Dirty Water Dry Flies

[reevesr1]

I have a question for you guys:

When I was on the Liv this weekend, the water was fairly high and somewhat off color. Lets say 3 ft of vis. Certainly fishable, but not the stunningly green and clear water. Noticed that all of the rising fish were in the slower tailouts of runs or in the pools. Every fish we saw was in the quiet stuff. We did not get a fish in fast water. And they were pretty finnicky. Most big stuff wouldn't even get a look, and if it did, would get refused. Not what I would have thought of as cutty behavior in mid August.

 

Do you guys think that water clarity played the biggest role here? Since the water was slow, the fish had lots of time to look and say "try again sucker!".

 

I also remember someone stating that they were having troubles catching cutts on dries this year, but the fish sure seemed healthy. Is it possible that there is more subsurface buy activity this year, and they aren't feeding on surface as eagerly because they don't have to?

 

 

 

 

[maxwell]

i bet they were feeding on dries.. u jsut halfto match teh hatch dude.. take some time look along a back eddy or foam line and match whatever but you see hatching at them... the fish on the heavily hit waters now are getting tougher too catch yes but they are jsut selective like the crow or bow now thats all...... u just gotta match what they are eating!

[TerryH]

I agree with Max. I've had some great August days on the Livingstone when the cutties would do what we all expect from them -- i.e. eat big ugly dry flies, the more legs the better. However, there are times when you need to get specific (pmds, green drakes, bwo's or whatever) and that can also mean go small. Those cutties aren't as dumb as we all think. Terry

 

PS I'm not a pro, but that's my 2 cents worth.

[Taco]

It ain't traditional cutty fishin' but with those fished over picky risers I've found you needed to start droppin' the size of your flies more than matching the hatch, like sz24 and 7x floro if need be. Those fish have seen a bunch of sz16 and over flies. To me the cloudy water just means I don't hafta be quite so sneaky. Treat'em more like a picky Crownest fish

[fishnbugdude]

Had a really regular cut that was refusing natural BWO and a larger may fly - likely green drakes. He was only feeding on winged ants. There were lots of them on the water and he would not even look at anything but. Landed him on a 20 ant pattern. He measured out at a little over 19 inches - hard to tell exactly as we didn't want him out of the water longer than needed. Either way nice fish.

 

Long and short - match the hatch.

[theiceman2]

I had a similar experience on the Oldman a few weeks ago, all of the fish were rising at the tail of the pool, but I couldn't get a rise after throwing stimmys, huptys, PMD's, BWO's....... Then I remembered a while back I bought a bunch of klinkhammer CDC emergers size 20 - 22, and a few sulpher duns from this guide that we stayed with. First cast BOOM! fish on. I had a an epic day on those klinkhammers, give em a shot.

 

 

I should add that the night before was the worst rain storm I had ever seen and the water was low viz, similar to what you describe.

[reevesr1]

What was funny is I did go small. Hooked one fish on the first pass with a #20 mayfly (don't know what type) emerger. Got several refusals after that. Same type of thing with other small stuff, including a couple of different ants around #20 as well. Best fly by far was a #12 yellow sallie type thing (on 4x tippet by the way) from Crappy Tire. Didn't see any big yellow bugs flying around, so I don't think we were exactly matching the hatch! All that said, it's not like we weren't catching fish. Ended up with 20 or so, and if I was worth a crap at hooking fish on dry flies that number would have been much higher.

 

I guess I should have worded the question better. It was actually more about behavior than what to hook them on. Ie, in the higher water the cutties seemed to be all in the pools and tails, with no fish in the faster water. Is that normal? If so, it would change my strategy on these types of days. In truth, had it not been my buddies last opportunity to fish for cutts I would have skipped the day altogether.

 

Also, I've been reading about how the dry fly fishing has been more spotty this year overall from a few sources. Seems like there are many more stories about streamer fishing, nymphing, etc.-some of them from people who fish for cutts alot. I've heard the same thing from people who fish the Elk. Much more nymphing, much less looking up. Put that together with people saying the fish appear very healthy leads me to wonder about their access to underwater sources of food. It's not like suddenly all the cutties suddenly wised up to the fact that we all use big dry flies and decided to skip it this year!!

[bigalcal]

The conditions this year have been unreal. The water there is as high and dirty now, as it was at run off. I think they are saving their energy in the deep fast current and will be rising if and when it drops. Guys...ya had to be there!!

[BBBrownie]

What was funny is I did go small. Hooked one fish on the first pass with a #20 mayfly (don't know what type) emerger. Got several refusals after that. Same type of thing with other small stuff, including a couple of different ants around #20 as well. Best fly by far was a #12 yellow sallie type thing (on 4x tippet by the way) from Crappy Tire. Didn't see any big yellow bugs flying around, so I don't think we were exactly matching the hatch! All that said, it's not like we weren't catching fish. Ended up with 20 or so, and if I was worth a crap at hooking fish on dry flies that number would have been much higher.

