The West Coast's wonder-fish is staging a comeback . . . or is it? Here is how and where to go fishing. And here is how to understand the salmon dilemma
"Fish on!" the deck hand shouts, staring hard in your direction. For an instant no one moves, then everyone moves at once. Angling pals back away as you scramble for the dancing rod, feet sliding on the pitching deck. Reeling for all you're worth, you quickly feel the power of the salmon at the other end of the line.
Will the 20-pound-test hold, will the hook stay put, will your prize be lost at the net? The battle has been joined, but the outcome is never guaranteed. That's part of salmon fishing's appeal, and why so many of us in the West can't get enough of it.
After decades of decline in salmon's fortunes, some runs are rebuilding, offering good fishing from California's Monterey Bay to Puget Sound, Is this the beginning of a general turnaround, as fisheries managers contend? Or do recent increases, welcome as they are, only mask fundamental problems?
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On these eight pages, we survey the nascent West Coast salmon comeback. You'll find tips on where to fish and when, how to book a charter or go on your own, and (on page 196) how to bleed, clean, and ice your catch.
But not only sportsmen have a stake in salmon and their fate. This legendary fish affects all of us in one way or another.
Salmon means food for the table and a livelihood for commercial fishermen. It's the spiritual centerpiece of North Coast Indian culture and a barometer of the health of our streams. With so much at risk, we review what's being done (or not done) to protect salmon on their two most important rivers in the West--the Columbia and Sacramento.
Born to roam, salmon begin their lives in Western rivers
Five species of Pacific salmon, or Oncorhynchus, originate in fresh-water streams from Alaska to California or, increasingly these days, in hatcheries.
In the wild, the miracle begins in gravel beds beneath the waters of clear, cold, fast-flowing streams. Battered and exhausted after their long journey from the ocean, their bodies transformed by the onset of spawning, salmon pair up, mate, then die.
With her powerful tail, the female digs out a nest, or redd, about 18 inches deep and deposits up to 5,000 eggs. The male-back arched, jaws booked, teeth enlarged to ward off other suitors (see box below right) fertilizes the eggs with a milky liquid called milt. More gravel is layered over the eggs, and the cycle begins.
Young fish typically feed in fresh water for 3 to 18 months before migrating to sea. Most spend two to five years roaming the North Pacific, generally in a counterclockwise direction.
Finally, salmon return to the streams of their birth, sometimes traveling across thousands of miles of ocean to reach our coast. They school at river mouths before ascending their natal streams, often for hundreds of miles, to spawn.
When salmon meet fresh water, they begin to lose their silvery brightness and gradually take on darker spawning colors.
Big chinook, tasty sockeye, feisty coho
Salmon boast a string of common names and aliases. Starting below, we describe the five West Coast species (a sixth is native to Japan). All but pink are shown in their sea-run stage; the pink's spawning dress is typical, but the male boasts an exaggerated hump, hence its nickname"humpy."
Pink (O. gorbuscha) are smallest (1-1/2 to 12 pounds) and, in Washington, run only in odd-numbered years, such as 1989.
Chum (O. keta), or dog salmon, range from 3 to 35 pounds and are largely commercial fish. You'll know them by their pattern of faint vertical stripes.
Coho (O. kisutch), or silver, spend one to two years at sea, and average about 8 pounds (30 pounds tops). But coho are great leapers, famous fighters, and much prized by sportsmen, Look for a whitish
gum line and tail with few spots.
Sockeye (O. nerka), alias red, spend a year or so in a fresh-water lake before heading to sea, where they roam up to four years. Average weight is 7 pounds, maximum is 12. Sockeye are often regarded as a primarily commercial species, but sport anglers swear that they're the most flavorful salmon. Most streamlined of the species, sockeye have prominent eyes and soft, almost toothless jaws.
Chinook (O. tshawytscha) earn the nickname "king" (also tyee or spring) for their enormous size-average weight is 20 pounds, the world record 126. The most important salmon to sportfishermen, chinook are bigger because they spend up to five years at sea; "five-salt" salmon are always bigger than two-salt fish. Look for a black gum line and flowing tail covered with round spots.
What you catch, and where
Upriver migrations begin in spring in many areas, with successive runs continuing through summer, into fall, and even into early winter on some streams.
Ocean sportfishing begins in February in California, as late as July in parts of Oregon and Washington. Legal fishing seasons vary widely, but the ocean is often finished by Labor Day, while action continues until winter in bays, river mouths, or farther upstream. In Puget Sound, you can fish legally year-round.
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Salmon - includes related articles on salmon fishing on the West Coast
Alive and Fishing - organization Casting for Recovery's efforts on behalf of breast-cancer patients, survivors
With the threat of breast cancer looming ever large, increasing numbers of women of all ages and backgrounds find themselves coming face to face with their own mortality. And for the survivors, a normal life is often elusive. One unique program offers pristine streams, a caring community, and a chance to return to the land of the living.
Fellow GoodLetter readers,
The image of a fly fisher casting a line over a luminous sapphire-hued stream evokes deep sentiment for me. It reminds me of day trips with my father in the deep waters of the Atlantic, where he'd cast out a fly and let it drift for a moment before deftly stripping it in, the line gathering in a pile at his feet. It also reminds me of a trip to Montana, where - entering the pages of Norman McLean's "A River Runs Through It" - my husband and I fished the Missouri, pelicans hovering overhead, where we floated the Blackfoot, not a soul in sight, and where the river water swirled around our raft, so radiant, so full of life.
Quite literally, I was hooked.
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Fly fishing is an art. Form is essential for each and every cast, as is the patient spirit it requires to stand in the cool waters of a trout stream, to cast and cast and cast again. It's not a flick of the wrist; it's a strong and focused movement of the bent arm. "Keep it eleven to one, eleven to one," a guide once told me, using a perfect hands-of-the-clock metaphor. So, these days, I keep it eleven to one, hopeful that my line truly curls and releases like it does in my mind. But, if it doesn't, I don't mind. The strength and vitality I feel, water rushing all around, leaves me content, which is why when I learned of Casting for Recovery, I thought to myself, "Why, yes, of course."
Founded in 1996 by former host of Orvis Hooked on Fly Fishing Gwenn Perkins and breast reconstructive surgeon Dr. Benita Walton, Casting for Recovery is an organization born of hope, one that serves as a therapeutic retreat for women only. The only qualification for attendees is one thing they all share: breast cancer.
That the fly fishing retreat would aid in the strengthening of weakened muscles, that it would bring renewed energy and boost dampened spirits; these were viable prospects. But that it would cultivate lifelong friendships and a love of nature, that it would instill new passions was another. Casting for Recovery has accomplished that, and more.
"I saw fly fishing and breast cancer as...a match made in heaven," Perkins has said. "For me, fly fishing...has been a source of being able to just go out and forget whatever might be bothering me."
She's right. This isn't throwing in a bobber and waiting for a nibble. Tying a fly, casting a line, and hooking a fish require tremendous focus from an angler. Besides, fly fishing is not a game between woman and fish: it's respect for the land, the water, and the life beneath the surface. (Credit is due to the conservation efforts that make fly-fishing primarily "catch and release"; once a fish has been hooked and brought in, a moment is taken to admire its splendor and then, while holding it underwater, its mouth facing upstream for maximum oxygen intake, it is let go.)
