2016 Backswimmer Report

[2alarmfishing]

We've seen it over the years where Backswimmer flights are patchy throughout the province. Start reporting the area where you see them. Myself, nothing yet. Obviously too early. How about you?

[Dragless]

I saw one on a little lake around whitecourt and lots of bites on the boatman

[fishman]

The juveniles start to get active last week of August

[Dragless]

Last year this day up in swan hills they were fully "hatching" or doing they're mating flight, haven't seen the first frost yet so that may be a factor that triggers the event either way can't wait I've come up with a new pattern to try loosely based off ur pattern fish man and one I seen on an old sport fishin on the fly episode !

[2alarmfishing]

Let's see a pic of that pattern. I finally found the right foam for the ultimate boatman.

[fishman]

The juvenile backswimmers r immature as they do not mate but act like a hornet teenager . The adults are the maters they r a different colour then the juvenile
The adults usually start mating around end of first week of September. The frost only rushes the ones that havnt mated yet. Usually by October u start fishing boatmen which is funny no one ever posts anything on boatmen, well guess what u don't know what your missing, boAtmen fishing is usually good fishing all day until freeze up

[tallieho]

Originally Posted by 2alarmfishing

Let's see a pic of that pattern. I finally found the right foam for the ultimate boatman.

You can see for yourselve Goggle SFOTF,then there sxs for jennings ultamate boatman.My best bug for the hatches/flights.Used it in 4 different provinces.

[Dragless]

Originally Posted by tallieho

You can see for yourselve Goggle SFOTF,then there sxs for jennings ultamate boatman.My best bug for the hatches/flights.Used it in 4 different provinces.

that the one I like the use of the markers I'm sure those beady red eyes help trigger some bites but I refuse to by those pre made bodies so instead I used just a regular strip of foam folded over a dubbed body blackice and then I made the same patterns on the back with markers , pretty easy peasy pattern cranked out dozen in short order, it's probably not the best pattern but I'm guna go with this for now

[Cowtown guy]

Never done the boatman thing.
Are they fished like a regular dry? Action on it?

[Kingfisher]

Great question Cowtown guy.

First of all a boatman and a backswimmer are two entirely different, but often mistaken identified critters, The backswimmer is long and slender. The boatman is short and fat. It dives down hard onto the surface of the water, to break the water tension So that it can go deposit it's eggs. The reason I wanted to clarify it is because of your question.

Are they fished like a regular fly? The simple answer is NO. You can fish them on a dry line or a wet line. I usually use a dry line for them. The reason is because their swimming action is like a pulse. They swim, swim, swim, then pause. So when they pause they drop down to the bottom. The way you mimic that is exactly as you might think. Strip, strip, pause. Repeat. The reason I said you can use a dry or wet line is that there are lots of variations of flies tied to represent them. I like to use a heavy weighted fly that drops quite quickly. Therefore I use a dry line. I let the fly drop then I use the strip, strip, pause retrieve. That way it picks up the fly and lifts it towards the surface then when I pause it drops it back down. Some times the hits can be crazy violent and they can break even a heavy leader off.

The other line I like to use is a clear intermediate sinking line. I use those on the foam body flies like the one in the post above. That way your line is taking the fly down. You use the same retrieve. But instead of the fly dropping it starts coming back up or suspends in the water column. I have friends that only use the foam body boatman and they swear by them. I've used both and had luck on both. I just prefer the heavier ones on my dry line.

You can find them usually in the spring or fall. I've been on a lake at times when it seems like it is raining as there is splashes on the surface of the water, but not a cloud in the sky. Upon closer inspection it is boatman crashing the surface.

They can be found in lakes and also in slower sections of rivers.

Here is a link to a good article from Phil Rowley on the back swimmer. http://www.flycraftangling.com/index.asp?p=118

[mickeyjim]

Awesome reply man. Thanks for the info.

[fishman]

Well I'm none conventional and there is reason why
I use my design foam backswimmer on a full sink
Line and cast and retrieve two quick pulses and. Stop
When I pause the foam fly float up and when I start
Stripping fly sinks

Most people fish drys why is they see backswimmers at the surface
Well fish chase the backswimmers from deeper water up
80% of the backswimmers r caught by the fish under the surface
People can dispute it my answer is lets go fishing together and u
Use your dry line and I'll bring my flys and sink line and see which
Method works better

[2alarmfishing]

I've had luck with both methods but most success is a foam pattern Backswimmer on full sink line.

