Go Back   Alberta Outdoorsmen Forum > Main Category > Fly-Fishing Discussion

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #31  
Old 04-03-2018, 01:00 PM
Don Andersen Don Andersen is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Central Alberta
Posts: 1,794
Default Caterpillars and decent brown

Stryker,

Finally found a hosting site for pictiures.

Click on links below.

Don

https://imgur.com/a/1vTnt

https://imgur.com/YawzEe0
Reply With Quote
  #32  
Old 04-03-2018, 01:15 PM
Stryker2's Avatar
Stryker2 Stryker2 is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 470
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by chinchaga07 View Post
I find the size of the water you are fishing has an effect as well. I am a flowing water guy primarily so the giant streamers I use on the Bow are the exact pattern I use on my favorite frenchmen creeks in Central Alberta. Clousers, Buggers and leeches tied smaller for smaller water but not necessarily smaller fish.

One streamer I have used and love is the masked bandit. It is tied on a size 4 or 6 Octopus hook. Phenomenal fly for Browns on both big and small water. Have yet to try it on still water.
I found the Masked Bandit on You Tube and tied 5 of them of different colors. They are really nice, very compact with the mask and eyes they look great! I can't wait to give them a try, thanks for the tip!
__________________
"I go fishing not to find myself but to lose myself "
~Joseph Monniger
Reply With Quote
  #33  
Old 04-03-2018, 05:15 PM
Stryker2's Avatar
Stryker2 Stryker2 is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 470
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Don Andersen View Post
Stryker,

Finally found a hosting site for pictiures.

Click on links below.

Don

https://imgur.com/a/1vTnt

https://imgur.com/YawzEe0
Nice brown! It's funny I would've never thought about caterpillars being a food source but it makes perfect sense with them falling out of the trees. What a fantastic observation that paid great dividends! Thanks for sharing your pics!
__________________
"I go fishing not to find myself but to lose myself "
~Joseph Monniger
Reply With Quote
  #34  
Old 04-03-2018, 05:53 PM
Don Andersen Don Andersen is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Central Alberta
Posts: 1,794
Default

Stryker...

Never rely on catapollar to be a planned hatch. In nearly 60 years, this is the one and only time I saw this type of activity/hatch.
The second day would have been a repeat if the wind hadn't switched 180 just before I got to the hot spot. The "rise" died within minutes upon wind switch.
Bear in mind this was Manitoba and the popular trees were taking a **** kicking from caterpillars .


Don
Reply With Quote
  #35  
Old 04-03-2018, 06:48 PM
Don Andersen Don Andersen is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Central Alberta
Posts: 1,794
Default

Stryker...

Never rely on catapollar to be a planned hatch. In nearly 60 years, this is the one and only time I saw this type of activity/hatch.
The second day would have been a repeat if the wind hadn't switched 180 just before I got to the hot spot. The "rise" died within minutes upon wind switch.
Bear in mind this was Manitoba and the popular trees were taking a **** kicking from caterpillars .


Don
Reply With Quote
  #36  
Old 04-03-2018, 08:55 PM
coyoteman coyoteman is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 1,007
Default Muddler Minnow

The Muddler Minnow a must have, for the big browns, The Muddler is a fantastic pattern. Its range of imitations includes the sculpins, chubs, little trout, crayfish, mice, grasshoppers, stone or cadis flies.
I have found over the years, a number 6 -9672 hook the best overall size.
A simple easy to tie fly. Try olives, black, white, browns, and golden yellow.
__________________
coyoteman
Visit my blog:
http://albertadawn.blogspot.com
Reply With Quote
  #37  
Old 04-04-2018, 11:18 AM
Stryker2's Avatar
Stryker2 Stryker2 is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 470
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by coyoteman View Post
The Muddler Minnow a must have, for the big browns, The Muddler is a fantastic pattern. Its range of imitations includes the sculpins, chubs, little trout, crayfish, mice, grasshoppers, stone or cadis flies.
I have found over the years, a number 6 -9672 hook the best overall size.
A simple easy to tie fly. Try olives, black, white, browns, and golden yellow.
Great suggestion... Get some practice tying them, I always struggle somewhat with the wings.
__________________
"I go fishing not to find myself but to lose myself "
~Joseph Monniger
Reply With Quote
  #38  
Old 04-04-2018, 02:26 PM
scel scel is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 521
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Stryker2 View Post
Great suggestion... Get some practice tying them, I always struggle somewhat with the wings.
You know what, I struggled tying them too. The wing is important for the fly to keel properly.

