Picabo Angler

Pee-Ka-Boo is a Native American word meaning "Shining Waters."

Picabo Angler is a destination: A full-service fly shop & outfitter located on the banks of world-renowned Silver Creek

August 7, 2016

August 7, 2016

ON STREAM ACCESS, PRIVATE PROPERTY AND “GREENIES.”

I have some very good friends who hail from the state of Colorado, but every time I see a car pass by with Colorado plates I feel resentful. The reason is that while these “greenies” can come up to Idaho and Montana to fish within the mean high water marks of our great trout streams, Colorado does not extend reciprocity to us foreigners. I felt the same way when I heard that people from the great United States are/were limited to ten consecutive days on steelhead rivers in British Columbia.

In law school I took a bunch of environmental and resources law courses, including Water Resources Law. In that seminar I learned a lot about fishing access on western rivers. In the 13 original colonies the “riparian” doctrine governs access; adjacent property holders own the bed of rivers and can make “reasonable use” of the flow. Out in the western territories prior to statehood, the first person who “appropriated” water from rivers gained superior use rights, but the riverbed was subject to a federal “navigation servitude,” i.e. the federal government owned the bed of any river that was historically “navigable.” For example, if the river was used in commerce even if it was just a vehicle for floating logs.

In 1954, Congress passed the “Submerged Lands Act” which left it up to individual western states to decide whether the river bed would be owned by adjacent land owners or by the general public in trust. Some states (including Idaho and Montana) passed statutes giving title up to the mean high water level to landowners but allowing fishermen to enter within the mean high water mark at intersections such as county roads or public lands. Some states achieved the same result by judicial decision. But, a number of states gave title of the bed to adjacent landowners, including Colorado and Wyoming, and did not enact a “stream access law” like we have in Idaho. The result is that large portions of blue ribbon waters in Colorado and Wyoming cannot be fished by the general public if they intend to anchor a boat, wade fish or otherwise touch the bottom on a side of a river that is not bordered by public lands. The North Platte River, for example, has signs along the stream bank notifying floaters when they are floating past privately owned lands. In Colorado a number of landowners have formed private fishing clubs with the result that public access to these waters is next to impossible.

On Silver Creek and many other spring creeks, the “mean high water mark” is essentially vertical, i.e. when the creek flow subsides no ground is exposed. However, one can still enter the creek at a county road crossing such as Kilpatrick Bridge. You can also enter the creek with the permission of landowners. One notable landowner is the Nature Conservancy which allows the pubic to walk across terra firma to access the creek. Nick Purdy has allowed walking access down stream of Highway 20 for quite some time and recently gave a permanent easement of record regarding some of that property. He has even installed stiles so that anglers can cross over the barbed wire fences without destroying their waders. Access to waters of the Double R Ranch (up stream of Highway 20), however, is limited to Members of the fishing club. Although the general public is free to float tube fish The Pond, and may float from Kilpatrick Bridge down to Highway 20, they may not exit the creek onto the banks or the islands because there is no mean high water mark; it is a long float better undertaken on the long days of June and July.

It is the 100 plus Members of the Double R Fishing Club who have funded the stream restoration efforts undertaken by Nick Purdy over the past decade. The focus has been on lowering stream temperatures and removing silt inherited from upstream neighbors following 100 years of now outdated agricultural practices (e.g. flood irrigation, grazing livestock to the banks, etc.) We have not received one cent of public money; the entire $1.5 million we’ve spent has been contributed by members, the Purdys and private grants. Contrary to popular belief, the restoration efforts have not solely benefited the Double R stretch of Silver Creek. The average angler may not realize the extent to which the creek’s trout, both Rainbow and Browns, migrate seasonally throughout the creek. The Brown trout, in particular, hang down below Highway 20 until two thing have occurred: the end of the Brown Drake hatch and the annual warming of the water. The dredging of The Pond, the reduction of its surface area (by building islands and abandoning part of shallow areas) has lowered the temperature coming out of the new dam (with bottom release capabilities) by 3 to 5 degrees depending on when temperature is measured. Whereas before the Project the water warmed at a rate of 25 degree per mile in The Pond, now the warming rate is closer to the 2 degrees per mile experienced in the rest of the creek. Indeed, the coldest measured water temperatures are now immediately below the spillway/fish ladder of the new dam. No matter their location, virtually all of Silver Creek trout benefit from cooler water. I am convinced that had we not performed the Project we would have seen fish kills down by Picabo Bridge.

Doug Andres, Stream Keeper, Double R Ranch

 

August 6, 2016

August 6, 2016

Double R fishing club Members, If you will be around on Saturday, September 10, mark your calendar because it is the date of the third annual “Stream Keeper’s Paella Party.” The festivities start at 5:00 p.m. at the Gazebo. I’ll be providing my now infamous Paella, a Heirloom Tomato Salad, Roasted Sweet Peppers, Watermelon, Big Wood Epi bread and, for dessert, Grilled Peaches with Vanilla Ice Cream. You bring whatever you plan to be drinking and an appetizer. Please, NO salads, side dishes or desserts!

Doug Andres, Stream Keeper, Double R Ranch

 

August 5, 2016

August 5, 2016

Weekend Fishing Forecast.

You need to check the weather site in which you have the most confidence. I had overheard a guy in the Picabo Store stating that there is a 30 percent chance of rain on Saturday and a 60 percent chance on Sunday. However, the Weather Underground site lists a more conservative 15 percent chance. There will be some wind for the next 3 days. The air temperatures sill moderate somewhat, which I am thankful for given that the air conditioning in my truck pooped out and I can’t get it recharged until Tuesday afternoon. With the possibility of cool morning air temperatures and maybe periodic overcast skies, I would keep an eye out for Blue Winged Olives; if a BWO hatch starts and then is diminished by the wind I would consider fishing a BWO nymph, a BWO emerger and/or a BWO cripple pattern.