Put simply, fly fishing is about living.
Thanks to monetary and equipment donations, not to mention the abundant number of volunteers, Casting for Recovery has held retreats for 600 breast cancer survivors in thirteen states across the United States. Selected from a diverse pool of applicants, participants gather in the streams of places like Maine, Vermont, Illinois, California, or Alaska, to name a few, where they learn techniques such as knot tying, casting, and, hopefully, the landing of a fish. Medical professionals and therapists are also on-site both to teach and to contribute physical and mental support. Still, participants are free to read, relax, swim and enjoy a hot tub, if they choose, for this weekend belongs to them. But, most women, like schoolgirls, can't wait to dive in to the retreat's activities.
All fun and games aside, there is good reason to link fly fishing with breast cancer recovery. Similar to exercises recommended post-surgery, casting helps to build mobility and strength around the arms, chest and shoulders, which can ward off lymphedema, an unwelcome buildup of lymphatic fluid, or other perilous aches and pains.
Perhaps even more profound for the survivors is the time they experience together. When stories are shared, there is laughter and there are tears. There is an understanding between the women. They have all endured, and many will continue to fight.
"My body is tired," said one recent participant, "but my spirit is renewed. I leave with memories of strong, beautiful women and a new experience to build on. I leave with the information that will help me to continue on as a survivor."
If retreat participants enjoy the sport and continue to fly fish in the years to come, then one of the organization's goals has been fulfilled. But its hopes for the survivors extend far further. The greatest triumphs of a Casting for Recovery participant are simply to breathe in the fresh air and engage in the pleasure of the outdoors, to begin to restore physical strength and to build lasting relationships, and to feel whole -- free of fatigue and sorrow.
Caddis Fly
by Davy Wotton
March is the time of the year that we start to see the emergence of caddis fly here on the White river system and many others around the country. This is a time of the year that I always look forward too. The caddis fly brings about a feeding frenzy very unlike the slow deliberate rise forms associated with a emergence of may fly and midge. And in many cases the caddis will be the larger of the invertebrate species that are available to the fish in that particular water system.
Early season fish are hungry as many of the other food sources are not as yet in great abundance and it is not unusual for trophy fish to lose a great deal of caution that they will naturally attain as the season progresses. I have in my time caught many great fish during the caddis hatch. In the early season the majority of caddis will emerge during the hours of daylight. As the warmer weather takes over then the caddis emergence will take place during the dusk to dark period and at times way into the small hours of the morning. If you are out at such times you can really have a ball I can tell you, and again those big Browns just love to feed at such times.
The only main difference between species of caddis is size and color orientation so far as its relationship to a catching fish is concerned. You have a number of ways that you can deal with a rise to a caddis emergence from fishing pupae imitations to the adult winged insect. Some of the techniques that I use allow for all three stages to be fished at the same time.
The fly I am going to introduce to you is generally known as the green tail. This fly has some past historical aspects. It is one of the best soft hackles you will find to fish with during a caddis emergence regardless of the species. Back in the UK this fly is used when the Grannom sedge fly emerges, the female does carry a very distinctive green egg sac, which is why the fly is called the green tail. Regardless of the caddis species that is abundant at the time, you will not go far wrong with this fly. I have introduced some variations to this fly over the years and for that purpose I will give you three green tail patterns to tie. You may of course fish with more than one at a time by techniques from up stream dead drift to slow retrieve pulls and pauses.
Size of the fly can be determined by the species you have on your water and you can of course alter the overall color tone of the fly by body and hackle combinations.
Hook Size: From size 10 to 18. 12 and 14 being the most useful
Tying Thread: You may use brown, tan or green.
Tag: Fluorescent green or chartreuse.
Body: Natural hare fur from the mask of a hare or other dubbing to suit your species color.
Rib: Gold oval tinsel
Hackle: For the lighter shades brown partridge for the darker species English grouse. You may
also use a real soft webby hen hackle, from light ginger to dark ginger.
To tie the fly run a thread wrap from midway of the hook shank to the bend. Here build a not too large butt of the green thread. Take the length of gold oval tinsel and tie this in below the hook shank with three thread wraps. Build a neat dubbed body of the hare fur. Then make the 5 spirals of gold rib to the thread and cut off the excess. Take the Partridge hackle and strip all the base waste fiber off. Tie in the hackle by the tip and make 2 or 3 full winds. When done secure the hackle and cut off the excess. Whip finish and varnish.
The second fly pattern differs from the first by having a light ginger hen hackle palmered down the body of the fly before the Partridge hackle is tied in at the head of the fly.
The third fly pattern differs from the first only by the fact that it has a tail either from ginger hen or Partridge hackle.
Tying The Sowscud
by Davy Wotton
Scuds and Sows
Almost all freshwater systems in the world will contain freshwater shrimp of some kind. Sow bugs may be localized in some cases. Water systems with a good PH are generally the most favored for high concentrations of scuds. Those with a high acidic content, less so. Either way, both are important food sources for many species of fish, not just the salmonids.
For the fly fisherman they form a very important part so far as the artificial is concerned, and also will enable many fish to be caught. Fly fishers generally refer to the fishing of such flies under the generic term of nymph fishing though this, of course, is not true in this case as scuds and sows are not nymphs. There are many fly patterns that exist that represent both scuds and sows but many more so in the case of the scud.
The naturals do vary in coloration and also size, overall shades in the light tan to tones of olive and olive gray will cover most needs if you want to represent a natural. No scuds contain the elements of bead heads and other fancy colors that are sometimes used, but as we know they will catch fish at times.
The White River system here in Arkansas has a massive population of both species and in consequence form a staple diet for the trout in the system. It makes sense to fish such artificial to catch those fish.
I am going to give you, for this month, a fly pattern that will work for both scuds and sows. Fish will not choose one over the other. If both species are found in the same body of water then the fish will eat them accordingly as they are found. This pattern essentially represents both. Overall the majority of scuds and sows will be of a olive/gray coloration and the basis for this fly represents that factor.
So far as hooks are concerned, it is popular to use curved bend hooks for scuds. The only real advantage is that a curved hook is less likely to hook up on the river bed. So far as the fish's eye is concerned l have yet to be convinced that it makes any difference, and l doubt that l ever will. Out of choice l use a regular straight shank of a given size and weight. Hook sizes between sizes 12 to 16 for scuds and 14 to 18 for sows.
Tying the Sowscud
Over the years l have messed about with many variations of scud patterns and have come to a number of conclusions so far as the artificial is concerned. I do not now consider that any material is necessary for the back of the fly such as plastic film or any of the other products sold for that purpose. Neither do l adorn the fly with a wound hackle or forward hackle fibers to the eye of the hook. The naturals of scud and sow bug are simple forms of life and are easy prey for fish to feed on. Overall a good representation of the size and color will work fine.
You have, of course, options within the general tying, which may include the addition of weight or bead heads. Ribbing mediums may be of thread, wire, crystal hair, etc. and the choice of dubbing, color and texture, being the two factors to consider. I have available my own specific sowscud dubbing blend that 95% of the time covers the general color tone found. It is a dubbing blend that contains the elements of a olive gray with sparkle and a soft texture.
