Goldeye

[cdock]

Anyone ever catch a goldeye on the fly? What flies to they go after and where the heck on the Red Deer would you find them?

[NormanMcLean]

I think you can catch them almost anywhere below the Dam.

I've caught them at Burbank Park where the Blindman river enters the Red Deer.

But that was in my wasted youth before I found a fly rod.

[SilverDoctor]

They take flies very well. Nymphs and dries.

[Riverview]

Anyone ever catch a goldeye on the fly? What flies to they go after and where the heck on the Red Deer would you find them?

 

On the South Saskatchewan near Medicine Hat goldeye are a blast. Nymphing pheasant tail or a prince and dry flyin with a stimulator you can't go wrong. Best spots to find em for me have been near backwater.

[jkind]

Humpy's, hoppers, stimulators, wooly buggers, caddis or whatever is in your flybox.

 

If dead drift isn't working then drag it across the water, if that doesn't work drag your dry fly underwater...if the bite is on sometimes they don't care.

 

I have caught them at Burbank(can get pretty crowded on the weekends), 3 mile Bend, Joffre Bridge...just about anywhere.

 

Joffre Bridge is my favorite...15 minute walk upstream from the bridge.

 

 

Jim

[maxwell]

like others said any bugg dry will slay em if u find em, ive went hopper dropper and had 2 on a few times too and 100 fish between a buddy or two isnt outta the question. there fun on a 2wt...

[Brownstone]

The few times I've been into the goldeye, I was looking through my collection for a fly they WOULD"NT hit...if they are feeding, they will hit ANYTHING..If your fishing with an indie, make sure it has a hook in it...

[RandyS]

Goldeye fishing is a good time use your not so good or flies you know you would never use otherwise. If you can find a goldeye hotspot, anything works as Bloom and I found out a couple of summers ago.

[Saltamontes]

When the Goldeye are feeding they'll hit almost anything that floats, my advice, use the flies that you don't care too much for (easy to tie) and don't mind getting all chewed up. If you are in town, go to the boat launch by Great Chief Park, or try Riverbend Golf Course, down by Joffre Bridge you should find a whack of them, pretty much any deep pool will have those things. Of course wait till the water clears up, hopefully a couple of weeks.

Saltamontes

[rhuseby]

All of the above guys are correct as far as where to fish. I grew up in Blackfalds and used to ride my bike down all summer. The goldeye are up around Red Deer from about the May long weekend to just after Labour Day, then they seem to disappear from that stretch migrating downstream. One of the keys with flies is let them drag a bit if the fish seem reluctant. Just a bit of wake makes a big difference sometimes. Fun, fun fish though.

[flyfishersteven]

They will typically migrate into Red Deer in July and then you can expect to slay never ending numbers, and have them destroy your flies. Ideally I find the best is to us something like a stimulator or hopper w/floatant, and rather than a classic drift when the fly lines up with you're body start lifting your rod tip and let the fly drag across the water. They'll chase that thing down till they destroy it, and it's a heck of a lot of fun. I've had days with hundreds of hits in an hour or so. The odd time you'll even find a nice Brown mixed within them with similar plans for the fly! You can also use a dropper with the same dragging technique, and may even get some double takes. In murky conditions when they are rising less a good dark leech seems to work good.