This morning it was 42 degrees when I got outside to feed the cats. There was no wind to speak of, so my sense was that we might have a nice Blue Winged Olive hatch early morning. When I got out in the field just about all beats were taken so I ended up fishing Beat #9. I pretty much just sat there for a half hour. Then I started to see a few BWOs drifting by my float tube and some rises. At one point the wind came up from the west and the rising trout were confined to a 10 foot wide calm stretch over against the road side of the creek. You take what she gives you. I tied on my favorite BWO dun pattern in a size 20 and cast in a manner that dropped the line on the water parallel to the bank, so that I would get an extended drag free float. I could actually see the fly at quite a distance. I landed 3 trout and missed a half dozen other fish. The Trico hatch did not start on this beat until 9:45 a.m. and was short lived. When it subsided I switched to a #18 Rusty Spinner and had a couple of trout charge the fly before changing their minds; it as nerve wracking.

The thing about fishing the Double R these days is that one has to be observant, checking the spider webs to figure out what are the likely suspects and then watch the water surface to identify the offending culprit.

This morning I was surrounded by about 20 fish feeding off the bottom weeds which looked like Whitefish. I had heard that the creek had a population of Whitefish years ago but that the Browns had made them extinct. I checked with Greg Loomis and he educated me. The fish were “Bridge Lipsuckers” and one sees them in the deeper sections of the creek. Keep an eye out for this Brown trout food.

Doug Andres, Stream Keeper, Double R Ranch

 

August 1, 2016

August 1, 2016

DAMSELS IN DISTRESS !

I really loath damsel flies. Not because it is fairly “blind” fishing, not as bad (in my mind) as hopper fishing. Rather, because at this time of year the emergence of damsel flies immediately diverts trout attention away from Tricos, my very favorite hatch of the season. This morning was the classic situation. The Tricos were out in force, the trout were in pods, and I had finally selected a fly that drew 3 “takes” from the fish including a brute of a trout. Suddenly, however, I noticed growing numbers of damsels. Fifteen minutes later the damsels were everywhere and the trout lost interest in the masses of spinners on the surface and opted for chasing damsels. A lot of anglers welcome this as relief from the frustration and challenge of Trivos fishing. To me, casting during the Trico hatch is like approaching the red headed beauty in a singles bar. The attraction is the challenge.

The Trico continues to be the dominant hatch day in and day out on the Double R Ranch. It starts early morning but not before the wind dies down. It might start at 7:30 or not until 9:30, depending on the wind. Lately, you might also encounter Blue Winged Olives or Callibaetis (generally spent spinners) later in the morning. Now you are sure to be presented with damsels in distress everywhere.

I have been wondering where all the spent Callibaetis spinners have been coming from. Last night I got the answer. A friend and I fished from 7:15 p.m. until dark. As we exited at the top of Beat #6 there were literally thousands of Callibaetis duns floating by us. The trout were not taking them at all, probably because the wind had come up. I have never seen so many Callibaetis on the Double R Ranch stretch of Silver Creek, not even on The Pond last season. It would be a great place to fish oncalm evening.

Doug Andres, Stream Keeper, Double R Ranch

 

July 30, 2016

July 31, 2016

THE FISH THAT COULDN’T BE HOOKED . . ?

The other day I encountered a large trout that was sipping Trico spinners against the bank, far away from the pod of fish which were gorging themselves on the quantity of spinners in the middle of the creek right behind my trailer. Such isolated bank feeders or, for that matter, trout feeding on the margins of the Trico stream (on the sides or in front of the pack) present great opportunity to hook trophy trout. I had already landed two fish on my friend Tom’s Trico Sparkle dun with an elongated shuck so I stuck with that pattern. I made over 20 casts to the brute without any reaction on his part. It occurred to me that I might be facing The Trout That Couldn’t Be Hooked and in my mind I began to map out a blog entry on that theme. In the middle of that musing I was distracted by the sight of a beautiful butterfly to my left when the trout came up and took the fly. Of course, I over reacted and struck too firmly, dragging the big fish’s head to the side and the fly popped out. For me, it made my morning.

That morning the hatch of Trico mayflies lasted but 45 minutes but it was intense. It was followed by a dense Blue Winged Olive spinner fall and a #20 BWO spinner pattern was the key. I landed 3 trout, ranging from a 3 inch Rainbow to a 17 inch Brown. These days, I have been seeing an increasing amount of Callibaetis duns by the trailer, so I am confident that soon the Callibaetis will become the dominant hatch, followed closely by small BWOs.

Doug Andres, Stream Keeper, Double R Ranch

 

July 31, 2016

July 28, 2016

IT’S LIKE A HEAT WAVE . . . . !

Motown Fans, it was seriously hot today when I got off the field water of the Double R, and it was only 11:30 a.m.! I had put on my fleece vest before launching the float tube because it was a wee bit nippy early morning. I was glad I did so for only an hour.

But, the reward was a bunch of bugs. Where I was fishing there was a nice Trico hatch; not too many bugs and it only lasted 45 minutes. The trout were unusually cooperative, taking a #24 Trico Sparkle Dun. Thereafter, I was blessed with a sparse hatch of #22 Blue Winged Olive duns, then a few BWO spinners. Yes, the insects appear to be getting smaller during this heat wave and it is harder to land trout on such tiny imitations but at least the fish are taking their artificial equivalents. There also were a few Callibaetis on the water as well, about a size 16. I look for the Callibaetis to become more reliable and numerous as we pass through this hot week.

