Fly Fishing with Cat Toy
Follow me in my sharing of happiness in fly fishing and the adventures ahead!
Friday, January 8, 2021
Togens Scud 3X Hooks Review
Sunday, December 6, 2020
Fly Fishing and Reading the River
The river resonates trickles, bubbles, and ripples with the existence of what a river is. The river is the promise land to the fly angler for catching stunning trout. It is a real priority to take the time to read the river to make a day on the river a success before the first cast. Taking the time to read the water is a divine tool to help determine the most likely places where fish are gathering.
Stand and observe a fair distance from the river to read the river. Take a deep breath, sip on your coffee, and study the surroundings. Observe the bugs flittering in the air, what is crawling on you, or hopping and landing on your wader boots. Don’t be that guy clomping right into the fish pot and running down all the fish. Cool your jets of excitement and transition into what the river has to offer. Here are some sections on the river to look for on your next visit.
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Listen to the riffle. |
Seek the riffles, or shallow section of the river where water cascades over rocks creating a surface disturbance. Riffles are choppy at the surface riding over rocks in the water. These shallow riffles are highly oxygenated for the trout, and it can be a fantastic habitat for aquatic insects to fancy the fish to eat. The deeper riffles with rocks and boulders offer fish rest and a spot to hunker down away from predators. Where riffles drop off into a deeper section of water gives the fish a lagging current and many great offerings of insects that are sweeping over the edge.
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A fishy run. |
Runs are an area directly below from the riffles and where the water current become more uniform and deeper. Runs are an excellent location to look for trout in a river or stream. Fish seek shelter in the deeper water as well as the near vicinity for a feast. Fish often suspend at the edge of the current or drift along the bottom eating bugs that are surrendered downstream below the riffle.
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The foamy bubbly trails identify a seam. |
A seam is any region where two adjacent water currents converge where one is slower then the other. This could be an obstruction such as a log, a boulder, or an extension of the shore which causes a distinct disruption from the main current flow. Trout fancy the seams and foamy bubble trails as they create feeding lanes that collect and deliver food.
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Pools are great for beginners to learn how to fly fish. |
A pool is the deepest segment of a river with a leisure moving current. I like to call these sections, fish pots. Fish will often advance to a pot on brilliant, sunny day, or if they sense danger. Quite often, the big fish typically may spend a good portion of their day in these pools where they are less active. Approach quietly and a little distance from the river banks before the cast. Fish near to far.
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An eddy disrupting the river flow. |
An eddy is a point of where structures or an depression of the riverbank such as a sizable boulder, a log, or a fallen tree disturbs the river current and direction flow. Directly downstream of the object, a pocket of swirling water will form opposite the main direction of current flow. Fish are fond of eddies because they entrap and channel concentrated food sources drifting by in the current. Look for foam or bubbles collecting on the surface of the water where the main current meets up with the swirling water and place your casts there.
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The tailout is the calm water above before the action of the riffle. |
A tailout is a shallow, even section at the end of a pool before the water descents down into another riffle. A natural funnel is formed which carries anything drifting downstream directly to the fish. Fish will often reprieve in a tailout and sip on hatching insects off the surface as they float by. Look for rising fish and get your dry fly on for your cast. If the fish are not rising, be very stealth with your approach and quietly cast your nymphs.
Below the water surface, search for changes in the river such as shelves, gravel beds, bends, and contours of the river bottom. Fish will often be slumbering and feeding on the deeper side of these areas. Fish frequently rest in the poky current below the drop-off from a riffle gorging on insects that come over the brim.
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Fish those shallow waters! |
Don’t overlook the shallows. We may think we can spot trout particularly when the sun is at its highest point in the day. You maybe pleasantly surprised with casting into the shallows, a surprising take. I have caught lots of fish in the shallows particularly with dry fly on smaller creeks. Many of these shallow sections hold cups, shelves, and unseen structure that can provided the perfect camouflage cover for the aggressive trout.
Consider the time of day in your planning with morning and evenings. These times of the day generally are the best times to fish in the day. Conditions are typically cooler, shadows are elongated, and the insect hatches are usually of greater prevalence.
Before making the first cast, take the time to read the river. Select a section of the river and which structure to target. Experience is the key to success. Taking the time to understand the bubbles, plash, and the segments of the river can lead you to a very prosperous day of catching many fish. See you on the river!
Sunday, October 25, 2020
Gear Reviews WORN, Togen's Fly Shop, Loon Outdoors
Monday, October 12, 2020
ShopMcfly
Wednesday, September 30, 2020
The Brown Trout Spawning Season is Near
As autumn moves in with her golden scarlet vibrant hues, the wind will whisper the tumble of the turning leaves. The flaming foliage will settle to the earth as the warmest of dusting snowfalls will push into the months of September and October with the sparkle under the morning frost. Fall brings the brown trout spawn with some incredible fishing opportunities. There are many ways to enjoy catching beautiful brown trout while still protecting the outdoors while they spawn.
The brown trout are also known as the German browns (Salmo Trutta) are known to be some of the more guarded and helter skelter trout for the angler. We are drawn to these attractive trout by their irresistible golden brown body, illuminated with black and red spots on their sides, and their butter yellow underbellies. Their pectoral fins are painted with the distinct white margins on the lower edges. They can thrive on some poor water quality conditions than other species of trout, and they are less susceptible to parasites. These hardy trout fancy hiding beneath undercut banks, or hunkering down near the belly of a river until darkness falls.
A trout of less than one year in age is called a parr. At this stage in their life, they are recognized as young trout. They have distinctive characteristics or parr marks along their sides, and they will loose these marks as they grow older. Parr have similar dwelling needs as the fry with plenty of areas to hide from predators. They are able to flourish in swifter and deeper water. These pocket-size brown trout will feed on chironomid larvae, small arthropods, and nymphs. Young brown trout have a greater chance of survival once they reach a few inches in size.
Friday, September 18, 2020
Togens Fly Shop
Togens Fly Shop has an amazing selection of hooks, threads, beads, fly tying materials and tools, as well as fly fishing accessories. My favorite styles of hooks are the scud hooks in size 16, 18, and 20s. If you are into Euro nymphing, they carry 60 degree jig style hooks and slotted beads.
Saturday, August 8, 2020
United Women on the Fly for August Fly Girl
Monday, June 29, 2020
Cat's Candy Cane Zebra
Friday, June 26, 2020
Fishing during a Trout Spawn
Wednesday, June 17, 2020
The WildStream Searcher Fly Rod
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The WildStream Searcher found this rainbow trout. |
www.wildstreamfishing.com
775-737-1306
Monday, June 8, 2020
Togens Fly Shop Pro Team Profile ~ Cat Toy
I'm proud to announce that I am officially now a part of the Togens Fly Shop Pro Team! Check out my new profile on Togens website here:
https://togensflyshop.com/pages/pro-team
Thursday, June 4, 2020
The Hidden Hydraulic Gem
Be cognizant of both sides of the rock. Most rocks are not perfectly smooth and currents will pick up speed long the sides of a rock. Convexities of the rocks create decent cushions of lagging water. Fish have an upper hand of optical perspectives of food drifting past than from behind the rock.
The fish will move about as their habitude may change in and around the rocks for protection against predators, seek refuge from the current, and search for the steady source of food. Hunt for the rocks and give a cast wisely in front of the rocks. Share your stories with me of your impressive catches. See you on the river!