[pikergolf]

Originally Posted by Dragless

that the one I like the use of the markers I'm sure those beady red eyes help trigger some bites but I refuse to by those pre made bodies so instead I used just a regular strip of foam folded over a dubbed body blackice and then I made the same patterns on the back with markers , pretty easy peasy pattern cranked out dozen in short order, it's probably not the best pattern but I'm guna go with this for now

For those contemplating tying these, Michaels is a good source for foam. I but mine by the sheet, dirt cheap. They have foam that is suitable for hoppers as well. You may have to get one of the ladies to show where all the foam is, as it is scattered around the store.

[Cowtown guy]

Thanks a bunch

[Flieguy]

I fish backswimmers like an emerger sometimes, statically with a floating line suspended at (not on) the surface and have had great success with this.

I will also fish neutrally buoyant patterns on intermediate or slow sink line mimicking their jerky swimming pattern. As Kingfisher mentioned, the takes can be hard and boatmen are a lot of fun to fish when the fish are keying in on them. I usually use 8lb fluoro

[jgib01]

Originally Posted by Kingfisher

Here is a link to a good article from Phil Rowley on the back swimmer. http://www.flycraftangling.com/index.asp?p=118

I have tied several of these... they are dead easy to whip up, which helps a novice like me, and I have had great luck with them on local stillwaters. My son (who also recently started fly fishing) also loves fishing them, as the takes are often very aggressive and just plain fun to watch.

[Bushrat]

Fishing a private pond an hour and a half west of Edmonton yesterday. There were quite a few Boatmen dropping into the pond and momentarily skittering around on the surface until they went under. Some trout were grabbing on the surface but mostly seemed to prefer them caught in the surface film to a few inches to a few feet underwater. The fishing was non stop. This was mid afternoon till about 7:00 pm. I was using a weighted #12 with peacock herl body, 2 brown and black rubber 'oars' with secondary short brown goose bot legs under the abdomen, natural colored pheasant tail lacquered shell. Also caught a few on floating tan foam boatmen similar to the pictures above but did better under the surface.

[Dragless]

Originally Posted by Bushrat

Fishing a private pond an hour and a half west of Edmonton yesterday. There were quite a few Boatmen dropping into the pond and momentarily skittering around on the surface until they went under. Some trout were grabbing on the surface but mostly seemed to prefer them caught in the surface film to a few inches to a few feet underwater. The fishing was non stop. This was mid afternoon till about 7:00 pm. I was using a weighted #12 with peacock herl body, 2 brown and black rubber 'oars' with secondary short brown goose bot legs under the abdomen, natural colored pheasant tail lacquered shell. Also caught a few on floating tan foam boatmen similar to the pictures above but did better under the surface.

Awsome, the floating foam one is meant to be fished under the surface actually as deep as you like with either full or intermediate sink line

[Bushrat]

Originally Posted by Dragless

Awsome, the floating foam one is meant to be fished under the surface actually as deep as you like with either full or intermediate sink line

Only had a floating line with me so did it arse backward, the fish didn't mind

[goggin]

Where can you buy backswimmer and boatman flies, went to wholesale sports but nothing there

[tallieho]

Icky Fly Works....Top of the page rt.crner...Ultamate boatman,has been v/good,for me.....

[GWS]

2 alarm. wandered onto the wrong forum but found u here.
Can u tie a couple for me to tie on to my pickerel rig

[Dragless]

Originally Posted by GWS

2 alarm. wandered onto the wrong forum but found u here.
Can u tie a couple for me to tie on to my pickerel rig

Lol .... Just buy a fly rod I bet casting a messy old pickle rig is harder than casting a single fly on a fly rod ! And more fun

[pipco]

Howdy,
I was out at a local pothole lake yesterday for about 6 hours and there were only a very few boatman around and at that particular lake the trout were not keying in on them yet.

It was slow. One to the boat, one long release on a pheasant tail back boatman and one on a black leech pattern. All in the weedy areas in about 4-6 ft of water.

I spoke to a fellow that pumped the only fish he caught and it had a few really tiny boatman in it's gut. He figured about size 20 or about 3 mm long. Baby boatman.

Two others I spoke with had caught nothing.

A good frost and it should really pick up.

It is my favorite time of the year to be on the lake when the trouts are going boatman and backswimmer crazy and the leaves are turning color.
Great sunsets this time of year as well.

Stan