My best fish of the day came on a small damsel dry pattern without any wings. It was a 19 inch Brown that was taking natural damsels alongside about a dozen of his brothers and sisters.

Members, remember to call or email me if you (and guests) want to attend Allen McGee’s seminar on soft hackles and fly tying demonstration which will be held at the Picabo Store at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, August 8. The grill will remain open so that you can grab a late lunch after the morning’s fishing.

Doug Andres, Stream Keeper, Double R Ranch

 

July 28, 2016

July 28, 2016

IT’S LIKE A HEAT WAVE . . . . !

Motown Fans, it was seriously hot today when I got off the field water of the Double R, and it was only 11:30 a.m.! I had put on my fleece vest before launching the float tube because it was a wee bit nippy early morning. I was glad I did so for only an hour.

But, the reward was a bunch of bugs. Where I was fishing there was a nice Trico hatch; not too many bugs and it only lasted 45 minutes. The trout were unusually cooperative, taking a #24 Trico Sparkle Dun. Thereafter, I was blessed with a sparse hatch of #22 Blue Winged Olive duns, then a few BWO spinners. Yes, the insects appear to be getting smaller during this heat wave and it is harder to land trout on such tiny imitations but at least the fish are taking their artificial equivalents. There also were a few Callibaetis on the water as well, about a size 16. I look for the Callibaetis to become more reliable and numerous as we pass through this hot week.

My best fish of the day came on a small damsel dry pattern without any wings. It was a 19 inch Brown that was taking natural damsels alongside about a dozen of his brothers and sisters.

Members, remember to call or email me if you (and guests) want to attend Allen McGee’s seminar on soft hackles and fly tying demonstration which will be held at the Picabo Store at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, August 8. The grill will remain open so that you can grab a late lunch after the morning’s fishing.

Doug Andres, Stream Keeper, Double R Ranch

 

July 26, 2016

July 26, 2016

The Trico hatch remains strong on the field water of the Double R Ranch, depending on where you are. A Beat which is fantastic one day may not be memorable the next. My advice is to pick your favorite Beat, be observant and fish the hatch you encounter. Also, I’d fish a 7X leader in the morning because both the Tricos and the Blue Winged Olives are small.

This morning there was zero wind, for the most part. I ran into a nice Trico hatch which had the trout in pods. Size 22 and 24 flies were more productive than larger offerings but it is hard to land a fish on such tiny imitations. My friend Tom’s black bodied Trico Sparkle Dun with an elongated gray Zelon shuck and a female Trico spinner (cream abdomen, black thorax, poly wings) were on the end of my leader most of the time.

When the Trico hatch died down and the trout separated from the pods there were a quantity of BWO spinners on the water and the trout were slurping them down. Before I saw the BWO spinners I had tied on a Callibaetis Hen Winged spinner but nothing happened so I switched to a #20 BWO Hackle Stacker which the trout liked. The fish were still feeding when I got off the water around 11:30. 

The weather forecast for the rest of the week involves high temperatures in the 90s or high 80s. I suspect that this heat and the lack of cloud cover will lead to excellent Callibaetis activity as well.

The sun and heat should also strengthen the damsel hatch. When you first see a few damsels in the air, consider drifting a damsel nymph imitation close to the reeds on which the damsels climb and emerge.

Members, remember to call or email me to make a reservation for Allen McGee’s soft hackle seminar which starts at 2:00p.m. on Monday, August 8 at the Picabo Store.

Doug Andres, Stream Keeper, Double R Ranch

 

July 25, 2016

July 25, 2016

The reason that I have not posted blog entries for several days is because I once again had “technical difficulties” beyond my capability to solve. So, this email concerns about a week of fishing on the Double R Ranch. I’m sure that I won’t have similar difficulties more than another dozen times this season . . . .

THE CALLIBAETIS HEN WINGED SPINNER

Last Wednesday we were blessed with the greatest flight of Trico spinners that I have ever witnessed on the Double R Ranch field water. It looked like a picture on a magazine (although I have always suspected that some editing chicanery is involved). The cloud of Trico mayfly spinners extended 20 yards downstream from the head of Beat #7, 15 feet high and reached out into the middle of the creek. At times it was hard to breath without ingesting one’s recommended daily protein allotment. Trout were “podded up” all through Beat #7 as well as at the throat and tail out behind the island.  After witnessing this majestic sight, in my view there can be no doubt that the dredging project has not only not lessened the insect population, but has already improved this section overall.

Perhaps “blessed” is not the appropriate word, as the fish were tough during the 2 hour Trico activity. I only landed one trout on a Trico imitation, my friend Tom Lampl’s Sparkle Dun, but also I hooked and lost a half dozen other fish. Then we had a nice hatch of Blue Winged Olives with pale gray wings and the trout were on them. I managed to land two fish using an oversized BWO pattern and missed several more trout. After the BWOs waned I noticed a fair amount of spent Callibaetis spinners on the water. It looked to me that the damsels were about to take over and I figured I had a brief window before the trout lost interest in mayflies. So, I cut back the leader to about 5X and tied on my favorite Callibaetis spinner pattern, the classic “Hen Winged Spinner.” Okay, I frequently mention that pattern in this blog, but with good reason. The larger trout love it. On my 4th cast I hooked my largest trout of the year. The huge brown totally cleared the water and violently shook its head. Now, I can kill myself for not dropping my rod tip to give it more slack, as it broke off. I’ll probably fail to drop my rod tip another 20 times this season.