Tying the DW Sowscud
Thread shade should be either of a olive or gray tone. Hook is of your choice size and profile and wire weight. If you intend to weight the hook then do so before you commence the tying of the fly.
For the tail I use some of the fiber found on the feather from a jungle cock neck but if you do not have those available then a dark shade of grizzle or dun hackle fiber will work. After the tail has been tied in, tie in at the tail end of the fly the material you have chosen for the rib of the fly.
Next stage is to form the body definition with the dubbing of your choice to a position behind the hook eye. The legs of the fly are represented using ostrich herl. You will need the shade of natural which is a dark dun color tone. Tie this in at the head end of the fly and wind it back toward the tail, when you have reached that point the ribbing is brought back in the opposite spiral to the head of the fly. At that point the material is secured and the head of the fly is finished.
You may choose now to cut the ostrich herl only above the fly body close to the body, you may also tease out some of the dubbing to the underside of your completed fly. It is a very simple fly to tie but as you will find out a very effective one to fish with.
If you would like to obtain my SOWSCUD dubbing it is available from me at a cost of $3.50 per pack inclusive of mailing cost. Click here for mailing address.
The White River Christmas Tree Wooly Bugger
by Davy Wotton
Wooly buggers are popular type streamer flies and certainly do catch many fish. This pattern of mine is based on the standard wooly bugger fly but contains other elements which trigger responses from fish, essentially mobility and colour coordination. It is not a difficult fly to tie and should not present too many problems for the beginner level tier. Note the appearance of little lights in the tail from which this pattern draws its name.
Materials for the White River Christmas tree are:
* Marabou turkey - Olive-Red-Orange
* Pearl chenille - Olive or Peacock
* Tinsel chenille - Gold
* Hackles - Regular rooster or grizzle dyed olive.
* Ribbing tinsel - Oval gold
* Crystal flash - Olive or Gold
* Hook - Any size of longshank. Size 10/8/6 the most useful.
* Additions - Cyclops or Cone head in gold.
Tying Instructions
Place the hook in the vice. Run a thread base to a position above the hook point. Tie in at this point a short section of either red or orange marabou. Above the lower marabou tie in a longer section of the olive marabou, take the thread to the tail end of the hook shank.
At this point tie in about 6/8 strands of either gold or olive crystal flash. Here also tie in a section of the gold oval tinsel and also the olive or peacock chenille which ever color you choose. Take the thread to the hook eye position and wind your chenille body. Secure and cut off excess.
Prepare now your hackle. Strip off all waste fiber and tie in the hackle below the hook shank by the hackle stem not the tip. Wind the hackle with two turns at the head end of the fly and then continue with 5 equal spaced turns to the tail end of the fly body. Bring back toward the hook eye the oval ribbing tinsel. This will secure the hackle palmer style.
When you have reached the tying thread secure the oval tinsel. Cut off excess hackle tip and tinsel ribbing material. Finally at the head of the fly tie in and make one or two full turns of the gold tinsel chenille. Make your final whip finish. Good job!
Davy's Tying Tips
If you use the practice of ribbing a palmered hackle it is far more secure and will not be broken so easily by the fishes teeth. When you come to make the final whip finish to the fly add your head cement to the thread just below the hook eye. When you make the final whip finish you have the head completed and do not have to mess around after with the fly is complete. This is by far the most efficient way to do it - particularly for real small flies when you run the risk of clogging up the small eye with cement.
Your Most Memorable Fish
by Davy Wotton
I guess for all of us there must be a fish, regardless of species, or size that will remain as a memory so long as you live. For some of you it may have been the first fish that you caught, it may have been a specimen of a given species, it may have been a fish that you saw another person catch, or it may have been a fish that pulled every bit of knowledge and skill from you before you hooked it.
For my self there are two particular fish that l will never forget, and for two very different reasons. Sometimes you may only have one opportunity to get it right, other times you may be in a position to return on many occasions to pit your wits against the adversary. So l would like to tell you my two stories.
The first took place in Chile. That all started when my friend Marcus and myself took a group of clients to fish in Coyaquie southern Chile. On one of the days l had with me Carlos Vergara a noted photographer from Chicago. Our day started with a typical drift boat scenario down the Rio Baker river system, along the down stream drift catching plenty of fat Browns and rainbows.
As we came to a wide angled bend in the river l noticed a very big bow tucked up against the shore line in the back eddy facing in a direction other than the natural flow of the river. There was no way this fish could be approached with the boat. I requested John to pull the boat to the shoreline to allow me to get out and see if there was a way l could get closer to this fish.
That he did and on closer investigation, walking around that bay of the back eddy, very quickly established that it could not be done due to shoreline vegetation and rock structure. There was only one possible position to be able to see the fish and secondly a remote possibility that l could get the fly to that fish. I will try to explain if l can the situation that existed .
The only point that l could see the fish was from a high bank of something like 20 ft above the water. This big bay was off the main steam of current and the fish was positioned to my left along the rock wall shoreline at least 80 ft from my position looking out to the main body of the river. There was no chance at all from a lower level if l climbed down to be able to reach that far as l had no room for a back cast of any kind, and a roll cast at that range was totally out of the question also. Yet I was not going to be defeated as yet by that fish.
A number of times over the years l had cast to fish from high points above the water surface and hooked and landed many fine trout. Two factors come into play here so far as the cast was concerned. The first was the actual distance of the fish, the second was the amount of additional line required to allow for the elevation that l was at. Ok, I pretty much new that the whole fly line and a bit more would be needed to pull this one off.
Off came my jacket which was placed on the grass, that to avoid my fly line getting caught up during the cast. A hares ear nymph was attached to the tippet. My leader length was increased, line was stripped off on to the jacket and l was ready to go. All of which was photographed by Carlos.
The line was worked out the length l needed to be able to shoot the remaining line and backing. Away it went, and it seemed an eternity before it all became subjected to the force of gravity. Right on target within a few feet, enough for the rainbow to move forward and take the fly, and she was hooked.
The next problem was to be able to get down the bank to a low level and be able to release the fish. That took two of us. First l had to climb down and have my rod handed to me. All was well, she was still connected. Before too long this great beauty of a rainbow around 6lb slid slowly on her side toward me for her release back into her watery world. I will never forget that fish, and thanks to Carlos l have a photographic memory of that time.
My second fond memory of a fish was back in Wales on the river USK. This river was a short distance from my home and one l fished very often for both Atlantic salmon and the indigenous Brown trout that also are found in this river. This particular river has its name engraved in fly fishing history as many of the then notables of the past ventured to fish this natural wild water, which at one time contained countless 1000s of salmon and trout.
It is even known that the Romans who settled in this part of the world some few 1000 years ago took fishes from this river, in fact the very name comes from a Roman word. Like many other rivers today sadly the numbers of anadromous fish species have declined dramatically and that is certainly the case so far as the salmon is concerned. So too the Brown trout population has dwindled, not from the effects of overfishing, but from the other unfortunate influences of man, such as water abstraction, the filtration of agricultural chemicals and so on.