I discovered Galloup's Zoo Cougar. I no longer fish the muddler; the zoo cougar seems to outfish it in almost every situation. It fills the same niche as a lightweight deer-hair fly that moves a lot of water for the size. I like zoo cougars on Dai Riki 710 sz2-8. They become more challenging to tie in sz2 (finding the right mallard flank to fit the fly) and sz8 (keeping the fly proportions in check). In sz6 and sz8, cutties cannot resist them either. They are great in many colours, but the classic yellow seems to drag in the most browns though.

I must admit though, the muddler scales better to smaller flies, but when I tie on a streamer I am not usually looking for subtlety.
Reply With Quote
  #39  
Old 04-04-2018, 07:45 PM
Stryker2's Avatar
Stryker2 Stryker2 is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 470
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by scel View Post
You know what, I struggled tying them too. The wing is important for the fly to keel properly.

I discovered Galloup's Zoo Cougar. I no longer fish the muddler; the zoo cougar seems to outfish it in almost every situation. It fills the same niche as a lightweight deer-hair fly that moves a lot of water for the size. I like zoo cougars on Dai Riki 710 sz2-8. They become more challenging to tie in sz2 (finding the right mallard flank to fit the fly) and sz8 (keeping the fly proportions in check). In sz6 and sz8, cutties cannot resist them either. They are great in many colours, but the classic yellow seems to drag in the most browns though.

I must admit though, the muddler scales better to smaller flies, but when I tie on a streamer I am not usually looking for subtlety.
Yes I don't know if my Turkey quill is to old and dry but it seems to want to split all the time! With that comes many swear words!
I like the looks of the Zoo Cougar, I think I'll be tying a few of those. Thanks for the tip!
__________________
"I go fishing not to find myself but to lose myself "
~Joseph Monniger
Reply With Quote
  #40  
Old 04-05-2018, 11:24 AM
Stryker2's Avatar
Stryker2 Stryker2 is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 470
Default Thanks for the ideas!

I just want to say thanks to all of you who piped in and gave me great suggestions and tips on technique for my conquest of Browns. I will let you know how I did at the end of the season, in the meantime maybe see some of you at Reid's fly shop on Saturday. It's owned by a very nice young man I got to know at WS, he texted me this morning and sounded pretty excited about his new venture! Tight Lines!
__________________
"I go fishing not to find myself but to lose myself "
~Joseph Monniger
Reply With Quote
  #41  
Old 04-09-2018, 04:25 PM
jgmcleod jgmcleod is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 4
Default Brown's in Alberta

I have not been successful at catching browns since I was on the Old Man near Fort MacLeod over 20 years ago. Is there any one successfully catching Browns around Calgary.

Reply With Quote
  #42  
Old 04-09-2018, 04:35 PM
scel scel is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 521
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by jgmcleod View Post
I have not been successful at catching browns since I was on the Old Man near Fort MacLeod over 20 years ago. Is there any one successfully catching Browns around Calgary.
The Bow River has a catch rate of rainbows:browns about 6:1. If you fish dusk/dawn, it can go up to 1:1. At this time of year, when the rainbows start their spawning run, I have caught 1:2.
Reply With Quote
  #43  
Old 04-09-2018, 04:39 PM
jgmcleod jgmcleod is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 4
Default Thanks for the info.