Last Thursday, I spoke with a Member who fished behind the island and in the dredged section of Beat #6. He had a great day, landing two rather large fish and missing others. He was very enthusiastic about the changes to the upper end of Beat #6.

In my view and that of many other Members, the dredging project has met or exceed expectations. Not only have the trout moved into the deepened water but the insect hatches are strong throughout the dredging project. We spent $120,000 on this project, although only 30 percent of the membership financially contributed to the cost. We cannot continue to rely so heavily on the minority of Members who historically have made very generous contributions. You know, if every one of our hundred or so Members contributed $1,000 we would have the money to dredge the additional 120 yards which Nick Purdy is planning for this winter. Remember, all donations are handled by our 501(3)(c) organization (“Idaho Community Foundation”) and you qualify for a tax deduction. Your Stream Keeper is making a $5,000 donation this year (having had a good winter at the poker tables down South).  

Bug activity and actively feeding trout remained the norm through the posting of this blog entry. When the wind dies down in the morning the Trico hatch has come on and, depending where you are on the Ranch water, there have been thick spinner Trico falls. On some of the mornings when the air temperature has been a bit chilly (relative to this time of year) the Tricos have been preceded by a sparse hatch of #18 Blue Winged Olive duns which have interested the fish. But, once the Ticos emerge or their spinners congregate, the trout generally have lost interest in the BWOs. We have seen a quantity of Callibaetis spinners and some duns. Some mornings a hatch of #18 truly yellow bodied Pale Morning Duns have followed the Tricos and we are now seeing a significant amount of damsels as well. I have noticed a bunch of mature grasshoppers on the gravel road when the sun warms them up so I would throw a hopper pattern on breezy afternoons or, for that matter, any afternoon. I favor a #10 Dave’s Hopper. Don’t neglect your beetle and ant patterns, either.

My sense is that the Trico hatch has reached its apex and will wane over the next week or two. When that happens, look for a resurgence of #20 to #22 Blue Winged Olives and some size 26 tan bodied BWOs. The hot weather should also bring the Callibaetis back in force. The damsels and grasshoppers should provide some interesting fishing as the heat persists. Just keep your eyes open and check the spider webs before you launch your float tube.

Members, I urge you to comply with the 5 mph speed limit on the gravels roads. It is plainly stated in the Club Rules that were sent to each of you and which are available in the Sign-In Wagon. Lately, I have noticed a number of Members literally “racing” to their intended beat. Each year Nick Purdy spends thousands of dollars on gravel, blading and labor costs in an effort to maintain the gravel roads. Driving your vehicle in excess of the 5 mph speed limit only serves to create pot holes and further degrade the gravel roads. Your Stream Keeper will be enforcing the 5 mph speed limit. Also, remember that the speed limit on the paved Ranch roads is 15 mph.  

Doug Andres, Stream Keeper, Double R Ranch

 

July 19, 2016

July 19, 2016

The past two mornings the Trico hatch has grown in intensity on every beat out in the field water of the Double R Ranch. Now that the Trico hatch has spread downstream, it would be a good time to float the beats of the lower field water. More trout have started to move onto the Ranch from below the highway as water temperatures at Point of Rocks and The Willows campgrounds start to rise. On windy days the Trico hatch might not start until 8:30 a.m. but on warm calm mornings it will start earlier.

This morning the Trico hatch lasted about two hours and produced pods of 2 dozen rising trout. It remains a tough hatch to hook much less land trout. I fumbled around with a half dozen Trico dries that did not interest other than the occasional fish including a No Hackle, a female Trico Spinner and a green bodied spinner. But then I tried my friend Tom Lampl’s version of a Trico Sparkle Dun which features an elongated gray shuck, a black body and light cream deer hair wings in size 22. It was the answer for me. I will give it top billing tomorrow morning because the trout loved it and it is very visible to the angler. I’m going to have to call Tom and have him tie me up another dozen.

During the Trico hatch you will find that the trout suck the naturals and your flies in and spit them out immediately if something doesn’t taste or feel correct. You also will have difficulty seeing the “take” given the size of your fly and the angle of the morning light. There are some things you can do to increase the amount of hookups.

First, you can use a larger dry fly as an indicator fly and attach a 7X tippet with a Trico dry on its end. I can’t personally do this because I don’t cast correctly and that results in horrible tangles of small tippets.

Second, you can fish something besides Trico imitations. I remember an article which appeared in Field & Stream thirty years ago entitled “Anting the Hatch.” The author offered the alternative of fishing a nasty looking black ant in the middle of the Trico hatch. You could also use beetles, small nymphs or soft hackles. You might also try a small hopper as there are a lot of hoppers on the Ranch this week; this evening my friend and I caught some live hoppers and fed them to the large trout that rest in the hole behind my trailer.

This morning there was a strong hatch of damsel flies after the Tricos were done. So, if you plan to stay out on the water after 11:00 a.m. you better brig along some sparsely tied damsel imitations.

Doug Andres, Stream Keeper, Double R Ranch

July 17, 2016

July 17, 2016

SIZE MATTERS

This morning in the upper field water of the Double R Ranch I encountered the best Trico hatch I have run into this season, in the sense that it lasted an hour and a half and the fish were working strong. But, the trout were not easy. I struck out with a variety of size 20 and 22 Trico imitations which have produced well in the past. I finally decided to try out some of the size 24 patterns I had picked up at Picabo Angler and they turned out to be the ticket, responsible for 3 fish. Size does matter, sometimes. I stuck several fish on a #24 female Trico spinner featuring a white abdomen, black thorax and white poly wings. The trout also liked the #24 black bodied para-spinner. I had some interest in the #22 black bodied dun pattern with white wings fashioned from reverse tied white CDC. I didn’t think of trying the black bodied Brooks Sprout which had worked well a week ago; it’s a great emerger pattern.

