Advice On Flies

[DutchDryfly]

As some of you know, I will be visiting SWAB in the last two weeks of September and the first week of October. I decided to do my flies this year a different way. Normally I would ty everything I think I need and put it all over the boxes. This year I will be tying different boxes for different rivers. But I need some advice on what flies for what rivers. I am speaking of dries, nymphs and may be wets. Streamers are already in a seperate box and more then enough are tied.

 

I am planning on fishing the Crow, Oldman, Livingston and tribs, Highwood and Bow. What flies for what rivers would you recommend and may be some rivers can be fished with the same box?

 

As a bonus, if I have time enough, I was also planning on doing a side trip to the Castle and Carbondale. Same question for those two.

 

Naturally I also have my box with me with proven patterns I use all the time.

 

Rob

[Hawgstoppah]

Flies to tie for most all boxes would be:

 

Adams #18

Stonefly nymphs golden and black #6-12

Prince nymph #14-16

Hares ear nymph #14-18

Pheasant tail nymph #14-18

Elk Hair Caddis(tan,light tan, with blue, green, or brown bodies) #14-20

Caddis Puppae imitations #14-18

San Juan worm (wire wrap) #4-12

Blue winged Olive (dry and nymph) #16-22

Stimulator (yellow and orange bodied ones) #6-10

LeTort or other hopper version #6-10

Midge patterns (dry and nymph) #16-22

Black Ant #14-18

 

Clouser minnows and Bow river buggers and various large weighted streamers (Brown, Black, Olive, White,) are some of the best colors. Bull trout streamers 6 inches or more ong, with red on them somewhere. See if the boys will post a pic of the bully streamer they have that looks like a lil' rainbow... those work great, or tie about the same fly like I do but use gold flash, white belly, and brown on top, and a little red flashing around the gill areas.. (looks like a sucker or whitefish and SLAYS 'em)

 

That outta cover pretty much MOST situations. For the small streams I'd be using a hopper / nymph combo.. so make sure most of the nymphs are beadheads..

[OneMoreLastCast]

I agree with Hawgstoppah. What works for one of the mentioned streams, should work for the others as they are in the same network.

The exceptions being the Livingstone and the upper sections of the Highwood and Oldman where Cutthroat will be on the menu.

 

For the Cutthroat, for fun you can tie up some Turk's Tarantulas and Chernobyl Ants.

 

Also, if you are coming in late September the Baetis will be back by then and there will be some good Spinner Falls to be had.

[toolman]

Hi Rob,

Here are a couple of the important insects that will be emerging on the Bow and in most southern rivers, during the time you will be visiting.

Blue winged Olives: http://www.westfly.com/ento/mays/bwo.htm

October Caddis: http://www.westfly.com/ento/caddis/october.htm

 

Don't forget wire wrapped SJW's as well, because I know how much you enjoy worming with an indicator.

 

Greg

[DutchDryfly]

Hi Rob,

Here are a couple of the important insects that will be emerging on the Bow and in most southern rivers, during the time you will be visiting.

Blue winged Olives: http://www.westfly.com/ento/mays/bwo.htm

October Caddis: http://www.westfly.com/ento/caddis/october.htm

 

Don't forget wire wrapped SJW's as well, because I know how much you enjoy worming with an indicator.

 

Greg

 

 

Thanks guys,

 

Just tied the PT Nymphs, so row number one is done.

As for the BWO's, for several years now I only use one pattern for them which works like a charm: Better-winged Olives

 

And Greg, I don't need the SJW BAW-style, I just orded some dew-worms which will be waiting for me when I arrive. I figure if I put them on a hook at the end of my flyline, no one will now that I am actually bait-fishing. Keeps me from getting jarred in the head. Was also thinking of using maggots, but don't want them in the fridge.

 

Rob

[bulltrout]

don't forget some big ass streamers for them bulls as that's their staging time of year...(i'd recommend bunny bugs, clousers, zonkers, and wooly buggers) ...

[birchy]

Flies to tie for most all boxes would be:

 

Adams #18

Stonefly nymphs golden and black #6-12

Prince nymph #14-16

Hares ear nymph #14-18

Pheasant tail nymph #14-18

Elk Hair Caddis(tan,light tan, with blue, green, or brown bodies) #14-20

Caddis Puppae imitations #14-18

San Juan worm (wire wrap) #4-12

Blue winged Olive (dry and nymph) #16-22

Stimulator (yellow and orange bodied ones) #6-10

LeTort or other hopper version #6-10

Midge patterns (dry and nymph) #16-22

Black Ant #14-18

 

Clouser minnows and Bow river buggers and various large weighted streamers (Brown, Black, Olive, White,) are some of the best colors. Bull trout streamers 6 inches or more ong, with red on them somewhere. See if the boys will post a pic of the bully streamer they have that looks like a lil' rainbow... those work great, or tie about the same fly like I do but use gold flash, white belly, and brown on top, and a little red flashing around the gill areas.. (looks like a sucker or whitefish and SLAYS 'em)

 

That outta cover pretty much MOST situations. For the small streams I'd be using a hopper / nymph combo.. so make sure most of the nymphs are beadheads..

 

Alright Brian.. I literally went and bought 2 each of from your list - checked em off as I found them.

 

I'm going to hold you to it now!!