Reply With Quote
  #44  
Old 04-09-2018, 05:31 PM
ShortsideK ShortsideK is offline
Banned
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 389
Default

I've caught browns on quite an assortment of flies.
I've become somewhat of a minimalist recently and usually only take about 1000 or so flies with me everytime I go fishing. I'm a putz! Hahahahahaha!
Reply With Quote
  #45  
Old 04-09-2018, 06:09 PM
Mr Flyguy Mr Flyguy is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 1,574
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by ShortsideK View Post
I've caught browns on quite an assortment of flies.
I've become somewhat of a minimalist recently and usually only take about 1000 or so flies with me everytime I go fishing. I'm a putz! Hahahahahaha!
You can always plead the 5th!
__________________
I fish, therefore I am.
Reply With Quote
  #46  
Old 04-09-2018, 07:07 PM
ShortsideK ShortsideK is offline
Banned
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 389
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr Flyguy View Post
You can always plead the 5th!
Once again, a vote of confidence from Mr. Flyguy.
Reply With Quote
  #47  
Old 04-09-2018, 08:25 PM
Mr Flyguy Mr Flyguy is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 1,574
Default

My best brown (21 inch) in the Bow River was taken on a Chernobyl Hopper flipped right into the edge of a run.

The Morrish Medusa is a good bet for pounding the banks in high water.
__________________
I fish, therefore I am.
Reply With Quote
  #48  
Old 04-09-2018, 08:37 PM
Stryker2's Avatar
Stryker2 Stryker2 is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 470
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by ShortsideK View Post
I've caught browns on quite an assortment of flies.
I've become somewhat of a minimalist recently and usually only take about 1000 or so flies with me everytime I go fishing. I'm a putz! Hahahahahaha!
Then I guess I'm a minimalist as well!!
__________________
"I go fishing not to find myself but to lose myself "
~Joseph Monniger
Reply With Quote
  #49  
Old 04-11-2018, 09:34 PM
goldscud goldscud is offline
 
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 2,960
Default

Hoppers never work
Reply With Quote
  #50  
Old 04-11-2018, 09:59 PM
Stryker2's Avatar
Stryker2 Stryker2 is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 470
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by goldscud View Post
Hoppers never work
Wow!! That is a beauty! Yes hoppers in a river but probably not so much in a lake.LOL!
__________________
"I go fishing not to find myself but to lose myself "
~Joseph Monniger
Reply With Quote
  #51  
Old 04-19-2018, 10:58 AM
ghostguy6's Avatar
ghostguy6 ghostguy6 is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: edmonton
Posts: 3,116
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by newflyfisherman View Post
I like Galloup's big articulated streamers. Any of them are good. Peanut envy, sex dungeons. My favorite by far is the barely legal. Olive maribou over white maribou. Big browns like big meals. This is a sex dungeon I tied a while back. My deer hair work is trash but it still fishes lol

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk
Who names these flies? Im still trying to learn what flies are what but there are some names that should not be searched on google
__________________
" Everything in life that I enjoy is either illegal, immoral, fattening or causes cancer!"

"The problem was this little thing called the government and laws."
Reply With Quote
  #52  
Old 04-19-2018, 11:21 AM
frederickwreid frederickwreid is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 15
Default I'm a dry man myself...

I really like fishing dries for Browns (and Brookies for that matter...) I find that a little mosquito pattern (sz. 14-16) works well. Alternatively, I also like tying the little black fly with a red tail (sz. 16).

Nothing like a decent fish on a dry fly.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg IMG_4978.jpg (17.9 KB, 45 views)
File Type: jpg IMG_5339.jpg (32.8 KB, 42 views)
Reply With Quote
  #53  
Old 04-19-2018, 02:06 PM
Stryker2's Avatar
Stryker2 Stryker2 is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 470
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by frederickwreid View Post
I really like fishing dries for Browns (and Brookies for that matter...) I find that a little mosquito pattern (sz. 14-16) works well. Alternatively, I also like tying the little black fly with a red tail (sz. 16).

