On The Hunt For Bull Trout

[dkbnmn]

Just wondering what some of you are doing to get your flies down to the bullies in the deepest pools of the Highwood. I was running the dc type VI Rio line with heavy weighted double bunnies, clouser minnow; I am even going to try tying some T&A rainbows in an assortment of colors and weight the crap out of them as well. Nothing seems to sink fast enough to target those pigs in 15 to 20 feet of water. I have since replaced my fly line to streamer express short 200g 6-7 weight and considering adding a t-17 15ft tip to this.

[Jayhad]

I run a Rio Clouser Line with 10' of T-17, and weighted flys on a 8' mono leader. I haven't found many holes on the highwood my flys wont hit the bottom with this set up. NOTE the flys are HEAVY

But the main key is managing you lines decent into the depths by upstream mends

[dkbnmn]

I run a Rio Clouser Line with 10' of T-17, and weighted flys on a 8' mono leader. I haven't found many holes on the highwood my flys wont hit the bottom with this set up. NOTE the flys are HEAVY

But the main key is managing you lines decent into the depths by upstream mends

 

I only have a 6wt rod. Do you think I'll have an issue with an over weight line on that rod? For the up river mend I just keep shooting line to the top of the pool and try to keep the line high for as long as possible. Is that what you mean?

 

[Jayhad]

For the setup I use I think it would be to heavy for the 6wt, but you can go a longer leader and a heavier fly. I have a few buddies that fish 6wts for bullies and do very well, The Humblefisherman only uses a 6wt for bullies and does better then pretty much everyone.

You are putting a tonne of weight into that rod with the sink tips so be careful a rod broken on a cast is no where as easy to swallow as a rod broken on a 32" bully. If I was to use a 6, which I do sometimes I would lighten the line load and push up the weight in the fly. You can plunk your heavy flies with a swing rather then a cast or do a slingshot cast with the heavy flys.

 

As for the up stream mend i mentioned, you want to cast into the hole. once your fly has sunk enough that you can't pull it out easily start throwing roll casts into the hole, your line will get eaten up by the push of the river and dive.

[tonyr]

why dont you ask her.......

http://www.moldychum.com/home-old/2010/7/1...l.html#comments

[bloom]

Tie some flies on Jig Heads. There's lots of styles and colours and you can make some great bunny flies from them. Use a 10' leader and you'll get down.

[dkbnmn]

For the setup I use I think it would be to heavy for the 6wt, but you can go a longer leader and a heavier fly. I have a few buddies that fish 6wts for bullies and do very well, The Humblefisherman only uses a 6wt for bullies and does better then pretty much everyone.

You are putting a tonne of weight into that rod with the sink tips so be careful a rod broken on a cast is no where as easy to swallow as a rod broken on a 32" bully. If I was to use a 6, which I do sometimes I would lighten the line load and push up the weight in the fly. You can plunk your heavy flies with a swing rather then a cast or do a slingshot cast with the heavy flys.

 

As for the up stream mend i mentioned, you want to cast into the hole. once your fly has sunk enough that you can't pull it out easily start throwing roll casts into the hole, your line will get eaten up by the push of the river and dive.

 

Thank you for the help. I caught a 24 ish inch bully this past weekend and then grew frustrated to watch huge fish come up halfway to my fly and turn back around.

 

Just out of curiosity, what setup does the humblefisherman use?

 

[Roast]

Thank you for the help. I caught a 24 ish inch bully this past weekend and then grew frustrated to watch huge fish come up halfway to my fly and turn back around.

 

Just out of curiosity, what setup does the humblefisherman use?

 

Here you go:) Humble Stick

[dkbnmn]

For the setup I use I think it would be to heavy for the 6wt, but you can go a longer leader and a heavier fly. I have a few buddies that fish 6wts for bullies and do very well, The Humblefisherman only uses a 6wt for bullies and does better then pretty much everyone.

You are putting a tonne of weight into that rod with the sink tips so be careful a rod broken on a cast is no where as easy to swallow as a rod broken on a 32" bully. If I was to use a 6, which I do sometimes I would lighten the line load and push up the weight in the fly. You can plunk your heavy flies with a swing rather then a cast or do a slingshot cast with the heavy flys.

 

As for the up stream mend i mentioned, you want to cast into the hole. once your fly has sunk enough that you can't pull it out easily start throwing roll casts into the hole, your line will get eaten up by the push of the river and dive.

 

Thank you for the help. I caught a 24 ish inch bully this past weekend and then grew frustrated to watch huge fish come up halfway to my fly and turn back around.

 

Just out of curiosity, what setup does the humblefisherman use?

 

[Teck71]

tried a mouse on the Old Man this weekend and got a wicked take 1/2 the 30" bull out of the water on the take only to have him break off after a 10min fight.

[dkbnmn]

tried a mouse on the Old Man this weekend and got a wicked take 1/2 the 30" bull out of the water on the take only to have him break off after a 10min fight.

 

I bought some mice flies too. I also heard the Swimmy Jimmy from slideinn.com is wicked for top water strikes.

[flyfishfairwx]

tried a mouse on the Old Man this weekend and got a wicked take 1/2 the 30" bull out of the water on the take only to have him break off after a 10min fight.

 

Morrish Mouse for those minnows!!!!!

 

Note : there are no Bulls on the old man.

[DougC]

Heavily weighted flies or flies tied on jig heads and a super long leader of maxima (15-20ft) works quite well. The leader material cuts through the water much better than a fly line.

[monger]

Jigs and 20 ft leaders....break out the gear rods....your way more than half way there

[LastBoyScout]

i have pushed the 3 level several times and have hooked them all on floating line with never more that 10 leader. No expert but lazy abush predators. I don't make this shat up.

[fisher26]

Might be a good time to break out the spinning gear and try some bucktails...

 

Fly fishing rods aren't really designed to get a big fly down 20 feet in current.

[beedhead]

It might take many casts, however, you must find the right drift/current, way up from the pool (hole) and you will get down in the strike zone....Its kinda frustrating, but can be rewarding...

 

 

Cheers...Jeff..

[Sniperj78]

I was getting my flies down maybe 15-20 feet easy with a big heavy fly and some split shot while using floating line, so it can be done. Just curious what everyone uses for stripping technique? I like to get it down there and then twitch it, but I haven't had much luck with that. After seeing a few friends catch bulls lately I have made this my new goal, to catch a bull before the snow flies. Any help?

[Jayhad]

Sniper I've been on a few bull hunts this season and I think most of them have been caught on the swing, standard streamer action; 45 degrees and let the chicken drift by the bullies spot, keep tension and hang on.