Favorite Trout Flies To Swing

[toolman]

This season, Skid Bitches have been king of the swing for me. With so many Stoneflys available on Southern AB waters this summer, the trout were really tuned into them many evenings/nights and mornings. I often would add weight to drowned adult patterns, that would rise to the surface on the dangle and recieve savage grabs.

In the early part of the season, starting in May/early June, small BH nymphs and Caddis Emergers were slaying em' most evenings and I had success with them throughout the season. I liked using Copper Johns in size 14-16-18 in black or yellow, Soft hackle Caddis emergers, rubber legged Hares ears and Pheasant Tails, Prince Nymphs and lately, Back Swimmers. Also, skating Caddis adults worked ok at times.

To my surprise, what did not produce a lot of trout for me, were streamers. So, so fishing with them this year and I tried them routinely as well. Yes, they did produce occassionally, but the least productive compared to the other types of fly's I used.

So what have you been swinging this season?

[CDone]

been having a lot of success with sculpin patterns both wool head and deer hair head, tungsten bead and a little flash, lots of violent strikes with plenty of missed fish.

 

Colin

[dino]

I'm with you on this one Toolman. I'm lovin the small nymphs, caddis emergers and pheasant tails are my primaries. Of course, at night, skid bitches and all the rubber legged foam patterns work well! Any other time I'll be pulling a double leech pattern rig.

 

Dean

[toolman]

I was out this am for a couple of hours and a #16 Black Copper John w/ rubber legs was getting good action with a few nice trout taking hard hits on it, swinging it across at slightly slower than current speed. Best trout of the am hit twice on the Backswimmer in two casts. The second grab was solid and I was rewarded with a nice 20" Rainbow.

Most exciting hit was when a 16" Brown slammed the CJ almost as soon as it landed and came right out of the water on the grab. Wait till she grows up to be two feet long, she's gonna be trouble.

[CDone]

Was out at Policemans this afternoon, decided to bring the 13' 8wt to give the shoulder a bit of a work out, had some vicious strikes on a olive deer hair bugger. Managed to keep one nice brown on, lost plenty to LDR's. Got a couple on my switch rod, #18 beadhead nymph under a foam cricket.

 

Colin

[Mykiss]

Streamers where killer in the spring...fished deep on 24' big boys.... Summer switched over to a type 8 tip and ran with intruders...knocked fish down with that set up...Now is time to run the backswimmers on a type 6-8 tip keyed in on tailouts...and the fish are responding...Oct I go back to the streamers and hit em pretty good then. Thats all I got for swinging...

[Pipestoneflyguy]

Stonefly nymph imitations - been working real well for the last month or so, blk and brn - haven't had a need to switch up much so I don't know what else is working up here right now anyway. It is nice to go out for a few hours and not have to switch flies once the whole time, also caught a few nice bullies on that patches d stickleback and a few variations of that which I have been messing around with once in a while. During the warmer weather skating caddis drys and stimies was working real well too, once it cools down this time of year I typically see better luck with drifting on the surface again.

 

Starting to get really chilly up here in the mornings - frost on the truck windoes the last couple days - man ! summer went by fast this year !!!

[toolman]

Streamers where killer in the spring...fished deep on 24' big boys....

 

What rod and line system are you casting the 24' tips on? That sure is big weight to roll out.

[Mykiss]

550 skagit throws the 24' tips pretty much effortless...When I use the big boys on my 450 it labours a tad if I leave my anchor too far downstream...key is to land it the staple rod length down from you and your in business. My 550 is matched up with a MKS 13678 and the 450 is matched up to a MKS 12667

[SilverDoctor]

Skid Bitches have been great for me this year. Standard streamers haven't worked well although the doc's Dodger bead eyed streamer I gave you Toolman worked great for me with quite a number of large browns and rainbows. Teh best for me have been classic north country wets in tandem and triple flies.

[toolman]

SilverDoctor, the Dodger bead eye worked well for me for a few trout, untill I lost it under a rock.