When the hatch ended and the wind picked up all the Members left. I had a few trout continue to work, eating something subsurface that was emerging, but I couldn’t tell what it was. Since there were no bugs on the water I ran some small dark nymphs in front of the cruisers and scored a couple of trout. It turned out to be a Baetis hatch, but the trout became distracted by the damsel hatch so I picked up stakes and retreated to the trailer for lunch and my daily nap.

The key to hooking trout continues to be an awareness of what bugs are coming off or will emerge. That means watching what floats by you and checking spider webs on the hand rails at the access points. It also helps to know what insects you “should” encounter that morning and fishing appropriate nymphs and emerger patterns before the duns appear. You can maximize the opportunity presented by a hatch in progress by starting the day with a healthy length of new 7X tippet which avoids down time in rebuilding your leader mid-hatch. I usually get my rig ready for the next session before leaving the water.

On Sundays I often refer to the creek as Our Lady of the Immaculate Deception. On this Sunday I said a prayer for the families of recently slain police officers and in hope that the current madness will end. I also expressed thankfulness for being able to live in this oasis of peace and calm known as Picabo, Idaho.

Doug Andres, Stream Keeper, Double R Ranch

 

July 15, 2016

July 15, 2016

Weekend Fishing Outlook.

With increasingly warmer air temperatures, this weekend we should be enjoying a continuation of a plethora of insect hatches. The past several days on the field water and The Pond we have encountered Tricos early morning followed by Callibaetis and Blue Winged Olives. While there have been clouds of Trico hovering over the bank and lots of fish rising in pods, on these warmer days the Trico hatch has been over in an hour so you need to be here early or you’ll miss it. Lately there have been a lot of the female spinners with white abdomens and black thoraxes, and they are small . . . size 22 to 24. Today the Trico hatch was followed by a really nice Blue Winged Olive hatch, both duns and spinners; they seemed to be a bit larger, about a size 18. Spent Callibaetis spinners were also on the menu but I couldn’t pick out a productive spinner pattern. Were it not for the fact that a hatch of damsel flies garnered the attention of just about all trout, there would have been some good “trash time” fishing as mats of BWO and Trico spinners formed “mats” along parts of the bank. You really had to see it to believe it.

Consider a lazy float in the heat of the afternoon. On some parts of the field water large fish have been swirling subsurface when glass conditions exist. You can hook some of these brutes on ants or beetles or by swimming small nymphs in front of them. Don’t neglect the damsel imitation or a hopper pattern, either.

Doug Andres, Stream Keeper, Double R Ranch

 

July 13, 2016

July 13, 2016

Return of the Hoppers!

I fished Beat 10 this morning. As I walked back to my truck I spooked a half dozen grasshoppers, the first I’ve run across this season. I was surprised that they were full sized grasshoppers because I haven’t seen any immature hoppers to date. The hoppers are early this year; you usually don’t see them fully grown until August. So, on windy afternoons, or any afternoon for that matter, you might want to throw a grasshopper imitation against the bank or in front of fish which show themselves out in the middle of the creek. My favorite section of the Ranch water to fish hopper flies is from Beat #1 (‘The Cabin”) down to Highway 20. My preference in terms of patterns when the water surface is “glass” is “Dave’s Hopper” in size 10 or 12 rather than something larger which I confine to windy conditions.

On this cold morning the White Miller Caddis dominated the field water and I landed 3 trout by swimming my #14 Pheasant Tail soft hackle in front of fish bulging underneath hovering caddis. When the caddis started to “dap,” meaning they were on egg laying flights, I switched to my #14 Callibaetis Hatch Matcher and had 5 or 6 strikes but no hook ups. There was a modest Trico hatch in the upper field water but most of the trout seemed to be on the caddis. I finally did put on a green bodied Trico spinner and had a few fish strike without a hookup. With the daily high temperatures returning to the mid-80s over the next several days I would expect the Tricos to regain their supremacy over other aquatic insects.

By now you Members have received the email Nick Purdy and I put together regarding the Members’ Barbecue and the dredging project we are proposing for this winter. I was moved by Nick’s comments about the Mexican community here in the valley and on the Ranch. In the years that I have served as Stream Keeper I have developed friendships with some of these ranch hands who (in past years when my back pain was worse) were always willing to rescue me when I became stranded out on the creek all alone and a good distance from my truck. These are the guys who have built all of the access structures we use along the creek, who maintain the beautiful landscaping of the Ranch, and who control the brush at our designated beat entries. I tend to take their work for granted but sometimes I remember to thank them for all the little stuff they do for us.

Doug Andres, Stream Keeper, Double R Ranch

 

July 12, 2016

July 12, 2016

Take your pick!

It was a surprising day in terms of the variety of insects and its inauspicious start. The prior night the air temperature dropped to the high 30s so I figured that the Trico hatch would start late and likely be retarded. I sat in the truck with the heat blasting, drinking coffee until 9:30 a.m. I had almost given up hope of an interesting morning and had thought about retreating to the Picabo Store for a plate full of protein and unneeded calories. But, then I spied the first rises of the day, both upstream and downstream of one of my favorite beats of the upper field water. I was caught in the cross fire. There were only three other Members out fishing the field water.

