Humbled And Looking For Some Wisdom

[CAEddy]

Fortunately for me, my job affords me cheap gas and lots of travel around the province. Armed with as many maps, and information gleaned from the internet and every fly shop I can find, I have been out almost every weekend, since ice out fishing- Shunda, Stauffer, Clear water North prairie, raven, lantern creek, have all provided for some beautiful photo's, wonderful days on the water... and alot of casting practice. Whilst I have struck it lucky on a few occasions, I been humbled time and again. I am new to Alberta, and cut my teeth on Atlantic Canada's brook trout stream (home of arguably the least choosiest trout in Canada). Could someone lend some sage advice on fly selection and tactics? Normally this time of year back east I would be fishing streamers (muddlers, grey ghosts, dark montreals, and of course mick finns) in the fast water in the am and drifting dries (adams, adams and adams, unless that didn't work and then a parachute adams) and nymphs through the pocket water as the sun and temperature came up later in the day. On a side note it is really awesome to fish somewhere, where i don't have to hide all the flies that don't look like they belong in a Lee Wulff book!

[Michael Dell]

This time of year my main dry fly would be a size 18 Blue Winged Olive, and my choice of nymphs would be a bead head pheasant tail also in size 18. Unless I saw something else on the water or in the bushes. This could be a ginger caddis in size 14. If nothing was rising I would be fishing a CFF in size 12-14 with an 18 PT as a dropper about 3-4 feet down.

[DennisS]

to what Mike said. and just for a lark maybe something big black & foamy close to the banks. (maybe hold on tight)

 

 

Tight Lines Always

Dennis S

[Garhan]

There are so many choices. But this is all past tense. Going forward set your self up with a few flies that are about to hatch. Next are a series of Caddis flies, Stoneflies, Drakes and midges.

 

A list that I wold carry until well into the summer for streams would be as follows:

 

1. PT #12-!8

2. GRHE # 10-16

3. Squirrel Tail Nymphs or somethng similar for Skawala Stones and Goldes # 4-8

4. Adult Golden Stonefly- you will find reciepes in "Whats in the Box on the forum.

5. Wulffs and or H&L Varients #10-14 for the drakes that will be coming this summer.

6. Caddis pattern (Elk Hair or others you like in a dark and a light pattern ) # 10-16

7. Caddis pupa- again in "Whats in the Box" (WITB) section of the forum, several good pattern to be found there by catagory.# 12-16

8. Leeches your choice # 4- 12 some weighted some not

9. Beetles (WITB) # 8- 12

10. Hoppers your choice (WITB) has some. #6-8

11. Buzzer/ Chironomids (WITB) # 10-16

12. Adams #10-16

 

Other than that we can do a coffee and discuss further. But these IMO should be with you all the time. After that we get into specifics and such.

[Quentin]

Hey CAEddy,

 

As a down-homer myself, I understand what you're going through. It's a different game here. My best advice is to get involved with the club, and make some friends. They'll show you what you need to know, but more importantly, you'll have more fun when you're fishing. It takes time to learn these streams. I tried hard for the last two years, and I've barely scratched the surface of figuring out how to fish them.

 

 

QT

[CAEddy]

Thanks for the advice! I have some work to do at the bench. Unfortunately between work and moving I haven't made it out to a meeting yet. Garhan, I am always willing to trade coffee for advice, jack Daniels and buck bugs bought me alot of salmon trips in my university days....

[SnoWolf]

Hmmm. Everything is better with JD..