anyone catching right now?

[BugChuckingFlies]

Now i am aware of a fly fishing section i thought i would head here to see if anyone is catching right now.

I brought my first fly rod for the long weekend and have now spent 4 days around 20- 26 hours total, jumping between Sauer lake and Chickarkoo lake without a single bite.

Today I even thought i would "play the game" i suppose you could say. I noticed the trout are feeding in the evening on the surface on the mosquitos. off i went today and purchased some dry mosquito flies on a size 14. just got home now after trying it, and nada still.

I by no means on the verge of giving up, i am very much enjoying the challenging and love being outside. However, i would be lying if i said i wasn't getting frustrated....

I am curious, is anyone else catching right now? is any experienced fly fishermen able to offer some solid advance that might help me bag my first one?

[fish gunner]

Slow but seady action , on a small stocked pond ,very lite takes today. Half a doz to hand but missed twice that many in 3hrs.

[biggyJ]

Without seeing what the rise looks like, Are you sure they are eating a drylfy up top? Could be grabbing emergers in the film near the surface.

It is probably midges that they are eating and not Mosquitos.

Could try something like a griffiths gnat up top in a small size like 20-22, then tie on a tiny black zebra midge underneath. Tie this hook to the bend on the upper dryfly. Make sure to load the dry up with gink to prevent sinking.

If they take the dry it will be obvious, if they take the nymph you will see dry dunk underneath. Set your hook in either case.

Also, since you are new, I would use something like a 4x or 5x tippet to tie them on.

Good luck

[scel]

Originally Posted by BugChuckingFlies

Now i am aware of a fly fishing section i thought i would head here to see if anyone is catching right now.

I brought my first fly rod for the long weekend and have now spent 4 days around 20- 26 hours total, jumping between Sauer lake and Chickarkoo lake without a single bite.

Today I even thought i would "play the game" i suppose you could say. I noticed the trout are feeding in the evening on the surface on the mosquitos. off i went today and purchased some dry mosquito flies on a size 14. just got home now after trying it, and nada still.

I by no means on the verge of giving up, i am very much enjoying the challenging and love being outside. However, i would be lying if i said i wasn't getting frustrated....

I am curious, is anyone else catching right now? is any experienced fly fishermen able to offer some solid advance that might help me bag my first one?

Fly fishing is somewhat voodoo. This is my experience, and I am not saying it is entirely correct.

Personally, I have never caught a fish on a dry fly without first seeing rising fish. If the fish are not rising, you should try a few subsurface techniques, like nymphing or streamers. chironomids and leeches are my lake go-to flies. There are tons of youtube videos on nymphing and streamer fishing.

If fish are rising, they tend to be eating a specific bug. Most people who are used to chucking gear are surprised by how small the hooks are that catch big fish. A size 14 is actually a pretty big dry fly. If you are certain the fish are eating mosquitoes, I would first try a smaller fly. My go-to size for most Alberta trout is size 16. While mosquitos are a common Alberta bug, they tend to breed and grow in small stagnant water. This means that they are not common trout food, who prefer cool, well oxygenated water. It is very possible that a mosquito is not the bug they are used to eating at this time of year. I also know that trout eat mosquitos---this is just my experience.
Fly fishers tend to bark the mantra 'match the hatch'. It basically means make sure you are use flies that look like the bugs that are common at that time of year. I would try a mayfly or damselfly instead.

i was skunked the first 4 times I went fly-fishing (about 30 hours). I would recommend reading Jim McLennan's "Trout Streams of Alberta". I know you have mostly hit the lakes, but it is a comprehensive view of Alberta bugs and solid advice on techniques that are definitely transferable to still water.

Good luck.

[lannie]

It might be something as simple as a bit thinner and longer tippet. Try to tie your fly on to the tippet without tightening your knot on the eyelet so it turns over nice and lands naturally. A good dry to have and use when your new and a bit unsure is a Elk hair Caddis in a size 12 or 14 or an adams. Use a bit of floatant like gink and just a tiny bit of it. If you are chasing pond trout this should be enough to get something on the end.

[Steve fly guy]

i fished for a year and a half with nothing but a front row to frustration, I studied every text i could find, magazine and tv show. after that, I still was spotty at best with good days and my share of skunked days. this past year I joint my local fishing club to really " nerd out" and learn all that I can and benefit from the years of experience. this year has been wonderful so far... now my time on the water is spent implementing everything i have learned. Well worth it as fishing time is short.
to the point of the thread, lakes can be a cruel mistress... feeding happens at all levels of the water and what may appear as surface dry fly action could be emergers or aquatic incests that come to the surface to breathe, case in point boatmen/ backswimmers. Fish the top, then subsurface, then mid depth then bomb the bottom. from leaches to streamers, midges to baetis lakes hold them all and in good numbers at time.

Stick it out, learn and try new things everytime and don't be afraid to ask some one on the water what pattern and why its working. a fisherman who has had a successful day loves to tell stories.

Try listening to the " orvis fly fishing podcasts" found on either iTunes or on the orvis website, Tom covers everything and in good depth. it is a critical tool for any angler.

[rycoma]

Practice,practice and patience. It takes a long time to be real successful at this sport. For me at least 20 years lots of fish less days and then one season it all changed. You learn where to put flies what type of fly how to mend to archive drag free drift on the surface and sub surface. Reading the water is super critical and it is different for every species. Keep with it and it will happen. Try some smaller creeks when they open you may be surprised

[bbbyro]

Get some sinking line. Tie on a Ruby eye leach. Cast as far as You van. Let it sink to bottom, strip the line in using agressive 1" strips.
Be ready for a Strike.

[lds]

Get a mentor to fish with. You can read a hundred articles to figure out some simple things that a well experienced fly fisherman can show you in a very short time just cuz they can see what you are doing right and wrong. If you don't have someone to fish with. Watch in the loop on wild tv if you have it. Best fly fishing show out there with the most helpful info IMO

[fish gunner]

Headed to another local stocked pond ..and skunk. Lots of fish on but none to hand. less than five miles apart and the flyes and methods were a no go . Tiny chartruse or black flyes fished in the surface film illiceted many strikes but no joy
how a fish can hit a sz18 and not get hooked is beyond me. The quest continues

[Doc]

Here are some stillwater articles that should help you out.

Overlooking Midge Larva?

Floating Lines For Stillwaters

Finding The Strike Zone

Hanging Flies - Multi Presentations