I would have loved to have fished that river back in the 1800s. Such river systems that contain relatively small numbers of trout are hard to fish and l know many persons who fished that river gave up on it for that very reason. So too the Brown trout is a creature of habit and you have to be on their terms to be able to catch them consistently. They are a different breed than the rainbow. Many times l would fish that river and not catch a fish and l knew a great deal of that water like the back of my hand. I knew how those fish would move up and down the water as the season changed and the food sources changed, from mayfly to caddis and whatever else was important to the diet of those fish at the time.
I never did catch a fish over 5lb in weight and l caught many 100s over the years in this river, but one particular fish l will never forget. One of the most important of fly fishing skills is your power of observation and not to be deceived by what your eyes see and how your brain sees.
Often l would sit and scan a zone of water watching for fish that would cruise around as they do on patrol looking for food. In may cases here it could be stonefly nymph, caddis larva or some of the mayfly and baetis nymphs that were abundant. A brown trout will root around and disturb rocks to find food this way and l have seen them go through the act of dislodging caddis larva that have fastened in their cases to rocks prior to pupation.
On this day a big brown came into view in the shallows, moving back and forth to a fast water run close to a number of big rocks. At that position l could not see the fish but was pretty sure l knew his place. My problem was to be able to get a cast to that position without the fish becoming aware of my presence, if he did he would be way down the river like a shot. There are times that you had better think hard before you rush into that act of fishing, this was certainly one of those times.
I knew that the presence of dusk and darkness would allow me to get closer to that fish, but l also knew that he would not likely hold there at that time, he would go on his patrol looking for food. Therefore l had to have a plan of action. I knew well enough what l needed to catch that fish so far as the fly was concerned, and there would have been a number l could have used to do that.
If you take the time to watch a individual fish he will normally have some kind of routine, and a zone that he likes to move around in, his territory if you like, such is the way of a Brown trout. They will in the early season be hungry and move around a great deal in the day time period, as food becomes more abundant and more active during diminished light conditions so his feeding patterns will change.
Brown trout have a very keen sight and a sense of smell, and l have seen them many times refuse a fly because of those senses. I figured out that l would have to lay in ambush to catch this worthy quarry. Many times l went to the river to look for this fish and many times l did not see him but as many l did. I could map out his chosen route.
My first method of approach was to find the position that l could cast without being seen, l had only two choices for that, one of which was not ideal the other was ok but it would restrict me with what l could use so far as the fly was concerned, that was what l thought at the time. I do not recall how may times l did fish from that position but sufficeit to say on one of those days the trout began to cruise around.
Gold rib hares ear nymph was one of my top 10 for fishing this river and so it was that this small fly was cast in a way to intercept this fish, he took it first time he saw it, took off down stream and he was lost with the fly, oh well l did catch him. Now l know that a Brown that is caught very close to his safe lie may never return to it, but if he was hooked and lost some way from it he will likely return to it. And this was the case with this fish.
A Brown trout also does appear to have some kind of memory bank for bad things that have happened to him and to catch the same fish again l know would take some doing. At that time the caddis were becoming active, both the stages of larva forming cases on the rocks and the emergence of the adults in the dusk to dark period. This can of course be a golden time to hook a good Brown trout. So it was that l walked to river bank path to the fishes location.
Knowing that this fish was in this zone my approach was a cautious one, and there before my eyes was the trout foraging around over the shallow gravel and small rocky structure to my side of the bank, which was the position that became my 2nd choice.
I knew what he was doing, and in consequence of that rigged up with a caddis larva, a cream bodied fly with a dark ostrich herl head. I frequently fish with long leaders way more than 9 ft and this was certainly the case for that too. I waited until the fish was way above me, which gave me enough time to first get down to a low position, and second to be able to set that fly out over the gravel. In fact it laid there static, that was the tactic.
A number of times he came to the zone but not close enough, eventually he did as he neared my fly l gave it a fraction of a twitch and he took it good and felt the sting of the hook. This time he was mine, a fish of about 16 inches. The hares ear nymph was gone from the previous encounter. Good luck my dear friend as he was released again, this time from my hands and not the hook that he took with him.
I have had many encounters over the years when more than the act of fishing was part of the game to hook a fish, most of those over a short period of time, in this fish it was very many weeks. A fish l will never forget.
Evaluation
by Davy Wotton
One of the fascinating aspects of fly fishing is having conversations with other fly fishers. It has always fascinated me how very different view points can be offered on a given subject. Let's take a look at one particular aspect; selective feeding behavior.
This feeding activity is more so associated with water systems that have a abundance of mayfly hatches, though this is not always the case. Midge and terrestrial falls can also be very significant at times and there are times that sub-surface feeding patterns will also demand a good level of skill to catch fish. There has probably been more work and research done on this particular aspect than any other, and as yet, there is no 100% answer.
You cannot treat fly fishing as a exact science. Let me say that from my standpoint that l am by no means suggesting that all that has been written makes no sense, because much of it does. I would however like you to give a food for thought process in this month's column based on my own observations and of course from having fished many such circumstances that would be classified as selective feeding patterns of behavior.
Take into consideration these facts (1) Man cannot create artificially that which is created by nature. (2) Fish will become conditioned and develop an acute sense of awareness the more they are subjected to fishing pressure. (3) Much emphasis is put upon the actual stage of the emergence that determines when the trout will take the natural, or how they see it at any particular time during the stages of transition.
Factor # 1. No natural organism is attached to a metal hook or a nylon tippet. More to the point, a natural organism by way of its anatomical structure is infinitely superior to any artificial. In so far as its color variation is concerned that too is very much the case. Subtle shades, and at times the transmission and passage of light through and off of the components of the body give effects that are not easily duplicated, if not impossible.
Naturally, innovative fly tiers have striven to deal with that for a few 100 years, in some cases with very ingenious results. The train of thought being that a particular aspect of the natural is what would be highly visible to the fishes eye, and of course there would be a great deal of truth in that assumption. One prime example would be the wings on a emerged dun. In truth if you were to take into consideration such factors as size, overall color tone, and a degree of anatomical resemblance you are well on your way to deceive a fish. But the fish can always call the tune !!
Factor # 2. The human conditioning factor is of course the result of human presence and interference. A wild trout in a natural environment deals with predators such as fish-eating birds, animals like otters and mink, fish and many others that may find fish delightful to eat. If you approach a trout in a natural wild habitat that it does not see humans it will flee. However if human presence becomes a every day occurrence and part of the trout's daily observations it may not flee in terror. In fact l know of places that they will actually swim to ward you as you wade around.
They have figured out that the human form cannot hurt them, but that you will disturb bottom dwelling organisms to the trout's advantage, (food) The primary factor that fly fishers have to deal with is the fishes senses that have become finely tuned to your fly fishing techniques, and that is the main reason why conditioned fish become more difficult to catch, if not nearly impossible in some circumstances.
It is not normal for a trout to behave in such a way. And that factor also applies to many other species of fish. If you have ever fished for wild trout in some way out place they do not see humans hardly at all you will know what l am talking about. The fact that you cannot catch them at that time is related to other reasons.
In order to catch fish that have now developed a greater sense of awareness terminal tackle must also be fine tuned. Fine tippets, tiny flies, and personal concealment are all part of the necessary deception required not to mention the perfect fly fishing presentations. You are not normally going to get away with a mistake.