To my surprise, when I got on the water a smattering of Callibaetis was all that I encountered. . . . no White Miller Caddis or Tricos. So I messed around with several patterns that turned out not to be productive: the classic Hen Winged Spinner and my Callibaetis Hatch Matcher. Fish were working everywhere but I couldn’t touch a trout with the Callibaetis imitations. As time passed from a distance I could actually see small mayflies on the surface and my first guess was that they were tiny Baetis since it had been a cold night. But when the working fish congregated in pods I knew that the Trico hatch was on. And, what a dense Trico hatch it turned out to be! And how difficult the trout turned out to be! I tried a variety of dun and spinner patterns: No Hackles, Para Spinners, CDC Reverse Tied winged Tricos, White bodied spinners, etc. To no avail. I finally tried one of my favorite emergers, the “Brooks Sprout” which I had picked up the day before at Picabo Anglers. It was a size 20 with a black body and black hackle. It turned out to be the Fly of the Day in terms of getting strikes but I only once got a hook set sufficient to land the trout,  gorgeous, fat 17 inch Rainbow. Speaking of which, have you noticed how fat and healthy looking the Rainbows are this year on the Double R?

As the stage of the hatch progressed the Brooks Sprout stopped producing takes and I noticed Baetis spinners over by the reeds and a few Trico spinners hovering over the working fish. I decided to offer the trout my favorite AC/DC spinner for when I can’t tell which species of spinner are the main attraction. It is a little somber green biot bodied spinner with gray poly wings with prominent tails, very visible to the angler. It was responsible for two more fish.

To my surprise some Pale Morning Duns emerged when the Trico hatch wound down. Not the usual cream colored size 14 monsters but, rather, the more modest size 18 yellow hued beauties we are more accustomed to run into on other venues. Of course, I had left my PMD fly box back in the trailer. Big mistake! But, I managed to interest a few trout with the single PMD dry that was on my fly patch from earlier in the season which was a size 14 CDC Winged Parachute. Mostly, the trout just “nosed” the fly. Later in the day I returned my PMD box to the float tube and, just to be safe, I picked up some more size 18 PMD dries at Picabo Angler.

The hatches were still not done for the day. I could have stayed to fish to the relatively sparse adult damsel hatch but my failure to eat breakfast took its toll and I left.

Doug Andres, Stream Keeper, Double R Ranch

 

July 10, 2016

July 10, 2016

Humbled once more!

“That’s life. That’s what they say. Riding high in April. Shot down in May.” Yesterday I was on the top of my game. Today I fished the field water with a good friend and I couldn’t hook a fish. When both of us get skunked, you know that it is tough fishing. It was a cool morning so I was not surprised that we encountered a pretty good flight of White Miller Caddis. We noticed that the trout were sipping Blue Winged Olive duns and spinners rather than slashing after the caddis. I had declared Sunday a “soft hackle free day” and wanted to fish to a mayfly hatch. But, the question was, “Which mayfly?” Over the course of the morning we saw BWOs, spent Callibaetis spinners and a few rather large PMDs. We each tried a half dozen different BWO patterns with no success. I had a couple of “misses” on a Hen Winged Callibaetis spinner but no hook ups. Then, the trout “podded up” although we did not see any Tricos on the water. In retrospect, we probably should have tried a Trico emerger pattern or cripple, just to put something in the film in front of the gorging trout. All in all, it was a delightfully challenging morning before the wind came up and put it all to rest.

Reports are that fishing on The Pond has been productive and that the Tricos are bringing the fish up.

Doug Andres, Stream Keeper, Double R Ranch

July 9, 2016

July 9, 2016

This morning I fished Beat #4 where I knew there would be no Trico hatch. Saturday is the busiest day of the week in terms of Members and Guest fishing the Double R Ranch. I didn’t want to take a beat in the upper field water where Tricos have been hatching. Eventually the Trico hatch will make it down to beats 1 through 4, but not yet. The reports I got today were that there were plenty of Tricos in the upper field water but it was tough to get the trout to take a Trico imitation. Like always, the Trico hatch comes off early.

I had a satisfying day even though I did not encounter Tricos which is my favorite hatch of the season due to its difficulty. I ran into a massive flight of White Miller Caddis. I landed one Rainbow on my #14 Pheasant Tail soft hackle. When I noticed that the trout were starting to dap the surface in egg lying flights I switched to my #14 Callibaetis Hatch Matcher (my go to dry fly for these huge caddis) and landed another feisty Rainbow. When the caddis finally disappeared I started to choke on the Blue Winged Olive spinners that surrounded my float tube. The wind laid down and “glass” conditions arose. I spied two large looking fish up against the reeds on the east bank and tied on a #20 BWO spinner. I lengthened my line and measured my cast in the middle of the creek. When I was comfortable with the length I launched a cast towards the reeds and the fly landed a foot and a half above where I had seen the two trout. Geez, I was on my game today. One of the fish came up and I could see it grab the spinner n the glaze of the sun due to the bushy gray poly wings of the fly which protruded well above the water surface. I prefer spinners with a tuft of poly above the fly as compared with the spent wing variety. The fight was a classic battle. I didn’t expect to bring the fish to net as I had lost 3 or 4 fish in the thick weeds of Beat #4. But, I was successful and it turned out to be a 19 inch Brown, my third of the season. I haven’t been able to break the 20 inch mark on a Brown trout this season. It was a good morning in my book even though I only landed 3 trout.

