Flyfishing Lakes In The Kootenay's

[noahtrout]

My wife and I are heading to Whiteswan Lake on Sunday for a few days. If at all possible we plan on fishing Premier Lake and Whitetail also. My problem is I do not normally flyfish lakes and I am looking for any advice people on the board could provide me with regarding fly selection and more importantly fishing techniques that might work on these lakes. We will be fishing from our pontoon boats. Any advice would be appreciated.

[birchy]

My wife and I are heading to Whiteswan Lake on Sunday for a few days. If at all possible we plan on fishing Premier Lake and Whitetail also. My problem is I do not normally flyfish lakes and I am looking for any advice people on the board could provide me with regarding fly selection and more importantly fishing techniques that might work on these lakes. We will be fishing from our pontoon boats. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

Check out MissintheBow's article on Chironomid'ing, in the "Featured Articles" section.

[cdock]

I agree with Birchy. If you want to pick up some reading material anything by Brian Chan is good.

[pigl]

My wife and I are heading to Whiteswan Lake on Sunday for a few days. If at all possible we plan on fishing Premier Lake and Whitetail also. My problem is I do not normally flyfish lakes and I am looking for any advice people on the board could provide me with regarding fly selection and more importantly fishing techniques that might work on these lakes. We will be fishing from our pontoon boats. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

I've fished in lakes in that area quite a bit. I agree with FH - sight fishing to the cruisers on those lakes is a riot. One technique that I have used with success is anchoring over shallow cruising lanes and using a sink tip line with a dragon or damsel imitation (try a peacock hurl halfback size 4-10). Before you see any cruising fish, cast the line, let it sink so that the fly actually settles into the bottom. When a fish comes into the area, retrieve a short amout of line rapidly such that the fly pops off the bottom. If you get the timing right, the fish are attracted to silt being displaced by the fly, and the fly will have popped up and I think it looks pretty similar to the movement of a dragonfly nymph. Works like a charm.

 

The chronnie fishing technique works really well too if you like it, but I think the biggest mistake people make when fishing lakes is that they don't anchor. I think you MUST anchor in order to effectively fish lakes (unless you are trolling). The only guy I've seen who could sight fish without trolling was a guy on Whitetail Lake a number of years ago who had a wide bottomed canoe that he could stand up in and paddle from standing up. He would stalk cruisers in the flats this way and cast to them standing in his canoe. I don't think that's a particlarly safe way to fish though and is probably not in the cards if you're in a pontoon boat.

 

Good luck - those are some great lakes you are getting to fish.

[Grizz]

I've fished in lakes in that area quite a bit. I agree with FH - sight fishing to the cruisers on those lakes is a riot. One technique that I have used with success is anchoring over shallow cruising lanes and using a sink tip line with a dragon or damsel imitation (try a peacock hurl halfback size 4-10). Before you see any cruising fish, cast the line, let it sink so that the fly actually settles into the bottom. When a fish comes into the area, retrieve a short amout of line rapidly such that the fly pops off the bottom. If you get the timing right, the fish are attracted to silt being displaced by the fly, and the fly will have popped up and I think it looks pretty similar to the movement of a dragonfly nymph. Works like a charm.

 

The chronnie fishing technique works really well too if you like it, but I think the biggest mistake people make when fishing lakes is that they don't anchor. I think you MUST anchor in order to effectively fish lakes (unless you are trolling). The only guy I've seen who could sight fish without trolling was a guy on Whitetail Lake a number of years ago who had a wide bottomed canoe that he could stand up in and paddle from standing up. He would stalk cruisers in the flats this way and cast to them standing in his canoe. I don't think that's a particlarly safe way to fish though and is probably not in the cards if you're in a pontoon boat.

 

Good luck - those are some great lakes you are getting to fish.

 

 

I also have fished Whiteswan many times over the years and will attest and second pig's post (every word). He is BANG ON!Trolling has always been a waste of time for me on that lake. Often I don't even bother with a boat. You can wet wade out and if you can cast a fair distance you can nail some REALLY NICE fish! Mind you like so many mountain lakes it can shut off very quickly. I've spent weeks up there where everyone is trolling their butts off and only one or two fish caught each day, using almost word for word pig's post, I've been in the teens from shore with my numbers. If you want visitors to your campsite - that will do it...sheesh!

 

Best of luck - it's a beautifil and underrated lake IMHO! Canal Flats is a dive, but hey...you can't have it all.

 

P.S. Watch out for skunks! LOL!

[Blackdog]

Was out at Premier last week. Most successful fly fisherman were in 20 feet of water with a 20 foot leader and stike indicator. Anchored of course. Size 14 Perl Pupae Chironomid. Black thread, silver ribbing and perl glass bead head. Two lines can be used. Where...just look north and see where everyone is anchored. Middle of the lake and Within reach for a pontoon boat, but you must be past the closed markers.

[noahtrout]

Thanks for all the advice. much appreciated. Hopefully, some of the tips you board members have sent me will result in a few more hook-ups at the lakes.