 

I guess I should have worded the question better. It was actually more about behavior than what to hook them on. Ie, in the higher water the cutties seemed to be all in the pools and tails, with no fish in the faster water. Is that normal? If so, it would change my strategy on these types of days. In truth, had it not been my buddies last opportunity to fish for cutts I would have skipped the day altogether.

 

Also, I've been reading about how the dry fly fishing has been more spotty this year overall from a few sources. Seems like there are many more stories about streamer fishing, nymphing, etc.-some of them from people who fish for cutts alot. I've heard the same thing from people who fish the Elk. Much more nymphing, much less looking up. Put that together with people saying the fish appear very healthy leads me to wonder about their access to underwater sources of food. It's not like suddenly all the cutties suddenly wised up to the fact that we all use big dry flies and decided to skip it this year!!

 

My experience this year has also been that the cutties have definately been feeding differently with the odd conditions. Most years I don't bother fishing much more than hoppers, ants, stimmies, and maybe a caddis for cutts in August as I've always done well and never needed to think much further into it. This year, I really haven't even seen much activity on the surface of cutt streams, and when I have, in streams like the 'wood, I have been ending up with bows nearly every time, cutts seem to be laying low. I fished the Elk August long and never even saw a cutt longer than 13 ", even though I was landing 24" bulls on the dry. I fished livingstone one day in late July and only caught on buggers, not a single look at any dries, didn't even see a rise! I realize that the obvious solution is nymphs, streamers in some situations, but that is not the experience I am looking for in August so I can't be bothered. Call me stubborn but nymphing is something I do to warm up pre-run off. The fish are there, they are just feeding slightly differently than is usually the case at this time of year. On another note, I have had some outstanding days fishing dries on the bow the past week...

[reevesr1]

Out today on the Liv. Before 4 PM, I would say I saw 4 fish rise to something other than my dry. A bit of surface activity after 4 PM, but nothing consistent at all. Cycled through a bunch of dries, but a yellow madame x size 12 and 18 ant (many ants flying around) were the most consistent. I will say the 6x tippet I ended up at helped. But I HATE messing with tippet that small, my eyes can't take it. I could have done better with hopper dropper, but I resisted temptation.

 

My son spent some time nymphing and did ok. He and my nephew went in one direction and me and my buddy in another. When comparing notes when we met up we did find that none of us caught a single fish in fast water. Still all in pools and tailouts. I did ok on the deep water side of seams as well, with bigger fish hanging out there.

 

So the fishing was not quite what I was looking for. But who cares. Sure the heck is purty.

[Hawgstoppah]

in my years of fishing there, i've found that they almost always hide in the slow tailouts, no matter if it's clear and low, or as you describe. they dont have to use as much energy there and can see predators and fisherman easily. the only time i see most of the fish actually move right into the riffles is when there is an epic hatch on like green drakes, grey drakes, or similar big meaty mayflies. best way to fish the liv is to get around to the back of a pool before you stand beside it trying to fish the riffley "good looking" water, and study where the fish are in the slow stuff before you walk beside it and spook them becuase it's game over pretty much when they see ya.

 

I havent even fished the area much yet this year, the quads, people, and poor fishing compared to 10 yrs ago kind of frustrate me. can't find a single place without a car parked or a random campsite set up with atv's and crap. no longer is it the wilderness experience i long for in my dreams. i've since found other waters with no boots at all

[theiceman2]

I just picked up the "SA 3M Anatomy of a trout stream". This DVD has a Phd in river enotmology walk you thru the river and he talks about water temp and where fish hold durring different water conditions, weather conditions and hatches. I haven't figured it out yet and probably need to watch the DVD another 20 times before being able to apply anything. Worth the 30 bones.

 

Matt

[mikefromsundre]

Dry flies and cutts are really not as easy this year. One very good afternoon on the SRam my wife and I could throw any big foam leggy fly at them and expect a take. However the best fishing was in the faster water at the top of every run. At one run we did not see a single fish from the slower tail of the run where we usually find them(?). Water was higher and faster than normal(?)

Same Tues on the NRam.

However yesterday on the Livingstone fish were mostly in the slower water taking dries and not in the fast. Streamers did find some in the fast water but they were not looking to the surface.

That is what is great about nature -just when you think you know it all something different happens.

[lethfisher]

I just picked up the "SA 3M Anatomy of a trout stream". This DVD has a Phd in river enotmology walk you thru the river and he talks about water temp and where fish hold durring different water conditions, weather conditions and hatches. I haven't figured it out yet and probably need to watch the DVD another 20 times before being able to apply anything. Worth the 30 bones.

 

Matt

 

I am in the process of watching that video as well and wow there is a lot of good info in there. I've only watched maybe 1/2 of it and theres lots to know. the best is he has this giant concrete fish that is painted bright orange that he sticks in the stream and then the camera will zoom in on it so you can see exactly where he is talking about for prime lies. pretty interesting..