. 
    #13
    Bughawk
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    RE: Tough Fishing on Sunday? 2008/03/18 08:52:29 (permalink)
    Temperature changes are important, but I am not sure how if any change there was in the water.  The levels definitely changed as did the color and clarity.
     
    One thing I have noticed, especially with people who are not used to fishing for steelies, is that many people cannot recognize the difference between a foul hooked fish and fair hooked fish while they are fighting it.  What I mean is if you fair hook a fish, ie. the fish takes the fly or bait, there is usually a pretty violent head shake and often you can bring the fish to the surface fairly quickly.  You can also control the fish pretty well, of course if it decides to dig its nose into the current.  They can really bulldog you.
     
    With foul hooked fish, the fish will more often than not simply take off after you realize it is hooked and run like crazy up or down the hole.  There usually is not head shake and the fish is very difficult to control, especially if hooked in the tail.  They will usually stay down in the water and are harder to bring to the surface.
     
    While these observations should not be taken for absolute facts and there are exceptions to these, they pretty much hold true.  Soooo why bring this up?  I have seen quite a few people foul hook fish, fight them for awhile, break off or the hook comes out and say, "Man I am hooking up like crazy."  "What a day, lots of hook ups, but few fish landed."  Actually what may actually be happening is lots of foul hooks and not lmany egitimate hook ups or bites.  This pnenomena is especially likely to happen when you are fishing over stacked fish using dropper flies or have not properly adjusted your weight, ie. too much or too little.
     
    Please don't take these comments as being demeaning or overly critizing, but as educational.  For me personally, nothing is more frustrating that foul hooking fish.  I hate it and do not derive any pleasure from it.  I would rather catch one fish all day where it actually took the fly than to foul hook a ton of fish.  I would also guess that most fisherman feel the same way.  There is not sport in foul hooking fish.  If on the other hand you are a fly fisherman and have spent the time to create a fly, there is nothing more exciting than landing a steelie that ate your fly.
     
    Good luck when you come to fish.

    pax vobiscum +
    #14
    indsguiz
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    RE: Tough Fishing on Sunday? 2008/03/18 09:11:46 (permalink)
    Gentlemen,
          Pay attention to what Bug says . . . . He taught me everything I forgot!

    Illegitimis Non carborundum
    #15
    Youghman
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    RE: Tough Fishing on Sunday? 2008/03/18 09:23:45 (permalink)
    Correct depth/drift ratio + Your fly creation + "Violent head shake" = Priceless
    #16
    Bughawk
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    RE: Tough Fishing on Sunday? 2008/03/18 11:52:14 (permalink)
    Youghman,
     
    You are right on the money!  It is one of the most exciting things in the world for me to have a steelie grab a fly, realize it is not what it thought it was, try to spit it out and shake the head.  Then the battle begins.

    pax vobiscum +
    #17
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