Such fish have learned lessons, particularly on hard fished catch and release water systems. More to the point they have adapted to a new feeding behavior. A wild trout in its undisturbed natural habitat does not act the same way. Trout are opportunistic feeders and all forms of likely food source will be investigated, digested, or ejected accordingly. The longer a fish lives in a given body of water then so naturally it becomes more so aware of what is good to eat and what is not.
Factor #3. By definition, selective feeding means that either a particular organism is on the menu in preference to any other, or a stage of the life cycle of that organism in question is chosen at that time. For most of you selective feeding activity is a visual one that relates to surface activity. The question that you ponder is what is causing this. Two factors here are species identification and the fishes feeding pattern. Then comes the question of what stage of the emergence should my artificial represent.
First, stage one. If for example the natural is surface visible such as a emerged dun you will see it. You will also see the fish take it. Match the hatch and you should be able to catch the fish! If however you cannot, other factors come into play. One very good quote that l will give you is this. " IT IS NOT WHAT IS ON THE WATER IT IS HOW A FISH SEES IT " and therein lies the secret to success.
Take for example a cross view of a stream. The trout is facing the current as the nymphs or pupa ascend to the surface in a down stream drift. If the trout is at the stream bed then its optical view will be a large one and may allow it to see all transitional stages of the emergence.
If however the fish is at the surface level or just below, it will see a very different picture very much depending on many factors such as available light source, relative angle of the sun, size and color tone of the species, type of species, stage of emergence, surface movement caused by structure, wind, wave and so on. Take into consideration that at any time during a hatch as each individual nymph or pupa travels down stream there will be for each millisecond a difference in the transitional stage.
Therefore, l have never been of the opinion that a fish will select an individual based on the fact that (for example) 50% of the emergence has taken place, and that is the only stage that the fish will eat the natural. A trout does not have the ability to be that accurate in its point of decision. My personal view based on having fished for and watching thousands of fish feed this way in both still and running water is this. It is the visible factor that will determine the trout's feeding pattern.
Visual aspects related to the meniscus, or water's surface. That is below, in , partly out or above it. Accordingly you will need to fish with the correct choice of artificial, and your presentation must also be correct. But relative angle of presentation and correct depth are well more than half way to solving the problem of a selective fish. Of course, if an actual stage of emergence is not taking place, and the subject is say ants or some other terrestrial bug form, then it will be absolutely your artificial and your presentation that would be the deciding factor here.
At a later point in time l will delve into this fascinating aspect of fly fishing . With some solutions that you are probably not aware off. One thought that l will leave you with now is this - Do not let your eyes deceive you! Remember it is how the fish sees it!
The Illusion of Deception
by Davy Wotton
In essence the artificial fly is an illusion that, coupled with the technique of fishing, will hopefully deceive a fish to take it. I, for one, have never been of the mind that three tails, six legs, and various other adornments, not to mention close copy imitations, will result in more effective fish catching fly patterns. In fact l would go so far as to say you will be barking up the wrong tree if you follow that train of thought too closely.
All tied fishing flies, no matter how great of a representation they are of the fly tier's art, or how scruffy they look, will at some time or other catch a fish. The regularity that they do so is the crux of the matter at the end of the day. Even a bare hook can be used to deceive a fish at times! If you form a more generalized view of food forms available to the fish, and those that the fish is more likely to see on a regular daily basis, and couple that with artificial fished in the correct manner, then you will almost certainly catch a great many fish.
There are, of course, times that various food forms are more abundant such as specific hatches, terrestrials, and so on, that it makes sense to fish such fly patterns that represent those food forms at that time, though not always. Take a look at this scenario. If, for example, you well know that a large abundance of scuds exist in a given body of water, then it makes sense to fish an artificial that represent this food source. A bright pink yellow scud is by no means a representation of a natural, as those colors do not exist in naturals, but they may well catch you fish. As a general rule of thumb artificial of this kind will have a very inconsistent rate of success.
The irony is that you never really know how many fish actually see your fly when you are fishing. It is a percentages game. You may catch 1 in 5, 1 in 10, who knows. The only real exception to that is sight fishing to a fish you can see. You will clearly see what is going on, and can alternate accordingly to deceive that fish or not.
I have had more than 45 years of my life fishing around the world for trout and have learned a number of lessons that l will never forget. The first is that there is no such word as never when it comes to catching fish, like no fish is ever going to take that, or that will not work and so on. You will likely be proved wrong. The next is this, never ever become stereotype in your approach to catching fish.
I will never forget the time l was fishing on Loch Corrib, a huge limestone lake found on the west coast of Ireland, way back in the 1960s period. Fish were seen rising all over the lake to the Danica mayfly. l cast all manner of artificial that to my eyes would do the trick. Not an offer did l get. Within sight of me was a fellow in a boat catching fish on a regular basis.
As you would guess l managed to catch up with this fellow as he started to leave the lake and asked him what he was using to catch those fish. He had a great bag of wild browns some of which were in the 3 to 5 lb class. To say the least l was amazed when he showed me what he had taken those fish on, and he gave me some of those flies. To my eyes they bore no resemblance at all to the naturals by way of size, color and all else you can think of. To the fish's eye they looked good and that is the simple reason why they took them.
From that day on the lesson l learned well is that you never know how a fish sees what it does. The flies that he used are known as traditional style wet flies. Patterns that had been around for a very long time but more to the point, those that deceived the eyes of a Brown trout, no rainbows to be found in these lakes.
There are, of course, other factors that come into the act of deception to catching fish. One of the most important of those is the interference of man and his methods, which will inevitably cause the fish to become used to over a period of time. Take for example the White river in Arkansas where l guide. I know the river well and know how to find fish in any given water level that exists at that time.
Take one of the White River trophy zones for example. I know for a fact that in certain zones a great many fish are to be found, related to depth, current seams, and other influential factors. If you are the first to fish the zone you will do well but even then the catch rate will slow down. Therefore, you will need to change tactics a number of times to maintain a catch rate, likewise the flies that you are using. Once fish have become aware of your routine you will not catch them so easily if at all. I firmly believe that fish have some means of communication, and to a large extent that factor has been proven in scientific tests.
One prime example of that would be this. A number of fish that can be seen are given an item that resembles a food source, one that they would naturally reject. Not all those fish will check it out. At first a number will, and very quickly, become disinterested. Within a very short period of time the rest of the fish will totally ignore the same item without having touched it. Trout in the stream or lake will do exactly the same thing. If you think otherwise then you are kidding yourself.
You will have to change your means of deception and illusion to get some further interest, but the fly is not always the answer to success. The continual means of fishing in the same manner will also wise up those fish. For example dead drifting over the same zone, swinging wet flies or streamers will likewise keep those fish tuned in to your game.
A case in point. A friend and l were fishing a larger reservoir in the UK. At the time a great emergence of large chironomids was taking place. The water was subject to great fishing pressure from fly fishers using floating line tactics fishing chironomid pupa. The normal way would be either to cast out and allow wind and wave to move the artificial, or to recover the fly back very slowly to ward you. To say the least the hook ups were slow. l know that the flies could be seen by those fish but, so too, were a number of other factors like leader material, surface wake, and so on.
