I got to get out for a little bit this morning and I headed to where I have taken a couple client trips lately; Black Tiger Fire/Blue Bridge (approximately mile marker 35). I have had several groups in this area lately and thought that I would take my turn. The browns are in bulk up mode for the winter season and it is making for some great fishing. This time of year is a terrestrial flyfishers dream. Throw on a hopper, attractor, beetle, or even an ant and have at it. The bugs, and therefore the food supply, is going to be (starting) to running low soon so if trout can get their lips on a size 12 bug right now instead of all the size 20+ midges they will be forced to depend on in the winter, all the better.
Recently, I have been throwing some smaller size 14 and 16 terrestrial/attractors on top with some beadheads on the bottom. On top, I have been fishing an Amy's Ant in 14 or a new hopper that I have been tying, discussed below. On the bottom, I have been using a blue poison tung or an all new T.U.V. mdige, which is now a neon midge. This has actually been out fishing the tung 4 or 5-1. I am sure that as far as most hopper/attractor patterns go, you will find success with most just keep it smaller and keep it buggy. On the bottom, go attractor nymph or even smaller natural replications, such as pheasant tails, hare's ears, or prince nymphs. Start thinking smaller. Not crazy small, but smaller.
When it comes to hoppers, I find that most are too large or too complicated and therefore not so life-like; especially when you consider the smaller nature of the waters that I usually fish. So when I was recently reading an older magazine lately basically talking about the same problem that offered up a smaller pattern, I ran with it. I like the Charlie Boy Hopper but find that buoyancy can be an issue. Also, as a guide fly, it is harder for a beginner to see. It's buggy, just hard to see. The new pattern that I am tying, The JR X Hopper, sits the foam higher on the hook shank and incorporates some antron dubbing, an all time floating favorite. Having slightly similar body design as a Charlie Boy, it adds a bit of McFlylon to the top for increased visibility on top of the hair wing and makes it much more client friendly. It is the first hopper pattern that I have tied up so I was excited to get out and try it. I tied it in olive but was slightly hesitant as I know that the naturals along the creek tend to run more of a brown color. But I didn't that have color foam.
The neon midge, which has become a staple in my box now, has been 'tightened up' a little and I added a pink thread head. This thing has been DOING IT. Wow. On the Big T it has been productive when others weren't. I think it takes on a scud look there to them. And on Boulder Creek, I threw it on for a client one day when a tung was kind of slow. I hadn't glued them before I fished them (I was in a hurry) and after replacing two torn up flies for my client in a group trip, one gentleman recommended I call it a 'torn thread midge'. I thought that kind of summed it up. Took it back out for myself last week after throwing a tung, and same thing. That day I think I out fished the tung closer to 10-1. I am sold on this bug and may submit it to a commercial fly tyer. I am considering it anyways. Both the neon midge and the JR X hopper are available only through me. The JR X hopper can be found, but I searched it on google and didn't find much. Just a great pattern from Scott Sanchez through a publication of mine.
So, back to fishing, I showed up to one of my guide holes. What is a guide hole? It's a hole where you can almost 100% count on a bite after showing clients a quick lesson. Often, this hole is pre-determined prior to departing the shop. In this case, it was too. This hole is right below the Black Tiger sign and I have used it for a guide hole several times with success most of the time. So when I threw my new hopper and proven midge in there and got zero bites, I definitely raised an eyebrow. I moved onto another usually successful seam opposite that hole. Nothing. Two more holes, nothing. I move up one hole to a larger, slower, deeper run. It has a decent swift current coming into it but flows overs some riffles and then bends into a deeper pool. Toss my fly, and slamma jamma all over that non-natural olive hopper. Well 5-6 trout later, in the same hole, I decided that my new hopper tie does catch trout. Yes. Yes it does. I caught a couple on the midge in that hole as well.
I ended up only fishing for another hour or so because I was just on a new fly scouting trip and truth be told, the fishing was that good. In the hour, I caught probably upwards of 20 trout and missed or lost another 20 or so. I also had at one point a trout come for my fly from under a rock and straight towards me until he got an inch away and noticed me standing there. It would have been a great picture of a trout (almost) eating. At another point, I threw my fly at the tail out of this smaller, unsuspecting riffle and I saw a trout swim over. The first thing I saw was the back side of his gills and then I tracked him into the current to under my bug before he denied it as well. He was pushing probably 16"-18" though. That doesn't surprise me though, after I saw a 20" plus trout last week in a different section. Couldn't believe it, until I foul hooked him and took him on a walk. Pretty funny story.
I did notice that early on, the trout were definitely looking for warmer water. The sunny holes were may more productive. It is starting to get that time of year I suppose. So keep your fly in those warm spots early. I was out from roughly 10-11:15. The trout were really stacking up in warmer areas. I can only imagine what that same fly combo would have done 6 hours later. Unbelievable fishing though, and really gratifying as well, having finally tied up my first hopper pattern and crushing trout with it. Definitely accomplished my need for a smaller, more realistic, buoyant, visible hopper. Needless to say, I stopped by the shop on the way home and bought brown foam. I will tie some up and then post some pics soon so you can buy some if you would like to.
Go fish some hoppers and support a hungry trout.
On another note-Ran into Robby Bear at the shop, he said he was out the night before and that the 45 minutes before the sun went behind the mountains was phenomenal. Again, try a hopper dropper late, as I thought.
And one more note-Really amazed at how well the hopper stood up. Definitely a bunch of bite marks on abdomen and bullet head, but still in great fishing shape. Guide approved.
Tight Lines.
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