As I drove down to the Picabo Store for a soda I started to think about what makes a good fishing experience; how do we judge our day? Some of us go through the typical progression. I remember the initial wonder of catching bass on the fly as a teenager in New Jersey. When I moved out west and encountered trout in freestone rivers framed by majestic scenery it was a whole different ball game. Initially, I considered it a good day when I didn’t get skunked on largely unfamiliar water confronted by insect I couldn’t identify much less match the hatch. In time, I judged a day based on how many trout I landed. Then I became obsessed with catching large trout. Then the large Browns had to be caught on tiny dry flies. These days I don’t have to land the large quarry. I just have to see the fish although I confess that from time to time I need to land them. Currently, I consider it a good day when I learn something new or encounter something fishing-related for the first time. For example, I recently observed several dozen tiny beetles floating down the creek, dispelling my long held assumption that it is always the case that the wind blows individual beetles off the bank. But, in the end, my view is that the best day on the creek is spent with an old friend. I have several coming to visit me this season and I am looking forward to their arrival.

Doug Andres, Stream Keeper, Double R Ranch

July 8, 2016

July 8, 2016

The Trico mayfly hatch has officially arrived on the field water of the Double R Ranch. They were everywhere this morning on the upper beats. But, while the fishing was a blast the catching was pretty tough. Your Stream Keeper landed two fish on Tricos dries and one nicer trout on a Callibaetis emerger. I feel that the key to the density of the Trico hatch from here on out is going to be whether the night temperatures are warm; in my experience, the hatch slows down after a cool night. The hatch has been coming off around 8:00 a.m. I overheard an angler saying that he encountered two hatches of Tricos this morning but, in my view, the first hatch was of the green bodied females and the second period of rising fish were trout taking spinners.

The Pond continues to fish well. Today there were Callibaetis spinners and one Member had success fishing a Rusty Spinner, my all-time favorite fly.

Doug

July 6, 2016

July 6, 2016

TRICOS HAVE ARRIVED!

Depending on where you are on the Double R Ranch and the weather, you just might run into an early morning hatch of the Trico mayfly. My journal reflects that Tricos usually show up on the Ranch water on July 10 or 11 but this season the hatch appears to be early.

When one considers just how small the Trico mayfly measures, it is mystifying that huge trout exhibit tunnel vision when the Trico hatches.  The serious fly angler is captivated by the Trico, some following Tricos around the West.  An angler has to be serious if Trico hatches are the quarry as early mornings are mandated; press the “snooze” button a few times and one is out of luck.  Success with fishing the Trico hatch requires a different presentation than other mayfly emergences and a detailed knowledge of the developmental stages of both sexes of the insect.  The Trico hatch on Silver Creek is world famous and a supreme test of the angler’s skill set and knowledge.  In my view it calls for 12 to 15 foot leaders with three to four foot tippets of 7X material, an extremely cautious approach, and skillful presentation. 

Nymphs. 

Tricos fall in the “crawler” category of mayflies.  The nymphs are feeble swimmers at best, always preferring to crawl unless they become dislodged from their hold on rock substrate, vegetation or are about to emerge.  Tricos emerge from the nymphal stage in one of three ways.  Many hatch in open water in the surface film.  Others crawl up weed beds toward the surface, leaving the exoskeleton just beneath the surface.  Some Tricos simply crawl out of the water on rocks or on the protruding vegetation which has developed on Silver Creek by mid-summer.  None of these emergence methods seem to prompt trout to selectively feed on nymphs, but a few trout can be taken on nymphs right before the hatch.  Trico nymphs generally are light to dark brown in color and are only 1/8 to 3/8 inches in length. 

An effective Trico nymph pattern would be tied in sizes 20 to 24, with dark brown fur dubbing picked out at the thorax, and a couple of  pheasant tail fibers for tailing. Your Stream Keeper has developed a preference for Rene Harrop’s Trico Nymph.

If you have reason to believe that the Trico hatch is fairly imminent, make the cast cross stream or quarter it down, mending so that the fly is dead drifted.  A strike indicator can help the angler respond to the subtle takes common with trout taking the Trico nymph, or one can fish the nymph as a dropper off a Trico dun pattern or terrestrials like ants and beetles. 

Emergers.

All Trico addicts have days when they simply cannot hook a trout despite trying all manner of dun and spinner patterns, the two most common types of flies that anglers rely on for Trico action.  We fail to realize that there are times when trout feed on emergers in preference to winged adults or Trico spinners, as trout do with other mayfly hatches.  What is it about the Trico hatch which causes the piscatorial quarterback to fail to read the defense?   Be on the lookout for rise forms and bubbles which are sure signs of surface takes, then follow the float of a few duns to see if any of them disappear.  If you see bubbles but no duns go down, then it may be time to try an emerger pattern.

The “CDC Trico Emerger” can be very effective in these circumstances, as it will suspend in the surface film.  The abdomen of olive dubbing (synthetic preferable) represents the female which is what trout will see almost exclusively in their early morning feeding) the thorax is dark brown dubbing and the wing is a tuft of white or gray CDC (a great situation to use CDC “oiler puffs,” tied in by the stem and trimmed to one’s liking).  Alternatively, just add a piece of white or gray polypro yarn or a tuft of CDC when tying your preferred un-weighted Trico nymph, so as to represent the unfolding wings of the emerging nymph.

A good presentation strategy for the Trico emerger is to position one’s self directly upstream of working trout and cast downstream directly into the feeding lane in front of a single fish.  Try to cast in line with the rhythmic feeding behavior of the targeted trout.  It is preferable to employ a cast which provides slack tippet so that micro-currents do not create drag.  

