June 9, 2015

June 9, 2015:

FISHING REPORT:

The Callibaetis sinner fall and hatch continues to be where it’s at on the Double R Ranch, coming off by Noon every day, and sometimes preceded by an emergence of Blue Winged Olives (aka Baetis). Yesterday, Member Rich Brown landed an unbelievable Brown . . . 24 inches long! The insanity should continue given the hot air temperatures and absence of cloud cover.

I am seeing flights of White Miller Caddis hovering over the water early each morning. When I see the occasional trout coming up out of the water for these guys, I put on a #14 Pheasant Tail soft hackle and run it under the cloud of caddis.

Back by popular demand . . . .

FIVE WAYS TO AVOID HOOKING SILVER CREEK TROUT:

First, make sure you cast a short line. Sure there are times when fish are so focused on feeding that you can literally fish right on top of them, but day in and day out on Silver Creek and other spring creeks you will catch more trout if you keep your distance from working fish or likely trout lies. Wild trout have an innate fear of shadows created by the casting angler and of brightness caused by shiny reels and fishing equipment. Cast as long a line as is within your abilities; practice and proper equipment will lengthen your cast. 

Second, make sure to fish a short leader. While there are circumstances where the angler can “get away with” a 9 or 12 foot leader (such as when a “chop” is on the water or when fishing subsurface), Silver Creek veterans will advise you to fish a longer leader. Again, to deep distance from the trout and to avoid alarming trout. To a 2 foot butt section, your Stream Keeper generally attaches a 14 foot, 6X Trout Hunter leader, recently declared the best leader in the industry, which are available at the Picabo Angler fly shop.

Third, make sure you tie on a bushy, heavily hackled dry fly with a high profile. The slow water of spring creeks affords trout an extended opportunity to differentiate natural insects from your fly offering. Fly shops serving big western rivers sell heavily hackled and bulky flies designed to float in strong currents. You will want to patronize fly shops in the immediate vicinity of Silver Creek where you can buy sparsely tied flies. 

Fourth, make sure you cast directly across or upstream of trout. This is the best way to “line” fish and put trout down. Experienced Silver Creek anglers cast both wet and dry flies downstream and in front of working fish to suspected trout lies.  Move your float tube to gain better position in relations to working trout.

Fifth, make sure that you “false cast” at least a half dozen times before launching your cast. With fly floatant and flies constructed from appropriate materials, it is not necessary to “dry” your fly via false casting. Repetitive false casting creates shadows and movement which only serves to spook fish who have evolved to be paranoid of predator birds. Instead, let your fly drift directly downstream, pick up slack line with your free hand, pull the rod back and launch your cast in one movement.    

Each of these “no noes” will reduce your chances of consistently landing Silver Creek trout by 20 percent.

Doug Andres

Stream Keeper