 

Mykiss, are the 24' big boy tips that you are using, a full sink type?

[Mykiss]

Toolman,

Yes the BB's that I am using are a full sink 24' 250 grain, 300 grain, and 500 grain tip. Try a snake roll with 500 grains, like lifting a piano out of the water. Perry poke works good, the double is the staple cast thu... I can tell you trying a circle/snap t or z is bloody dangerous.

[toolman]

That must bend the MKS rod deep through the cork, with a 1,000+ gr. load on it. I would love to cast the MKS 1367/8

as I have heard it is a pretty sweet stick. A 13'6" will be the next rod I buy. Maybe in the next week or two.

[Mykiss]

Toolman,

 

The BB's really don't load the rod up all that much more compared to when I throw the 5' cheater and the dry tip. As I am really only arializing the the head of the skagit and yes some of the tip however not the full grainage of the tip...Hope that makes sense...as I said the 550 has no trouble pulling the tip through the cast..the 450 has a little trouble pulling the 24' tip through the cast...100 grains makes a big difference....that said I can really accelerate on the "D" loop with that much grainage as an anchor. Yes the MKS is a very sweet casting rod..she can throw any lines from skagits to midspeys.. and she eats grains and begs for more with the reserve in the butt section. Meiz and Mike have hit it pretty good with this rod.. What 13'6 rod are you looking at??? And for what water?

[toolman]

I am interested in trying a few models, the MKS 136 7/8, Highlander 136 7/9, TFO DC 13' 7/8 and 136 8/9 (low cost), to name a few. I will use it to fish medium size rivers for trout here on the Bow river in Calgary and for Steelhead in BC with occassional trips to chase Atlantics next season.

I am leaning toward the TFO Deer Creek rod due to the affordability, versus the amount of use I may get out of it. I mostly fish for trout with my 12'6" ers, but plan on expanding the rod collection to include the 13'6" as well as a 15' 10wt. for the big water, at some point in the near future. However, the MKS 136 7/8 may be the perfect all round rod for the majority of my fishing for trout/steelhead/salmon and it is getting a strong consideration.

[SilverDoctor]

Streamers where killer in the spring...fished deep on 24' big boys.... Summer switched over to a type 8 tip and ran with intruders...knocked fish down with that set up...Now is time to run the backswimmers on a type 6-8 tip keyed in on tailouts...and the fish are responding...Oct I go back to the streamers and hit em pretty good then. Thats all I got for swinging...

 

 

What color intruders where you using?

[Mykiss]

Toolman,

 

I have cast the TFO DC 13 7/8 very nice casting rod.. compared with my MKS the tapers are very much the same with the progressive taper...big time snap in the lower part of the rod... The fit and finish as expected is not the same. I cast a 550 skagit which was a good match for that rod and a 7/8 MS that was also matched well. I did find the TFO a wee bit stiffer in the tip than the Meiz but that maybe just the half foot that is missing. Both rods would be good for pretty much all steel on the coast, a tad too much for most bow river fish but a few have loaded up my 7/8.. And for atlantics I have no idea but would guess you would have enough rod there also. Call Meiz and he'll hook ya up with some test rods..best way to see what works for ya.

[toolman]

Thanks for the info. I think I will try the Deer Creek 13' 7/8, as one is available for a test run at Fish Tales Fly Shop here in Calgary.

[speyghillie]

Hi Toolman,

Got a 13ft B+W that will put those other rods in the shade and not that expensive, the B+W's are bullit proof with a lifetime warranty, should have it when i see you on Thurday.

See ya soon Gordon.

[toolman]

Looking forward to giving it a try on the water Gordon. Is it a 7wt., 4pc.?

[speyghillie]

Hi Toolman,

Not sure it's in Vernon, will have it send over with some of my other stuff (rod carriers for the car).

At work right now, but went down the Spey last night and it's bouncing with Salmon only trouble is it snowed on the mountains yesterday, freeze the goolies off ya.

See you soon .

Gordon.