If you are fishing to a rise of surface feeding fish and catching nothing then you are either doing something wrong or the fish have wised up to what you are doing. The deception is not working. The option l chose at that time was to set up with a wet cel 1 slow sinker and fish a large black streamer lure called an ace of spades. Bingo! In as many casts l caught the legal limit of 8 trout, and so did my companion by the same means.
What possessed those fish to chase and take that fly that way, you tell me, when they could continue to head and tail and eat all the midge nymph they wanted. Show them something different. That’s the name of the game. It's a lesson l have learned well over the years.
Much of the fun of fly fishing is related to figuring out what to do in a given situation. Of course, years of experience will enable you to come to the conclusion of what to do by a process of elimination. Even the best of us will still be caught out at times. My advice to you is to always keep a open mind. Most of the time there is a answer to be found, if you have the time under the prevailing conditions.
Simple things like changing the tippet size, changing the fly to a smaller or larger, fishing a different way, changing your angle of approach say from upstream to across or down. Showing the fish your offering a different way can often be the answer. So, too, taking time out on the bank, giving the fish a rest period, is something l will do often, particularly when after a trophy or in smaller confined fishing zones.
Fly fishing is not an exact science and never will be. But, there is, overall, a qualified reasoning that you can approach any given situation. After all, remember, it is that act of an illusion and deception that fools the fish.
Tight lines for now.
Sunday, May 13, 2007
GUNNISON RIVER TROUT
by Bill Fowler
Below Blue Mesa Reservoir the Gunnison is restrained in a long series of impoundments, then set free near the boundary of Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. You can drive to the river here by taking East Portal Road from the Park. At East Portal you can camp and have foot access to a little less than a mile of water before the canyon cliffs block your downstream movement. The next car access to the river is 28 river miles downstream at Pleasure Park outside of Austin, Colorado, where the North Fork of the Gunnison and the Gunnison meet. You can bring a float tube or pontoon boat to cross the river and fish the far bank at East Portal, but you cannot float downstream. The river below East Portal is impassable and at one point completely disappears under the broken rubble of the surrounding cliffs.
Inside the Park six foot routes lead to the river: three along South Rim Road and three along North Rim Road. The Park Service issues a limited number of free permits for these routes to ensure a quality wilderness experience. The permits are available daily on a first-come, first-serve basis. These routes are not maintained trails. They are extremely steep with unstable footing and dangerous precipices. You must be in good physical condition to attempt the descent. The Gunnison Route into the canyon from the visitor's center drops 1,800 feet in .75 miles and it's considered the easiest trail in the Park. The solitude, scenery, and spectacular fishing make the hike worth the effort. No guided angling is permitted in the Park.
Below the National Park is the Gunnison Gorge, a public-use wilderness operated by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The most comfortable and productive way to fish this stretch is to hire an outfitter with pack mules to take you and your gear into the Gorge for a 14-mile float down to the confluence of the North Fork of the Gunnison with the Gunnison. A three-day float provides time to absorb the beauty of the canyon and work the riffles and pockets. Call Larry Franks (970-323-0115) to pack your gear for a self-guided float trip. Call Gunnison River Expeditions or Black Canyon Anglers for a guided trip.
The Gunnison Gorge from the boundary of the National Park to the confluence with the Smith Fork was recently designated as one of the few BLM wilderness areas. Together with the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, this new designation protects about 18 miles of water from development.
There are four foot trails (Chukar, Duncan, Ute, and Bobcat trails) into the Gunnison River Gorge accessed from Peach Valley Road outside of Montrose. You need a four-wheel-drive vehicle just to get to the trailheads, but the hike down to the river is much easier than in the Park. There are campsites by the river both in the Park and on BLM land. Be sure to reserve your campsite before you start your hike.
The Gunnison Gorge was hit hard by whirling disease in the 1990s, but brown trout are filling in the gaps and the Colorado Division of Wildlife is stocking rainbow fingerlings in the river to maintain the fishery. The fishing may not be what it used to be, but it is still great.
Hank Holtze, who has owned Gunnison River Expeditions for more than 20 years, told me after the 2001 season, "The Gunnison Gorge fished better this year because the browns have gotten bigger and have taken the place of many of the rainbows in the river. We just had to start trying new tactics, such as fishing a lot of big streamers. The rainbows are still there; it just takes more time and experience to find them now."
I like a bigger, more easily seen fly with a smaller or more realistic dry 24 inches behind. A great example is my Green Drake hatch combination of a 12 Colorado Green Drake with a 14 Gunnison River Para-emerger behind it. For the last three years it has proven to be a great tandem for my eyes and the fish alike.
During the summer, dry and dropper rigs are effective for about 80 percent of the fishing on the Gunnison. Royal Wulffs, Stimulators, and Humpies have taken fish for years and show no signs of becoming outdated. Attach the dropper nymph to the bend of the dry-fly hook with an improved clinch knot and 18 to 36 inches of monofilament. Bead-heads such as Copper Johns, Pheasant Tails, Princes, Flashback Caddis, and Bloody Mari nymphs consistently take fish.
The Gunnison River upstream of Gunnison (shown above) is bordered by private property in many areas but it can be floated in rafts in June and July.
Early and late in the season, deep nymphing rigs are the most consistent way to catch fish. Pair a small bead-head nymph such as a caddis larva or Baetis imitation with an attractor nymph such as a Prince Nymph, 20 Incher, or Glo-Bug.
I have become a fanatical streamer fisherman in recent years and the Gunnison has excellent streamer fishing. I use my Swimming Prince for small streams or as a chaser streamer for double-streamer rigs. I cast the fly across and upstream for a short dead-drift and then twitch it slowly on the retrieve as it swings across down below.
Big trout love big sculpin streamers such as Nervous Minnows, Zoo Cougars, and Conehead Woolly Sculpins on fast sinking-tip or full-sinking lines. From a boat, cast these flies against the bank and swim them along the shore. On foot, work the riffles and the tailouts of deeper pools. Try to mix your retrieves and find what works best for you on each day; as conditions change, so should your tactics.
Gunnison Access
Nervous Minnow
Above Blue Mesa Reservoir three public areas offer foot access. Cooper's Ranch and the Neversink Picnic Area provide 3 miles of public water directly above Blue Mesa and often hold very large trout in the spring and fall when spawners migrate back and forth from the reservoir. The VanTuyl Easement near Gunnison has 1.5 miles of public water and some of the best Kokanee salmon pools on the river. Another 3-mile stretch of public water begins at the confluence of the East and Taylor rivers. You can park in the town of Almont or at the Almont Campground along Highway 135.
Fishing the Tributaries
The major tributaries of the Gunnison--the East, Taylor, and Lake Fork--are all productive trout fisheries, and there are more than 40 smaller streams and dozens of lakes in the area for anglers seeking a more secluded fishing experience. For details on the smaller waters and directions to access points on the larger waters mentioned above, consult Michael Shook's Fly Fishing Guide for the Gunnison Crested Butte Area, available at local fly shops or by calling 800-324-6898.
Taylor River trout in the catch-and-release area (shown above) grow fat on Mysis shrimp and midges. A record fish of 24 pounds was caught in recent years, and 5- and 10-pound trout such as the one shown below are common. The trout mostly feed on small midge patterns but also take dry flies, egg patterns, and large streamers at night.