Duns.

Female Trico duns typically emerge early morning and molt into spinners within a few minutes to an hour, the precise timing being temperature dependent.  The color of the female’s abdomen is light green with a dark brown thorax.  In the morning one should use green bodied flies to imitate the (female) dun because the dark brown bodied male dun usually does not hatch until evening (and sometimes after dark).  We’re talking about patterns tied in sizes 20 to 24.  Dun patterns which can be very effective on Silver Creek include:  a green or olive bodied Hatchmatcher; the Trico Sparkle Dun; the Trico No Hackle; A.K. Best’s Trico Quill Dun; the Trico Female Dun (tied with wings of light blue dun hackle tips).  On a good day with a thick hatch of female duns the angler can approach rather close to trout feeding on duns because the trout may be distracted fleets of Trico Duns floating downstream.

 

Spinners. 

When the female duns complete the molting process they will fly into the often large swarms of male spinners hovering over the creek or forming “towers” over solid ground, and mate randomly.  Male spinners will “fall” onto the creek immediately after mating, before the female spinners.  This is because after mating the female spinners spend a half hour to an hour in the riparian zone waiting for the fertilized eggs to ripen before returning creek to deposit her eggs.  The female Trico spinners are olive in color while the male Trico spinner is dark brown to black.  One should be armed with both colors whether your favorite spinner pattern has white wings made of clear antron, white polypro, CDC, Zelon or hen hackle.  Another twist is to fish double winged spinner patterns which can be tied on #16 hooks! This season I am going to try a Trico spinner pattern with a bead head that I purchased from a fly shop over the winter. . .a “sunken spinner.”

Progressive strategies for successful Trico fishing. 

Get on the creek early in the morning. It can be worth it! Your Stream Keeper likes to get out on the water by 6:00 a.m., and drink coffee while swimming a Trico nymph.

Before the dun hatch, fish nymphs.

Fish an emerger when you suspect trout are keying on emergers.

Then fish a green bodied dun pattern.

When trout begin to refuse a green bodied dun pattern which has been working and Trico spinners are in the air, consider switching to a dark brown or black bodied spinner pattern. 

Later switch to an olive spinner pattern. 

Fish a 12 to 15 foot leader with a 7X tippet.

Doug Andres, Stream Keeper, Double R Ranch

 

July 5, 2016

July 5, 2016

TAKE YOUR PICK!

This is the time of year on the Double R Ranch where it helps to bring a Guest who holds several entomology degrees. Depending on where you were on the Ranch water this morning, you might have encountered Blue Winged Olives, Pale Morning Duns, Tricos, Callibaetis, White Miller Caddis, Damselflies or small dark gray winged caddis. And, I might have missed a species or two! It is just delightful, especially if you are a fan of the mayfly. Even if one can tell the bugs apart, what stage of the insect is appealing to the trout? Mama never told me that life would be so perplexing. When you can’t figure things out, the best strategies might include a #20 Adams, a beetle, a flying ant or a Pheasant Tail soft hackle. While that might be the equivalent of raising the white flag, it does bring fish to the net.

Over the next two weeks look for the White Miller Caddis to gradually wane and the early morning action to stem from the diminutive Trico mayfly. It is time to pull out the Trout Hunter 14 foot 7X leaders and size 22 to 24 Trico dries, all of which are available at our Picabo Angler fly shop. Your Stream Keeper enjoys the solitude of getting out on the creek at 6:30 a.m. to fish the hatch of green bodied female Tricos, several hours before the spinner fall. I am alone in the profound silence and calm of the creek. It is not for everyone, particularly late sleepers. I don’t recommend such an early arrival if you are a junkie for fast action. I rig up a #20 Harrop Trico nymph on a new 7X leader the night before, sip my morning coffee in the float tube and await the Trico life cycle to unfold before me. There is some brief action on the nymph before the females start to hatch and a lull in the action while the hatched females ripen their eggs in the streamside brush. Plenty of time to think through your most recent relationship blunder or complete the Sudoku puzzle before the madness of the spinner fall ensues.   

Those Damn Damsels are starting to show up daily. Me, I hate when the damsels emerge in the middle of a great Trico hatch, would prefer not to fish blind, and hate how the dry damsel patterns twist my leader. But there is no doubt that some nice trout can be taken on dry damsels. Picabo Angler has some dry damsel patterns that look like they would not corkscrew your leader, and cutting back to 4X might not be a bad idea either. My personal belief is that the most underutilized flies on Silver Creek are damsel nymph and dragonfly nymph patterns; pick up a few unweighted offerings and swim them across the stream before the adults start to hover. You might be surprised!

The weather will be key this week for those Members who have quite a drive to the Double R Ranch. The forecast calls for calm early morning weather with the wind picking up by noon each day, so set the alarm and pick up breakfast on the fly at Mickey Dee’s.

Doug Andres, Stream Keeper, Double R Ranch

 

July 4, 2016

July 4, 2016

This morning there were bugs all over the Double R. I fished Beat #7 and right off the bat at 8:00 a.m. there was a rather thick flight of White Miller Caddis and I landed 5 trout swimming a #14 Pheasant Tail soft hackle under the hovering horde. Then I encountered the best Blue Winged Olive hatch of the season and I decided to fish dry but just could not select a productive pattern before a strong wind came up and blew the mayflies off the water. Reports are that the Tricos have begun to hatch in the wade water near the gazebo, as well as in the Nature Conservancy Preserve, so the Tricos undoubtedly will be hatching on the Double R real soon.

Doug Andres, Stream Keeper, Double R Ranch