[SteveM]

Alright Brian.. I literally went and bought 2 each of from your list - checked em off as I found them.

 

I'm going to hold you to it now!!

Only 2 of each? That's not nearly enough, Birchy; need at least 6 of each, mang!

[birchy]

Only 2 of each? That's not nearly enough, Birchy; need at least 6 of each, mang!

 

yeh.. that's just for tomorrow!

[Hawgstoppah]

Hehe... hey it's just a really good starting point. You'll probably go out and find a ... uhh....pale winged yellow-purple dragon drake emerger.... tommorow... and that won't be on my list of flies...

[Glenbow]

Hawgstoppah,

I gotta get me one of them which-a-ma-callits. Finally, the catch-all fly.

 

DDF,

Hawgstoppah has it pretty much down. Not much need to stray from that list, but like MTB said, cutty's like some other floaties. I found that the coachman trude & hendricksons (12-14) seem to work for them of late.

[DutchDryfly]

Well, five weeks to go in anticipation. My employer thought it was a good idea to add a little suspense in the mix and informed me that they are thinking of cancelling my vacation.

So besides the question if the rivers are open when arriving, I now have another thing to worry about.

So I keep my fingers crossed and hope for the best.

 

I was planning to meet some of you guys and hope that this will still happen. For those who want it I can PM my cell phone number, probably the week before I leave.

 

Rob

[dryfly]

Rob:

 

Assuming the bossman lightens up some, and you get away....

 

Not sure if mentioned....Always good to have some spent wing Olives in your kit--sizes 18 to 22. Also some small dark brown spent mayflies. A spent Olive is my go-to pattern during a hatch on the Crowsnest and has worked for me well on the Bow as well--way back. A spent seems to cover a hatch as the fish seem to know what spent olives are and I suspect they take the spent patterns for cripples too.

 

Good luck!

 

Clive

PS: Pack your long underwear. It is -2°C this morning in the Pass.

[DutchDryfly]

After receiving the good news yesterday about opening of the FTR, I would have suspected that there was some bad news waiting to happen.

Today my boss officially asked for the costs of canceling my vacation.

I only hope that the costs will be too high for him to cancel my vacation, but I think I have about a 10% chance of getting to Alberta this fall.

 

WORK SUCKS SOMETIMES!!!!!

 

Rob

[HenHackle]

Remind him to factor in the costs of his blown-up car. Hope you get to go.

[ladystrange]

this fly works wonderfully for cutthroat. i tie a bunch of these a year specifically for the carbondale. worked on the castle and livingstone also.

 

tail - dark tiped deer hair

body - peacock herl

wing - white calf's tail

brown hen hackle

 

hook 14 or 16 dry

 

try the gorge at the corner of the adanak road and the carbondale river. lots of bulls down deep

[ladystrange]

I just orded some dew-worms which will be waiting for me when I arrive. I figure if I put them on a hook at the end of my flyline, no one will now that I am actually bait-fishing. Keeps me from getting jarred in the head. Was also thinking of using maggots

 

 

um dutch... i assume you know there are bait bans in most of the rivers?!? my regs are in the truck and i don't feel like looking for them, but i know for sure there is a bait ban including worms in the carbondale. it is also catch and release only from sept 1 to oct 31.

 

besides, fishing with critters is not fly fishing, you might as well bring a spinning rod, a 6 pack and just chuck hardware into a stocked lake with your critters.

 

sorry for being a little bitchy about this but really, the rules are there for a reason, it is spawning time for the bulls and browns. although they have been stressed because of the heat. the rivers in the south have not had a lot of pressure in the last bit because of the fire ban and area closure. but please respect our rules as we have to, leave your worms and check the regs on usage of maggots on certain rivers and at certain times of the year.

 

using means to catch fish that are specifically prohibited by the regs is just as bad as poaching, even if you throw them back.

 

i do hope you manage to not have to cancel your trip out here, kick ur boss in the butt and tell him he's crazy.

[toolman]

Ladystrange, I can assure you, Dutchdryfly was only joking, as he is a conservationist and dryfly purist.

Rob, it is unfortuneate that you may not be able to come over to Canada this year. Tell your boss that we are not happy with his decision and that he should reconsider the long term impact on your fishing spirits if he makes you wait another year.

[ladystrange]

Ladystrange, I can assure you, Dutchdryfly was only joking, as he is a conservationist and dryfly purist.

 

 

ok, i'm sorry

[DutchDryfly]

Ladystrange, as Toolman already mentioned I was just kidding.

 

Yesterday I put my objection officially in writing. Tomorrow afternoon I will have a conversation with my department manager. So hopefully I can convince him to let me go on vacation.

 

As a last resort I am willing to take a laptop with me, so I can do some work in the evenings.

I am just not sure if there are that many wifi hotspots in the area. I found some in Calgary and depending on what site you look 2 in Blairmore.

According to Local.google.com Lost Lemon campground is also a wifi hotspot. This would be great, as I can just camp there and work the evenings while fishing the rest of the day.

This will mean a lot of driving, but hey the company can pay for it.

[Hawgstoppah]

Cancelled Vacation that you have been planning for months = Find a new dang job when you get back

 

Enjoy your holidays man!

[hydropsyche]

Exactly. If the company is that dependant on you, they're not in a good position. What would happen if you got hit by the Lottery?