Lake Fork. The Lake Fork forms in the mountains above Lake City, southwest of Gunnison, and runs into Blue Mesa Reservoir. This medium-size river produces some great dry-fly fishing. Golden Stoneflies hatch from late June through mid July. Yellow or orange Stimulators in size 8 to 12 generate explosive surface action, and similar-size Hare's-ear Nymphs or 20 Inchers bounced along the bottom get similar results. When the stoneflies taper off, caddisflies and a variety of mayflies make this a great dry-fly river throughout the entire summer.
East River. Some of the best dry-fly fishing in the Gunnison area is on the East River. Heavy Green Drake, Blue-winged Olive, PMD, caddis, and stonefly hatches occur throughout the summer. In addition to drys, small streamers are an exciting way to fish this river.
The problem with the East is limited public access, but there is a 1.5-mile stretch of public water near the Roaring Judy hatchery on the lower river. This is quality water and an excellent trout fishery throughout the summer and fall. Several local outfitters lease private water on the East, so there is an opportunity to fish in solitude if your budget permits.
The Taylor River. The Taylor is the largest tributary of the upper Gunnison and offers several different opportunities. The upper river above Taylor Reservoir is a high-mountain stream that meanders through alpine meadows and is accessible by a road going all the way to the headwaters. Small attractor drys with bead-head droppers provide steady action. If you walk 15 minutes from the pullouts before you fish, you will have better fishing than what you find by the road.
The lower river below Lottis Creek Campground is characterized by pocketwater and big riffles that hold aggressive trout in the swift currents. This stretch has a steep gradient and the slippery rocks and treacherous currents make wading difficult. In August the flows drop and the fishing improves. This is a tough area to fish, but the rewards are great. You have to wade aggressively, cast a short line into the pockets, and hold your line off the water. Long casts across the braided currents prevent a good drift.
Most Colorado anglers have heard of the massive fish in the catch-and-release area directly below Taylor Reservoir. These large trout draw crowds. The catch-and-release section is only .6 miles long, but I have counted as many as 56 anglers in this stretch at once. On most days between eight to 15 anglers will be fishing.
Due to the fishing pressure, these are the most difficult fish in the Gunnison area. Long 5- and 6-weight rods with dark fly lines work best. I use a 15- to 20-foot fluorocarbon leader tapered to 5X or 6X tippet. Most fly fishers use a two-fly nymph rig with a 16-18 Mysis shrimp imitation and a 18-24 midge or Baetis imitation. Use small, dark strike indicators. Several small split-shot spooks fewer fish than one large split-shot. This area will try your nerve and test your skill, as you may fish for six hours without a bump and then hook three fish in a row that average 5 pounds or more!
The Early Season
Good fishing on the upper Gunnison starts in February or March when the ice comes off the river. In these winter conditions you must nymph the slow-water lies methodically. The fish stack tightly together and you must search to find the pods. When you do find a fish, keep casting in the same spot and you will often produce another half-dozen just like it. Green Drake Para-Drake
By April the river warms enough for midges and an occasional Blue-winged Olive hatch, but the best fishing is still subsurface until the spring runoff subsides in May or June. As the water clears and begins to drop, caddis, Golden Stones, and other smaller stonefly species begin to hatch, creating the first good dry-fly fishing of the year. Elk-hair Caddis (#14-16) and yellow, orange, or olive Stimulators (#8-14) with small beadhead droppers work best.
When the water warms and reaches 48 to 52 degrees F., the annual Green Drake hatch begins and progresses upstream from Blue Mesa for about six weeks. This is the main event on the Gunnison. The hatch usually comes off in the late morning or early afternoon and often lasts about an hour but may go as long as three hours on cool, overcast days. I fish a dry and an emerger through the early hatch, switch to two adults during the heart of the hatch, and finish with a drowned cripple suspended below a dry fly.
The upper Gunnison along Highway 135 near the town of Almont (shown above) offers excellent public access and good dry-fly fishing below the confluence of the East and Taylor rivers.
Pale Morning Duns (PMDs), Red Quills, and other mayflies hatch in sparse numbers all summer after the Green Drakes. You will also find caddis on the water every day from early May through October.
Kokanee Salmon
In early August the river hosts from 50,000 to 150,000 Kokanee salmon making their annual run from Blue Mesa Reservoir back to the Roaring Judy fish hatchery on the East River where they were produced.
These fish run from 1 to 3 pounds and fight well on 4-, 5-, or 6-weight outfits. When the fish are fresh and silver they can be difficult to catch, but the fight is worth the struggle.
After several days in the river, the salmon darken and become much more aggressive. Drifting nymphs and streamers through pods of sexually mature fish draws many strikes. Contrary to popular belief, there is no reason to snag these fish--they will chew your flies to pieces. Kokanee must be released unharmed from August 1 to October 31.
In late September the salmon begin dropping their eggs and this starts the best trout fishing of the year. Every fish in the river looks for eggs. A Glo-Bug with a Baetis nymph dropper draws strikes all day long in the riffles and pools below holding or spawning salmon. In fact, the trout get so greedy for eggs that I have caught the same fish three times in one outing. Later in the season when the salmon die, flesh flies catch trout and the river becomes like "little Alaska" in the Colorado Rockies.
During fall, Blue-winged Olive hatches provide good dry-fly fishing from early September through November. The water is low and clear and the fish are picky on top. I fish Befus BWO Para-emergers, quill-body parachutes, and floating Blue-winged Olive nymphs with 6X tippets and light 2- to 4-weight rods.
Gunnison River Insects
By Merne Judson
The new "Prez" asked me to write an article for the newsletter, and during our conversation a hatch chart for the Gunnison River was mentioned. This reminded me of an article I had read over 10 years ago written by Rick Hafele. The article was about a study done by Dr. Ken Stewart, one of the leading Aquatic Entomologists in the world. Dr. Stewart, along with Randall Fullmer, did a paper called "The Food Habits of Stoneflies (Plecoptera) in the Gunnison River." In the process of doing a study a full assortment of aquatic life was collected. I had the pleasure of spending five days with Ken one summer and learned even more from him concerning aquatic insects.
You may wonder why an angler would want to know about the contents of a Stonefly's stomach. The study required collecting stonefly nymphs at different seasons, then comparing their stomach contents with the number and types of other insects and plants in the stream. As a result, a detailed list that peaked my interest.
The study was conducted on the upper Gunnison River at the Lost Canyon Resort, down river from Almont, Colorado. Stoneflies for the study and other aquatic insects were collected with kick nets. By scraping the surface of the rock, samples of the perphyton (the thin layer of diatoms growing on rock bttoms) and other aquatic insects were also collected. The first samples were taken in December, and the remaining samples collected monthly, from May through October of the following year. Sampling was done twice a day, once at mid afternoon and once midway between sunset and midnight. I feel this studies greatest value to a fly fisherman is the detailed number of each aquatic insect species present at the study site from May through October.
A total of 38 different taxons (scientific classifications) were collected during the study. The most abundant taxa and how their counts changed through the study period are summarized in the attached table. The numbers listed are only for nymphs, no adult insects were collected in the study. By looking for the months when the lowest counts of nymphs appear in the river, you can deduce these periods as "times of emergence". The months with the highest number of nymphs collected indicate that the eggs of that taxon had recently hatched.