Nothing like a decent fish on a dry fly.
Hi Frederick...I only started catching fish with dries last year, it was the most exciting thing I've ever experienced! Never had any luck with them before, with that being said I now try harder with dry flies, so I will give your black fly with a red tail a try! Thanks for the tip.
Nice little brown you have there! I think that's a brown?
__________________
"I go fishing not to find myself but to lose myself "
~Joseph Monniger
Reply With Quote
  #54  
Old 04-20-2018, 09:48 AM
frederickwreid frederickwreid is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 15
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Stryker2 View Post
Hi Frederick...I only started catching fish with dries last year, it was the most exciting thing I've ever experienced! Never had any luck with them before, with that being said I now try harder with dry flies, so I will give your black fly with a red tail a try! Thanks for the tip.
Nice little brown you have there! I think that's a brown?
HAHAHA - nice "Little Brown." That was a decent fish - of course, I never saw your beauty just a couple posts above!

I've done most of my fly fishing in Newfoundland, having only moved to Alberta last year. It took some time to get settled - but I'm looking forward to finding some running water to sling a few dries this year.
Reply With Quote
  #55  
Old 04-20-2018, 01:38 PM
Stryker2's Avatar
Stryker2 Stryker2 is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 470
Default

[QUOTE=frederickwreid;3773767]HAHAHA - nice "Little Brown." That was a decent fish - of course, I never saw your beauty just a couple posts above! \

Not mine!
__________________
"I go fishing not to find myself but to lose myself "
~Joseph Monniger
Reply With Quote
  #56  
Old 04-20-2018, 02:08 PM
bitterrootfly bitterrootfly is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: South West Alberta and K-Country
Posts: 421
Default Personal Favorites for Brown trout

Brown Trout have never been super picky whenever I get to spend time in their presence, that being said my three best (22, 24, 27inches) have all come on either stoneflies during an early (4am early) hatch or off of nymphs (San Juan, wire and blood worms: sizes 6-12) during runoff throughout June. But I really don’t know much, haven’t fly fished for long or even experienced that much (just finishing high school) so I don’t know how these would work on still water fisheries.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg B00FE8FB-6E87-4E4D-9BBB-706E3601FA1E.jpg (24.9 KB, 29 views)
Reply With Quote
  #57  
Old 04-20-2018, 03:05 PM
Stryker2's Avatar
Stryker2 Stryker2 is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 470
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by bitterrootfly View Post
Brown Trout have never been super picky whenever I get to spend time in their presence, that being said my three best (22, 24, 27inches) have all come on either stoneflies during an early (4am early) hatch or off of nymphs (San Juan, wire and blood worms: sizes 6-12) during runoff throughout June. But I really don’t know much, haven’t fly fished for long or even experienced that much (just finishing high school) so I don’t know how these would work on still water fisheries.
For a guy that doesn't know much, you sure have caught some nice sized browns!! Well I'll certainly be trying those patterns as well. Your input is much appreciated!
__________________
"I go fishing not to find myself but to lose myself "
~Joseph Monniger
Reply With Quote
  #58  
Old 04-20-2018, 03:24 PM
Jayhad Jayhad is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 2,049
Default

97% of my fishing is for browns on the small creeks and for the last few seasons i only carry one fly..... MFC Coffey's Sparkle Minnow
Reply With Quote
  #59  
Old 04-21-2018, 12:17 PM
Stryker2's Avatar
Stryker2 Stryker2 is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 470
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jayhad View Post
97% of my fishing is for browns on the small creeks and for the last few seasons i only carry one fly..... MFC Coffey's Sparkle Minnow
One would have to have a lot of confidence in a fly to only carry one!
__________________
"I go fishing not to find myself but to lose myself "
~Joseph Monniger
Reply With Quote
  #60  
Old 04-21-2018, 03:54 PM
FlyTheory's Avatar
FlyTheory FlyTheory is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 1,478
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Stryker2 View Post
One would have to have a lot of confidence in a fly to only carry one!
Yeah it’s a good setup. Sparkleminnows are great. Follow Kelly galloups instructions if you want to fish it as Jayhad does. Pretty effective!
__________________
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 01:54 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.5
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.