Chironimids dominated the fauna in all six months of the study, showing their importance to the fish as a constant food source. Typical of most Western stream, the Baetis was second in most months. This is an important consideration to the angler. Caddis, while not dominant, was common in most months. The order Trichoptera (caddis flies) had the greatest number of "common taxa then any other orders." A large number of Oligochaetes (aquatic worm) were also present in the summer months. Although, not readily available to fish because they live under bottom debris, during high water and after storms they become a major source of food to the fish.
Let's not forget the stonefly, as this was the original intent in the study. A summary of their food habits follows.
Isoperla fulva (Little yellow Stone) - The diet of this small stonefly consists mainly of chironimid larvae. The importance of the chironimid increased as the nymph matured. Different types of algae were also important in the diet of the young nymph. Mature nymphs were collected in May and June with emergence in July, August, and September.
Classenia sabulosa - This is a common but unusual Western stonefly closely related to the Golden Stone (both belonging to the family - Perlidae) and are similar in appearance. A unique characteristic of this species is that most adults lack fully developed wings. Adults emerge in August and September, when they can be seen crawling along banks unable to fly. These nymphs require two years to reach maturity. During their first year they ate mostly chironimid larvae. During their second year they ate caddis larvae, mayfly nymphs, and chironimids.
Herperoperla pacifica (Golden Stone) - This stonefly ranks high in importance to anglers in Western rivers. Emergence typically occurs in June or July. The nymph requires two to three years to mature. Like Classenia sabulosa, these nymphs are predators. During the first year nymphs fed mostly on chironimid larvae. In the second year they shifted their eating habits to large caddis larvae, but chironimid larvae were still important, particularly prior to emergence.
Chloroperlidae (Little-green Stone) - This family contained a number of genera difficult to identify in their nymph stage, so they were not separated for the study. Most of the species emerged in late June through July and August. Only a single year is required for this nymph to mature. Young nymphs fed mainly on algae and detritus. During the last two to three months of development, however, chironimid larvae became their dominant food.
This study clearly points out the importance of the chironimid as a constant food source for both the fish and stonefly. Without midges, fishing might be less frustrating, but it would also effect and lessen the numbers of stoneflies. The end result would equate to fewer fish.
My hope is this. That this information, along with your own knowledge of this area will help you assemble your own "Hatch Chart" for the Gunnison River and surrounding area. My hatch chart uses this, and other information I've collected by keeping logbooks of my fishing experiences over the last 20 years.
I'll show you mine, if you'll show me yours.
Saturday, May 5, 2007
Surface Rig (with controller float) for Carp
By Chris Shaw
Possibly the most visually exiting method of carp fishing, I have spent many an hour trying to catch a wily old carp off the surface. Carp will feed off the surface as readily as they will feed off the bottom, if the right conditions exist. If you have never tried this then give it a go, and I am sure you will love it
How do I do it?
Slide a surface controller up your main line, followed by a leger stop. The leger stop is there to hold the controller in place, and create a "tail" of line to your hook, where your floating bait awaits. Strong line is needed for carp fishing, with rods reels and hooks to match.
Why does it work?
Carp will feed from the surface generally during warmer months (not that we seem to be having many of them at the moment), and careful presentation of a floating bait might just catch you one. It is extremely important to grease your line between the leger stop and the hook, to ensure that it is floating clear of the water. This not only aids striking, but stops the carp being spooked should it brush the line before it gets to your bait. Controller floats generally allow you to cast floating baits further, but if fishing in extremely close try freelining. You would be surprised how far you can cast a well soaked chum mixer. Freelining in the margins has often produced me fish when other methods fail, especially if you stalk the carp.
Semi-Fixed Running Rig
By Gaffer
Made by Fox, this set up can be used as a semi-fixed bolt rig or as a running rig depending on where you position the main run ring.The main run ring can be pushed into the recess to become semi-fixed or the main run ring can be left to slide as a running set-up.
This set-up can also be used as a semi-fixed set-up without the main run ring, but using the notches on the rubber to hold the swivel on a lead in position. The tubing, in this case E.S.P. sink link, which sinks the mainline in the feeding area and prevents tangles.
Added by Julian;
In semi-fixed bolt rig mode, the above rig is ideal for when you have confident feeding fish and you want the hook to prick/penetrate as soon as the fish picks up the bait, as the principle behind the bolt rig is that when the fish picks up the bait, the resistance from the weight of the lead causes the hook to set.
Alternatively, in running-rig mode, you are allowing the fish more room for manoeuvre before the weight of the lead takes effect. I have used this method to great effect on waters with shy feeding fish, and in particular on waters where I’m fishing at distance and I want improved indication to avoid fish picking up the bait and kiting to the left or right without registering a take.
FLY FISHING IN RIVERS AND STREAMS
By Elton Murphy
Techniques and Tactics
TERRY LAWTON
Publication date: 4th June 2007 Price: £16.99 hardback
Anyone can take casting lessons or get someone to show them how to catch fish, but to really succeed as a fly fisherman you need to learn so much more. With an array of equipment and flies on the market, fly fishing can seem unnecessarily complicated. In Fly Fishing in Rivers and Streams: Techniques and Tactics, avid angler Terry Lawton gives expert advice on all aspects of the sport and shows you how you can improve your fly-fishing skills, whatever your level.
From choosing the right rod to selecting the appropriate fly, this book will help you to decide what equipment is right for you. Discover the importance of streamcraft in finding the right places to fish and develop your ability to reach an individual fish without frightening others. Once you’ve caught your fish, Terry provides useful information on how to play and net the fish as well as tips on how to catch and release effectively.
Whether you are a fly fishing novice or an angler looking to improve your existing skills, Fly Fishing in Rivers and Streams is an essential companion on your next fishing trip. Offering practical advice as well as guidance on riverside etiquette and showing respect for the river, this book provides a fresh perspective on this popular sport, and is an essential addition to any angler’s library.
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About the author:
Terry Lawton is a passionate fisherman who has written many articles in leading UK fishing magazines, including Fly Fishing & Fly Tying and Trout and Salmon. He is a regular contributor to the online fishing magazine Fish & Fly (www.fishandfly.co.uk) and is the author of two other titles on fly-fishing.
Environment Agency probes pollution mystery in Penryn
By Elton Murphy
Agency officers believe a series of pollution incidents are responsible for wiping out fish in a tributary of the Penryn River, part of a European designated Special Area of Conservation.
An investigation was launched on April 24 after a member of the public reported that the stream running beside Greenwood Road, Penryn, had turned foamy and had a strong chemical smell.
The pollution was traced to a culvert that drains from the Kernick Industrial Estate. A sample of the culvert discharge was sent off for laboratory analysis. It smelled strongly of degreasant or disinfectant and was faint reddish orange in colour.
The Environment Agency has received reports of dead fish as far upstream as Greenwood Road and downstream to Truro Lane. Officers have been unable, so far, to pinpoint the source of the mystery pollutant and are appealing to local people for help.
‘Aquatic life is being killed by this pollution. It must be found and stopped. All the signs suggest we are dealing with repeated incidents. It is possible someone is inadvertently disposing of this pollutant without realising the harm it is causing. Anyone with information is urged to come forward,’ said Redwynn Sterry for the Environment Agency.
